Mini Skincare Haul

Disclaimer: This is not sponsored. I just really love Clinique. 

Hey, hello! It’s been a minute, and I’ve got some explaining to do, but it’s kind of a downer so I’m going to keep it light today. It’s a rainy Saturday in Columbus, and I actually love and thrive in this type of weather. This morning, Kyle and I had some errands to run before going our separate ways for haircuts, and I wanted to make a pitstop into Ulta because I’ve been doing some skincare research as of late. 

After cutting dairy out of my diet, I’ve noticed some really huge improvements in my acne. **relentlessly knocks on wood** Is my skin perfect? Not a chance, because I still attack my face with my fingernails at every opportunity I get, but it’s a lot better. Because my breakouts have decreased, I’ve been researching ways to address some of my other concerns that have taken a back burner for years in desperate attempts to clear up this adult acne. What are those concerns, you might ask? 

Well, first and foremost, I am a snake person. My skin is dry year round. Even in 1million% humidity, I still come home from work with flaky patches. Even though it’s 4pm and I’ve yet to wash my face today (lazy), my skin is still dull and matte and lifeless. So yeah, dryness is a huge concern. I really do think dryness is a major contributor to fine lines and wrinkles, so I want to tackle this head on and see if I can reverse some of the aging that years of aggressive benzoyl peroxide use has caused. 

Secondly, makeup removal. Over the past few months, I’ve been really diligent in using a makeup wipe as soon as I get home from work, then using micellar water and finally, Proactiv+ before bed. If I use a toner after all of these steps, I still see foundation residue. What gives? 

Finally, I mentioned before that my skin is just lifeless. Listen folks, I truly think pale is pretty. All complexions are pretty, and I don’t want to further advance the aging process by being in the sun, but damn, my skin just lacks the luster of the rest of the living, haha. 

So, what’s a girl to do? Recently, at my dermatologist’s office, I asked her what products she recommended me using and I was not at all surprised to hear her rave about Clinique. Clinique has always been near and dear to my heart because it was the first makeup my mom ever got me. It was our first stop when my face started breaking out in college. It was the first stop after all that was healed and I wanted to diminish scarring. Clinique truly has products for skin of every color, texture, age, condition, and so on. 

(It pains me that this is not a cruelty free post, but I’m going to reach out to Clinique for their overall process and I’m happy to share if you guys would like to know! As I’ve mentioned before, I have just had ZERO luck with cruelty free cleansers and moisturizers, but I hope that all of these great companies are moving in that direction!)

To combat dryness… I’m trying out Clinique’s Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly with pollution protectant. I’ve been a long time fan of the Moisture Surge gel formula, but after reading some reviews and watching some videos on the new jelly, I’m excited to give it a shot. Clinique’s rep told me today that this also doubles as a really great primer because it dries down quickly and the pollution barrier is a great canvas for makeup! 

To really get all the makeup grime gone… I’m trying Clinique’s Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. I was hesitant to go for this until the rep said non-comedogenic, and then I was sold! This has a slightly melted chapstick texture and can be used with water, or with just a damp washcloth. I’m looking forward to testing this out and my fingers are crossed that it’s more effective than my current process. 

To bring my skin back to life… I’m trying Clinique’s Fresh Pressed Daily Booster with pure vitamin C 10%. I’m no skin guru, but when it comes to the magical properties of vitamin C, I’m well versed. This has been mentioned to me by countless makeup artists, doctors, aestheticians and health junkies. It’s by far the most interesting product I picked up today. It comes in a pump and can be put straight onto your skin, or mixed in with a moisturizer. The reviews are stellar and I hope to report back in a week with Cheryl Blossom skin. 

Per the usual, I was enticed by the minis at check out and grabbed some Hempz lotion, which is tried and true. Can’t leave your body skin out of the mix; it ages too! I’m particularly thrilled with the scent of the blue mini, which is just called Triple Moisture, because it smells just like old school Bath & Body Works roll on glitter, which I proudly wore as blush AND eyeshadow until the ripe age of like… 17. Yikes!

What are your holy grail skincare products? 

xoxo Leigh Ann