The other day my friend – a self-proclaimed “product whore” – sent me a text that said (and this is a direct quote): “I have tried every product out there. And somehow I always come full circle back to Clinique. I just got their Turnaround Night Cream and this morning I look three years younger.” From there, we went back and forth on the laurels of Clinique. So I need to share the love.

Now – I have worked for and with Clinique for many, many years. I recommend a lot of the products because I know them better than I know a lot of things. I can give first, second and third hand advice. And I loved working there and love most of the people who still work there.

But I’m not brainwashed. I’ve worked with many other brands and products and have solid points of reference for companies other than Clinique. Here’s what I can say about Clinique:

The 3-Step Skin Care System really does give great skin.
Exfoliating Scrub makes skin quickly and instantly soft.
High Impact Mascara is one of my favorites to use at shoots.
Redness Relief Instant Relief Mineral Powder works on almost everyone (that is, of the lighter toned skins).

My latest discovery is Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector. It’s a serum but it doesn’t have that watery texture which always makes me feel like I’m paying a lot to put water on my face. To be perfectly honest, I’ve not cared a lot for serums but that is partly because I’ve not needed them much. I still don’t really need them but when my friend gave me this one I decided to try it.

I found that after maybe a week my skin was in fact smoother and clearer. I don’t really have dark spots or very uneven skin but my skin is generally not as even as it used to be. Specifically, my skin gets red here and there, especially on my cheeks and nose. So I’ve taken to sometimes using foundation in those areas. After using Even Better, though, I no longer needed foundation. I asked my husband if he noticed. He is always very cautious about his feedback about a woman’s appearance so usually says things like, “I can’t tell” or “I don’t know – I’m not really the person to ask.” But this time he said, “I think so.” Which, for him, is basically an endorsement.

Next I’ll ask my friend about Turnaround Cream. Even though I’ve worked in cosmetics for the better part of my life, she has used a lot more products over the years than I have. And she knows creams and serums from every brand out there. So once I get her professional opinion I’ll let you know.

In the meantime, if you have dark spots or uneven skin, check out Clinique Even Better.

The weather in NYC is hot, warm, cold, cold, hot, warm, cold. It’s hard to say on any given day if you need a jacket or tank top, snow boots or flip-flops. The other day I actually did start the day in tall leather boots and finished it in flip-flops. And no one knows what to do with the buildings. Should they be heated or cooled? So they are also too hot/freezing. It’s not just your usual seasonal changes but such rapid changes that your skin definitely can’t keep up. Here’s what I've been doing to remedy the situation:

Dry Body Skin. I have recently decided to use only the richest of creams. When it’s dry but not parching I use Bliss Lemon and Sage Body Butter. It is luxuriously creamy without being sticky. I got it the first time because it was on sale at a Nordstrom Rack, so apparently it goes on sale (most cosmetics don't). Now I buy it whenever I see it.

When my skin gets really dry, however, I don’t worry about sticky and just go all in with either Aquaphor or Vaseline and slather it on. It’s pretty old school, like something a grandma would recommend, but it really works. Vaseline has other products but I am only talking about the 100% Pure Petroleum Jelly.

Dry Feet. The same is true for my feet. If they get too dry my heels crack, which hurts and they don't easily heal. Before I get my shoes on I slather on some Aquaphor or Vaseline and then put my socks on so the moisture soaks in. At night, I soak my feet in the tub and scrub them with a pumice stone. If they’re still really dry, I slather more on and put socks on before hopping in bed. In the morning they are soft and supple and good as new.

Dry Hands. I wash my hands all the time. So they get dry even when it’s not dry out. Usually I’ll carry a little tube of lotion in my purse and some moisturizing hand sanitizer too. Right now I’m carrying Burt’s Bees Hand Lotion. Honestly I got it only because it was a handy size, but I really like it. It has a nice light scent without being sickly sweet as some of these kinds of creams do. And as much as I’m loving Vaseline, it just isn’t the best choice throughout the day unless you don’t mind greasy prints all over everything.

Dry Facial Skin. There are several things you can do with a dry complexion, and one of them is exfoliating. I have loved Clinique’s Exfoliating Scrubsince the early 90s and still love it today. It leaves your skin tingly and smooth. Clinique recommends it be used on oilier skin because it does have a nice clean tingle and it’s very scrubby (maybe too scrubby if your skin is too sensitive) but I don’t have oily skin and my flaky skin feels so smooth after using it. Of course, a good moisturizer is also important, too. I am currently using ReVive Moisturizing Renewal Cream, which I really like except the one I have doesn’t have a sunscreen. But the cream absorbs so comfortably into your skin and leaves it comfortable without any greasiness. And in doing a little research, I also learned that it was just given the New Beauty’s 2013 award for Best Anti-Aging Moisturizer as well! So I’m not the only one who likes it. (This one is not inexpensive so if you're not up to throwing down that kind of cash try something for dry skin from Neutrogena).

Dry Lips. Gently exfoliate your lips. Clinique has another exfoliator, 7-Day Scrub Cream that works well. It is cream-based with tiny round beads - perfect for soft lip skin. Use a lip balm EVERY night and, if you wear lipstick, use a lip gloss or moisturizing lip stick. One more Clinique recommendation is Superbalm Moisturizing Lip Gloss. I don’t like sticky gloss AT ALL. This one is very moisturizing and comfortable on lips.

Looking forward to summer. Even though New York summers are sticky and smelly and humid, at least we know what to expect. I think.

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As the Weather Changes, So Does Your Skin

Skin Care