All posts in Clinique

What Are My Favorite Beauty Products?

by Shirleen on March 18, 2013 in beauty blog, Benefit / Bobbi Brown / Boots, Body Shop / Biotherm, Clarins, Clinique, Elizabeth Arden, Kiehl's, Lancome, Laura Mercier, Make Up For Ever / Mavala, Shiseido / Za, Sisley, Yves Saint Laurent with 3 Comments

Hi hi hi to my lovely readers, yes I finally ready to share with you my current favorite beauty products. My bad for taking so long to publish it. Though these products are my favorites but it doesn’t mean they are the best. It is based on my own experiences with the products.

Being a beauty blogger, I get to test many beauty products and I’m glad to uncover some great products along the way. I will continue to add new favorites to the list if I ever find any.

Do note that my preferences may change from time to time and I may amend the list if necessary. My current favorite beauty products are :

sisley clearing essence vitamin c

Sisley Phyto-Blanc Clearing Essence With Vitamin C

Sisley Nutritive Lip Balm

Clarins White Plus Gentle Brightening Exfoliator

Clarins White Plus Gentle Renewal Brightening Peel

clarins white plus cleanser

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My First Clinique Bloggers Event

by Shirleen on December 9, 2012 in Clinique with No comments

Recently, I was glad to attend my first Clinique Bloggers Event which was held at Estee Lauder office on a nice Friday evening. Many thanks to SkincareDB for extending this invitation to me.

clinique festive sets

clinique chunky lip balm

During the workshop, I got to preview a range of festive sets and the new range of lipstick – Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Balm.

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My Search For The BEST & WORST Beauty Products In 2010

by Shirleen on February 10, 2011 in Benefit / Bobbi Brown / Boots, Body Shop / Biotherm, Chanel, Clarins, Clinique, Elizabeth Arden, Estee Lauder, Hourglass, Japan, Korea & Taiwan, Kiehl's, L'occitane, L'oreal, Lancome, Other brands, Paula's Choice, Perricone MD Cosmeceuticals, Physiogel / Prescriptives, Shiseido / Za, Sisley, SK-II, Skin79 / SANA, skincare product 101, SkinCeuticals, Tony Moly with 10 Comments

2010 passes in a blink of an eye, don’t you agree?

Well, 2010 has been a rewarding year for me. It was a eventful year too, with plentiful of irresistible opportunities offering to me and I was glad to be able to preview bountiful of new launched products too.

One thing I have never stopped doing for the entire year of 2010 is painstakingly searching for the BEST beauty products, not just for myself but also for my readers too. And during the search, I was glad to uncover a couple of great products which I have never came across before.

In fact six months ago, I have published a post on ”My Search for the BEST & WORST Beauty Products In First Half Of The Year 2010“. The post featured all the BEST and WORST beauty products I have tested during the first half of the year in 2010.

And now as we have already embarked into 2011, I’m here to share with you my search for the BEST & WORST Beauty Products during the entire year of 2010.

All the BEST and WORST beauty products that are featured below are the ones I have tested in 2010 only. That does not include those products I have yet tested but were received in 2010. These products will be bought forward to 2011 instead. The products include Tony Moly, Kiehl’s, Vichy, Perricone MD, L’oreal, SANA, Clarins, Elizabeth Arden, Dr Cilabo, Benefit Cosmetics and many more.

And those products that I have used and tested in 2009 were featured at “My Search for the BEST & WORST Beauty Products in 2009.

My Search For The

BEST & WORST Beauty Products In 2010

EYE MAKEUP REMOVER

BEST – Lancome Bi-Facil Non-Oily Instant Cleanser Sensitive Eyes

WORST – NA

CLEANSING OIL

BEST – SANA Medicated Natural Resource Cleansing Oil

WORST – NA

CLEANSING CREAM / GEL

BEST – Dr Cilabo Super Cleansing EX

WORST - Clinique Take The Day Off

CLEANSING WASH / FOAM

BEST – Dr. Cilabo Super Washing Foam EX

WORST – Physiogel Cleanser

EXFOLIATING SCRUB

BEST - Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion

WORST – NA

LOTION / TONER

BEST - Bioelements Calmitude Hydrating Solution

WORST - Estee Lauder Soft Clean Silky Hydrating Lotion

ESSENCE LOTION

BEST – SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

WORST – SANA Medicated Natural Resource Essence Lotion

EYE SERUM

BEST – Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Eye Serum – Elizabeth Arden Prevage® Eye Advanced Anti-aging Serum

WORST – Kiehl’s Eye Alert

EYE CREAM

BEST - EUOKO Eye Contour Nanolift - Elizabeth Arden Prevage® Eye Ultra Protection Anti-aging Moisturizer SPF 15 PA++

WORST – Kinerase Under Eye Rescue - Boots No7 Lift & Luminate Eye Cream

PORE REFINING RANGE

BEST – NA

WORST – b.liv Shrink & Tight Large Pores Reducing Serum & Diminishing Night Complex

ANTI-AGING SERUM

BEST – Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair - Elizabeth Arden Prevage Face Advanced Anti-Aging Serum

WORST – SkinCeuticals Serum 20 AOX+

FACE LIFTING / CONTOURING SERUM

BEST – Clarins Shaping Facial Lift Lipo-drain Serum

WORST - Boots No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Beauty Serum

SKIN LIGHTENING

BEST - Paula’s Choice Resist Remarkable Skin Lightening Lotion

WORST – Retacnyl Tretinoin 0.025% Cream

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My Search For The BEST & WORST Beauty Products In First Half Of The Year 2010

by Shirleen on July 12, 2010 in beauty blog, Clinique, Elizabeth Arden, Estee Lauder, Kiehl's, L'occitane, Lancome, Other brands, Paula's Choice, Sisley, SK-II with 10 Comments

Well, time really flies. Just a few months ago, I have just published a post on “My Search for the BEST & WORST Beauty Products in 2009” and now again I’m excited to share with you on “My Search for the BEST & WORST Beauty Products In first half of the year 2010″ (Jan to Jun).

I refuse to wait till end of the year as I can’t wait to share with you what are the great products I have found so far. I have tried and tested all the products shown below. Any GOOD or BAD products which I have tested before 2010 will not be featured here.

DAY MOISTURIZER with SPF

BEST – Elizabeth Arden Prevage Day Anti-Aging Moisturizer SPF 30 PA+++

WORST – NA

NIGHT MOISTURIZER

BEST – Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturizer

WORST – NA

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Review – Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturizer

by Shirleen on July 7, 2010 in 4-star ratings, Anti Aging & Moisturizer, Clinique with 8 Comments

Moisturizer is one of the most basic and important daily skin care regimen for me. Although moisturizer does not eliminate wrinkles, fine lines, pigmentations or firm up skin but it does one wonderful thing - to seal the skin with all the nutrients that I have applied earlier.

It also has the important function of repairing the protective skin lipid barrier, so that the skin does not lose too much fluid and feel dry, irritated and show more lines.

The primary purpose of the moisturizer is to seal. It should feel good and make the skin feel soft and moisturized. This is actually the pampering phase of the skin care routine.

With rosacea, dry and sensitive skin, looking for a moisturizer can be a challenge for me. I will easily get flared up if the products I’ve used contain skin irritant ingredients. So after much searching, I finally found Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturizer.

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Review – Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Milk

by Shirleen on May 22, 2010 in 3-star ratings, Cleanser & Toner, Clinique with 1 Comment

Proper cleansing is one of the most important regimen for a healthy-looking skin. I believe with good cleansing, skin will not only feel fresh and clean, it will also help to slow down the signs of aging. If skin is not properly cleanse, more residues will accumulate on the skin surface and therefore skin will get duller and rough, and beneficial nutrients will not be able to penetrate onto the skin.

After reading some good online reviews on Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Milk, I decided to give it a try. Its fragrance-free content which is extremely safe for my sensitive skin, provides more assurance that this product should be good for me.

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My Search For The BEST & WORST Beauty Products In 2009

by Shirleen on January 2, 2010 in beauty blog, Body Shop / Biotherm, Chanel, Clarins, Clinique, Elizabeth Arden, Japan, Korea & Taiwan, Kiehl's, La Prairie, Organic / Natural, Other brands with 9 Comments

Well, as a skincare fanatic, scouting for GOOD, BAD or NEW beauty products can be a fun thing. Very often, I will get to discover some interesting skincare/cosmetic products while helping my readers to search for appropriate products simultaneously.

Here’s the overview of my search for the BEST and WORST beauty products in 2009. Any GOOD or BAD products which I have found before 2009 will not be featured here.

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Best Review SPF 15 Sunscreen Below US$20

by Shirleen on June 17, 2009 in Clinique, Kiehl's, Paula's Choice, skincare product 101 with No comments

Clinique Sun SPF 15 Face/Body Cream

US$20 / 5 ounces

Product claims : Innovative Solar- Smart technology stabilizes high-level protection against the aging and burning effects of UVA and UVB rays. Triggers a repair that helps prevent signs of aging. With solar-activated antioxidants that help prevent visible damage. Gentle enough for sensitive skin. Derma- tologist tested. Oil-free.

Side note : Contains sufficient antioxidants to help skin defend itself against sun damage. Contains some active ingredients that may trigger skin, not suitable for rosacea, sensitive and reactive skin.

Kiehl’s Vital Sun Protection Lotion SPF 15

US$18.50 / 5 ounces, Normal to Slightly Oily Skin

Product claims : A lightweight, non-greasy lotion providing UVA and UVB broad-spectrum sunscreen protec- tion. Formulated with aloe, vitamin E and skin conditioning ingredients, which nurture and help to soften dry, parched skin. This very water-resistant formulation, protecting up to 80 minutes in water, is suited to help meet the year-round sun protection needs of active adults.

Side note : Contains a film-forming agent that provides water resistance. Although it claims to contain only ‘minimal chemical ingredients’, but the 18% active ingredients are all synthetic sunscreen agents, preservatives and film-forming agents.

Lumene Sun Defence Protection Sun Care SPF 15

US$17.99 / 6.8 ounces, Normal to Oily Skin

Product claims : Lumene sun cream provides safe and effective protection against the harmful rays of the sun. The Sun Essence compound, made of natural active ingredients and antioxidants, protects the skin from aging effects of the sun.

Side note : Although it contains antioxidant plant extracts and vitamin E, but the inadequate amount is of not benefit for sun protection.

Paula’s Choice Pure Mineral Sunscreen SPF 15

US$15.95 / 6 ounces, Normal to Very Dry Skin

Product claims : Exceptionally silky, antioxidant-rich lotion provides generous broad-spectrum protection while leaving a beautiful soft matte finish once thoroughly massaged into skin.

Side note : Gentle formula that contains only titanium dioxide and zinc oxide which are good sunscreen ingredients. Well formulated with excellent antioxidant green tea and non sensitizing actives. Suitable for sensitive, rosacea skin or for use on children.

Review – Clinique Clarifying Moisture Lotion 2

by Shirleen on January 28, 2009 in 2-star ratings, Cleanser & Toner, Clinique with No comments

Clinique Clarifying Moisture Lotion 2 for dry combination skin, is claimed as clinically formulated, allergy tested and 100% fragrance free. It is an alcohol-based toner that also contains witch hazel and peppermint.

Product claims

This softening water lotion was developed by Clinique’s dermatologists to rehydrate and renew dry to combination skins. Gently releases the hold of dulling surface flakes to smooth skin’s texture, optimize cell turnover. Creates an ideal state for moisturization. Quickly absorbed. Apply to cleansed skin with saturated cotton, avoiding eye area.

Contradiction

What contradict on this product is that, it is claimed to have allergy tested but it contains ingredients which are skin irritants.

Ingredients

Hamamelis virginiana, also known as witch hazel, can have potent antioxidant properties and can be an irritant. Mentha piperita (peppermint) leaf water, a counter-irritant, is used to induce local inflammation for the purpose of relieving inflammation in deeper or adjacent tissues. It works by substituting one kind of inflammation for another, which is never good for skin.

And although your skin may not show the signs of inflammation or doesn’t react in an irritated fashion, if you apply irritants to your skin the damage is still taking place and is ongoing, so it adds up over time. Chlorphenesin – alcohol used as a preservative in cosmetics, can be drying and irritating to skin. These ingredients have an irritating and sensitizing effects on skin.

Results

As this toner contains skin-irritant ingredients like alcohol, witch hazel and peppermint, I have experienced minor irritation on my skin occasionally. I like this toner as it is 100% fragrance free. But I have noticed it does dry up my skin after long use. It doesn’t really help to wipe off the dirt, residue completely.

Ratings

Will I buy it again? …… I doubt so!

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Best Review Moisturizer For Different Skin Type

by Shirleen on December 26, 2008 in Clinique, Dr. Denese New York, Estee Lauder, MD Skincare by Dr. Dennis Gross, Olay, Paula's Choice, skincare product 101 with No comments

For normal to slightly dry, oily or combination skin

Olay Regenerist Perfecting Cream
Clinique Repairwear Intensive Night Lotion
Clinique Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer Combination to Oily
Clinique Moisture In-Control Oil-Free Lotion
Estee Lauder Hydra Complete Multi-Level Moisture Lotion

For normal to dry skin

Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti-Aging Moisturizer
Clinique Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer Dry/Combination
Dr. Denese New York Triple Strength Wrinkle Smoother
MD Skincare by Dr. Dennis Gross Hydra-Pure Antioxidant Firming Serum
Paula’s Choice Hydrating Treatment Cream, for Normal to Dry Skin

For dry to very dry skin

Clinique CX Rapid Recovery Cream
Clinique Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer Very Dry to Dry
Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Moisturizer, for Normal to Very Dry Skin

Things to note

Moisturizer is not designed to eliminate wrinkles and lift sagging skin.
Morning regimens must include use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen of your choice after moisturizer.
You may not required a moisturizer if you have very oily skin.
If you have oily or combination skin, apply moisturizer only over dry areas, not over oily areas.
If you start to encounter irritation, STOP using the product immediately.

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