For most of my college years, I experienced having problematic skin. I suffered from pretty serious acne that not only damaged my skin, but also the image I had of myself.
I was tired of dealing with new, painful breakouts every day – nothing I owned was working to lessen my acne. I was losing my mind. I cried over how horrible I felt about my skin. I was ready to give up.
After the world shut down in March, I used the downtime I had to research brands that may help me out. One brand that I came upon was Clinique (thank you Emilia Clarke for introducing them to me).
I read up on their products and the ingredients they contained and decided to test it out. I have to say it was the best decision I have ever made for my skin.
Clinique has officially changed my skin for the better – I no longer suffer from stubborn cystic acne, and I could not be any happier! Of course, I still deal with occasional breakouts now and then, but that is normal for my age.
One of the first products I tried from Clinique is their Acne Solutions Oil-Controlling Cleansing Mask. This clay-based mask is easy to apply and only takes 5 minutes out of your daily skincare routine. This is my absolute favorite face mask to date – it makes my skin feel so much better and lessens the burden of any breakouts I develop.
I also use Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. This moisturizer is an oil-free gel that targets combination and oily skin types. My skin falls under the oily skin type, so this works perfectly for me! I used plenty of oil-free moisturizers over the years, but this is the only one that works to balance and refresh my skin. Moreover, I feel this moisturizing gel also works to shrink my breakouts, so that’s a bonus!
Another product I swear by is Clinique’s Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel. This is a topical spot treatment that you apply to any blemishes you have. Let me tell you – a small amount goes a long way! I apply this twice a day after I wash my face, and the results are great. I notice that any breakouts I have shrink and become less visible.
One last product I incorporated into my skincare is Clinique’s Even Better Clinical Radical Dark Spot Corrector + Interrupter. Over the years, my acne has left dark spots and scars on my skin that make me feel insecure. However, once I started using this serum, I noticed that my scars and dark marks have lightened. Unfortunately, they are still on my skin, but knowing that they aren’t as visible makes me extremely happy.
Clinique has allowed me to gain more confidence in my skin, and I feel so comfortable walking around with makeup, which is something I never thought I would say.
Although Clinique is on the more expensive side of skincare and beauty, I know it was worth it because my skin has significantly changed for the better.