Skincare| Evening Routine + Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Review

Here is part 2 of a long and overdue blogpost of my skincare routine that works wonders when I actually get the motivation to get out of bed and take care of my skin. All these products are great and deffo worth the share, so here we go!: 

Step 1// Make up removal

First things first, taking all your makeup off is an essential step in any skincare routine. To do this, I like to use make up removable wipes as they are quick and easy to use. The Body Shop Skin Cleansing Facial Wipes are great for make up removal. They are quite expensive so I've only bought them once and the other basic ones you can buy at any supermarkets do a good job anyways.

Make up wipes are only just the beginning, so to get rid of left over make up, grime and dirt, Micellar water is the way to go. Micellar waters are great as they clean, remove make up and tonify your skin all in one go. All you got to do is pour a few drops on a cotton pad and swipe it all over your face. For those who have yet to try it, Garnier or L'Oreal have pretty inexpensive and great micellar waters. On days when I can't be bothered to wash my face this is my lazy gurl hack!

Step 2// Cleanse

For a deep deep cleanse, I use Clinique's Anti-blemish Solutions Cleansing foam, which is part 1 of the 3 step kit. At first I started with the a small sample, but after seeing the results I had to buy the full size products.

To use it I push three pumps of foam and lather it all over my face and cleanse using circular motions with my finger tips. As in my morning routine, which you can read HERE, I sometimes use a manual face brush to get an extra cleanse and to exfoliate. I don't do this every time as the product on its own it pretty strong and over exfoliating can be dangerous. Doing this when your skin is groggy and needs extra time, care and loving, this using an exfoliating brush can be quite effective.

One downfall of this product is that at first it is extremely drying and your skin might start to act up by become a little bit flaky and causing uneven skin texture. After this happened to me, I turned to the Internet and it's multiple forums and found out that this occurs because your skin has to get used to the products and the ingredients it has in it. When you experience flaky skin, stop using the products for about a week or so and once you get used to the product and how it works, it is one of the greatest cleansers for acne prone skin out there. After using it, you can literally feel the squeaky cleanness of your skin, its amazing!

Step 3// Tone 

This toner is my all time favourite! Clinique's Anti-Blemish Solutions Clarifying Lotion, is a clear liquid with white particles at the bottom which you have to shake in order for the ingredients to mix together. Not only does the product tone your face and get rid of let over dirt; it also serves as a liquid exfoliator and goes deep into your skin to get rid of dead skin cells as well as unclog pores. The toner also helps tone down any blemishes and acne scaring you might have.

After shaking the bottle and mixing the ingredients together, I pour a little bit of the product on a cotton pad and wipe it all over my face (avoiding my eye area). Like all toners you can see leftover dirt or oil come off your skin and onto the cotton pad. This feeling of get rid of dirt and having clean sanitised skin is great. Using this product has changed my skin and I love how you can already see results and it's effects just after one usage!

The only problem with this product is that at first it stings your skin and can be quite drying but as I previously said you quickly get over it, once your skin adapts to the product. Another thing is that it kinda smells like alcohol even though it does not contain any. Apart form that, if I could only buy one skincare product for the rest of my life it would be this one.

Step 4// Moisturise 

After toning, it's time to moisturise! To do that I use Clinique's Anti-blemish Solutions All-Over Clearing Treatment. I squeeze out a pea size of the product onto the palm of my hand and then apply it all over my face. This product helps minimize breakouts and is quite effective- it's great!

The only thing is that the product does smell a little and I'm not going to lie, it is not my favorite thing to moisturize with...

Step 5// Eyes

Lastly, to get rid of the channel bags under my eyes, Clinique's All About Eyes Rich seems to have made the biggest differences compared to other eye bag creams I've used. The product is a creamy balm which I apply using my pinky or ring finger and then massage it onto my eyelids. When waking up the morning after, the effectiveness of the product really shows as I notice less bags and puffiness under my eyes. 

I really like this product and the packaging is the cutest little thing. A downfall of this product is that the full size package is quite pricey. As a student paying 24 Euros for a cream is a little much, and to be honest I would rather spend that much money on food or experiences, however, this sample has definitely changed my life for sure! Maybe after it finishes, I will have to sacrifice eating out so that I can buy this again haha.

...

Every single one of these products are great and produce amazing results only a few days after usage and even when you they are not used consistently. I would definitely recommend these products if you have severely acne prone skin or if you've been quite lazy with your skin and haven't taken care of as well as you should have as it's a good solution for your problems.The cleanser and the clearing treatment help minimize acne and breakout and the toner helps to fade out "imperfections". 

I would not suggest using these skincare products for both morning and night routines, especially if you have sensitive skin as it can become a little bit too aggressive on the skin. As I also previously mentioned, a disadvantage of these products is the PRICE, as it is not always in favour of students and their limited budget. Another downfall is that the products (except for the eye cream), smell really strong and clinc-y, but I guess that why the brand is called Clinique after all... Other than these two points,  I love these products - they are great for acne prone / oily skin. They have saved my skin on so many occasions and I am truly grateful ahah. 

What are your favourite skincare product(s)? What do you think of Clinique's skincare range? Let me know in the comments down bellow! 

xx, 

Anaelle

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