From my beauty collection: Front look
The reason I wanted to try this product was that I have seen many people raving about the Clinique's 3-Step System, which seems really effective at keeping the zits army at bay, giving you clear skin. Since I already have my own cleansing milk, toner and moisturising gel, I decided to complement them further with Clinique's acne-fighting gel.
There were not many reviews on this product on the internet as I was having trouble looking for second opinions. Nevertheless, I still decided I wanted to try it. I went ahead and bought the cute little gel at Isetan, 1 Utama PJ with their friendly beauty assistance assuring me that the product is suitable for my combination skin (i.e. oily T zone and normal skin elsewhere).
A look of its back
According to beautystat.com, in a 12-week acne reduction study, it has been clinically proven to treat blemishes with results as good as a leading topical acne prescription drug. It contains four clearing complex which has the following benefits for our skin:
- Anti-acne: Salicylic acid clears away dead surface cells that clog pores to help resolve and prevent breakouts.
- Exfoliate: Salicylic acid promotes healthy cellular turnover.
- Oil-control: Laminaria saccharina helps normalize the excess production of oil.
- Non-irritating: Sea whip extract calms and soothes skin, and helps reduce surface redness.
This product is also an an Allure Best of Beauty award winner!
It comes in two sizes according to the beauty assistance and they are 15ml (RM88.00) and 30ml (RM135.00). Because it was my first time trying out the product, she had recommended me the 15ml version. I was particularly satisfied with the way they market their product to the customer because she did not straight away get me to purchase the largest size i.e. the more expensive one.
In a light green bottle with a white cap, it gives a clean and tidy impression which suits Clinique's image well. Here is a photo illustrating the box and the bottle itself for the 15ml packaging:
Ingredients
Active Ingredient: Salicylic Acid 1.00%
Ingredients: Alcohol Denat, Water\Aqua\Eau, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel), Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Sea Whip Extract, Butylene Glycol, Benzalkonium Chloride.
Application
They have the instructions listed both on the box and the bottle as follows:
- Apply a thin layer to entire face twice a day after cleansing.
- Spot-apply (this is how I choose to use the product) if you are using another leave-on blemish treatment.
- Using other topical blemish products at the same time or right after use of this product may increase dryness or irritation of skin. If this occurs, only one medication should be used unless directed by a doctor.
As I have combination skin, I only use it as a spot treatment on my T-zone where the acne battles most frequently happen. I would apply only a thin layer each time and that means a little of the product goes a long way, which is good news for me! To really see the effect and protect my skin from being irritated, I don't combine its use with any other blemish treatment.
Touch:
The gel is transparent and has quite a thick consistency but can be spread out easily on the skin. It also dries out very quickly which I think should be due to its alcoholic content. After applying a thin layer to my face, I can immediately feel the tautness as it dries out and pulls on the skin, which makes me feel uncomfortable when moving my face. It also felt a bit sticky on the areas I applied it to.
Smell:
The product is said to be fragrance free, which I attest to. However, much to my dislike, it smells heavily of alcohol. It also stung rather badly when I applied it to the areas below my eyes (around 3cm away).
Appearance:
Immediately after application, I was able to see my skin tighten very prominently. Because I am always rushing for time, I can be quite ignorant sometimes when I do my beauty routine so I didn't notice any problem until I was on my third day of the product.
On that third day, I checked back on my face minutes later after I had the gel on when I passed by a mirror. I was terrified to see the red patches on my face which looked as if I had somehow spot-applied blush to my face (which I obviously didn't). Needed to know if any others experienced the same problem as me, I frantically searched the net for similar incidents reported by the gel-users but to no avail. Checking again, I even saw my eyes looking blood-shot which I was sure had been fine moments ago. Luckily, it didn't feel itchy and the redness actually subsided a while later (especially after I've applied my moisturiser) leaving a sheer layer on my face. My face didn't show any other signs of irritation nor did it break out crazily the days after.
Therefore, I did not stop using the product but instead continued for another three more months which is usually deemed the golden period to decide if a product is good for our skin (not sure if I was being stubborn or simply wanted to get the value out of the gel). However, nowadays after application, I did notice that the redness isn't as prominent as it was before, which I supposed is an okay sign for the continuing use.
Therefore, I did not stop using the product but instead continued for another three more months which is usually deemed the golden period to decide if a product is good for our skin (not sure if I was being stubborn or simply wanted to get the value out of the gel). However, nowadays after application, I did notice that the redness isn't as prominent as it was before, which I supposed is an okay sign for the continuing use.
Spreading out the gel (only a little is needed each time to apply to a large surface area).
I would say this product is not very effective for my skin.
It does not help with my blemishes (which some claimed reduce the appearance of their blemishes overnight) not to mention the added redness every time after I spot-applied it. I am fairly certain that I have used the product correctly with an appropriate amount for it to work its magic on my skin. I understand that every product works differently for every individual thus I believe this product is simply not for me. Also it is also said to be best used with it's 3-Step System which is again what I am not doing.
It is definitely good value since only a little of the product is needed each time for application. I usually apply it every time after I've cleansed my face in the morning and at night and I still have half a bottle after I've used it for six months! Hence the product should last very long as long as it is suitable for your skin and works wonder for you.
Should I buy the Clinique Anti-Blemish Gel?
It really depends on your skin type because while it is said to be allergically tested, it doesn't work well for my skin which is normally not so sensitive. I would also recommend you to get detailed and proper recommendations from the beauty assistance at Clinique to ensure the product is truly suitable for your skin type.
It really depends on your skin type because while it is said to be allergically tested, it doesn't work well for my skin which is normally not so sensitive. I would also recommend you to get detailed and proper recommendations from the beauty assistance at Clinique to ensure the product is truly suitable for your skin type.
Have you tried the Clinique Anti Blemish Gel? Tell me in the comments below!
Thank you for reading, see you in the next post!
This is not a sponsored post and it is strictly based on my personal opinion of the product. To get the best recommendation(s) for your skin type, please visit Clinique counters for more details.
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