I’m a huge fan of Clinique skincare products but their makeup line has never caught my eye. Their cosmetics look boring to me and even if part of me was curious to try them there was always something else that appealed to me more.

But I’m loving the look of Clinique Spring Collection. The fruity patterns of the blush and eyeshadows are so pretty!

FRESH PICKED EYESHADOW (€26.50)
Available in Fresh Picked Berry and Fresh Picked Pear.

FRESH PICKED ALLOVER COLOUR (€35.50)
Available in Mixed Berries, it contains three complimentary soft shimmery shades to create a subtle glow.

VITAMIN C ANTIOXIDANT LIP COLOR LIP SMOOTHIE (€16.50)
Available in Berry Boost, Goodness Grapecious, Mango-Thon, Nude-Tritious, Peach Power and Pink Me Up.

BLUSH BRUSH (€30.75)
A powder brush made of natural bristles. The large dome allows an easy application for a flawless look.

Christmas is almost here, and if you haven’t already, it’s time to find a present for one of the most special people in your life: your mom. Whether she is a makeup addict or a beauty minimalist that only has 5 minutes to get ready in the morning, you can’t go wrong by choosing a set full of pampering treats or a nice palette with natural shades, like the ones below. And they are all affordable too!

Caudalie Spa in a Bag ($30.00) contains a Shower Gel, a Crushed Cabernet Scrub, a Hand and Nail Cream and a Nourishing Body Lotion. Packaged in a reusable bag, these body treatments will give your mom a fantastic pampering experience at home.

Laura Mercier Eye Book ($45.00) is a Sephora-exclsuive palette that contains two eyeshadow quads, two eyeliners and a mini double-ended Eye Colour/Flat Eye Liner Brush to create endless looks perfect for both day and night time.

Kiehl’s Neutral & Cool Lip Gloss Trio ($29.00) features three sheer shades (Pink Rider, Icy Everest and Mahvelous Mauve) to give lips a soft look.

Philosophy Holiday Cookbook ($35.00) includes 6 recipe-inspired shampoo, shower gel & bubble baths scented of red velvet cake, cinnamon buns, spicy pear cobbler, pumpkin spice muffin, gingerbread and double rich hot cocoa!

Bobbi Brown Velvet Plum Eye Palette ($40.00) features 4 shades ranging from nudes to plum for a perfect day-to-night look. The palette also contains a dual mini eyeshadow/eyeliner brush.

Bath & Body Works Ready To Pamper Warm Vanilla Sugar ($25.00) is a nice little basket full of pampering treats: Shower Gel, Body Lotion, Fragrance Mist, Anti-Bacterial Hand Cream and a gauze sponge.

L’Occitane Hands Celebration Set ($25.00) contains a Lavender Hand Cream, a Shea Butter Hand Cream and a Shea Vanilla Hand Cream to achieve beautiful, soft and moisturized hands.

Clinique Star Favourites ($36.00) it’s a nice set that contains the brand’s most popular makeup and skincare products: All About Eyes eye cream, Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes & Lips, Dual ended High Impact Mascara/ High Impact Curling Mascara, 6 Shades Compact Eye Shadow Palette, Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Air Kiss, all packaged in a pretty pink bag.

Ole Henriksen Worship Your Body ($24.00) features everything your mom needs for an at home pampering experience. The set includes Lavender Body Oil, Natural Hair Wash With Sea Kelp, Natural Hair Hydrator With Orchid Flower, Clarifying Body Wash, Body Sleek, Muscle Comfort and Loofah Body Scrub. In addition, the kit features a CD of tranquil music like that heard at the Ole Henriksen spa.

Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Deluxe Gift Set ($39.50) offers an uplifting experience thanks to the green tea that energizes both body and spirit. The set includes Green Tea Scent Spray, Green Tea Energizing Bath & Shower Gel, Green Tea Refreshing Body Lotion and Green Tea Scent Spray Replica.

Clinique Holiday 2009 collection, Black Tie Violet, is all about shimmery purples, from plums to lilacs. The collection includes:

COLOUR SURGE EYESHADOW ($25.00)
Available in Black Tie Violets, it contains 4 shimmery shadows ranging from soft pinks to dark purples.

SHIMMERING STRIPES POWDER BLUSHER ($29.50)
Available in Tuxedo Plums, it features four complimentary shades of pinks and purple to create a sheer and subtle glow.

BRUSH-ON CREAM LINER ($14.50)
This fast-drying and waterproof gel liner is now available in Violet Luxe.

HIGH IMPACT LIP COLOUR SPF 15 ($14.00)
Extreme Pink: electric hot pink with a sheen of white pearl

DIFFERENT LIPSTICK ($14.00)
A Different Grape: pinkish grape

FULL POTENTIAL LIPS PLUMP AND SHINE ($17.50)
Available in Bloomberry, Double Plum and Luscious Lilacs.

DEFINING LINER FOR LIPS ($14.00)
Pomegranate: intense Blue red with shimmer

Name: All About Eyes Rich
Brand: Clinique
Size: 15ml
Price: €32.50

From Clinique’s website:
Moisture-rich eye cream diminishes the look of undereye circles, shadows, fine lines-instantly and over time. De-puffs, calms with botanicals. Helps boost natural collagen production. Strengthens skin’s moisture barrier against common irritants.

What I liked:
- hydrates
- temporarily reduces the appearance of fine lines
- doesn’t sting nor irritate eyes
- no milia seeds
- fragrance-free

What I didn’t like:
- doesn’t diminish dark circles nor de-puffs under-eye bags
- the packaging
- the price

Clinique All About Eyes Rich is pale ivory in color and has got a fairly thick, creamy consistency that isn’t greasy and absorbs quickly. It hydrates and soothes skin, leaving it soft and smooth.

I also noticed that the fine lines around my eyes were slightly reduced, thanks to the silicones present in the formula (like Phenyl Trimethicone and Dimethicone) which fill them in but the effects are only temporary.

All about eyes rich also promises to diminish the look of under-eye circles but that wasn’t true in my case. I have horrible, dark circles and can see no difference at all after using this cream. It didn’t de-puff my under eye bags either.

But I was relieved that it didn’t give me any milia seeds, which is always a concern for me whenever I try a new eye cream. It also didn’t sting, burn nor irritate my eyes.

The cream contains Shea Butter, which softens, moisturizes and helps skin retain elasticity and Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, a synthetic oil used as a substitute for mineral oil because it is an effective emollient and moisturizer that also prevents water loss.

The cream is also loaded with potent antioxidants: Vitamins E (Tocopheryl Acetate) and C (Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Ascorbic Acid, although they aren’t present in big concentrations), Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract), Betula Alba (Birch) Extract, Yeast (a group of fungi that is a source of beta-glucan, an antioxidant), Linoleic Acid (an unsaturated fatty acid), Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf (but can cause irritations) and Hordeum Vulgare (Barley) Extract (derived from the barley plants, is proved to be a good antioxidant when ingested, but there is no research showing topical application is effective).

But although the cream contains a mix of effective antioxidants, their properties are compromised by the jar packaging. Antioxidants, in fact, oxidise and lose all of their benefits when exposed to light and air. So, even though the small jar would last for months which seems to be worth the high price, the cream won’t probably retain its benefits for too long.

Summary
Overall, Clinique All About Eyes Rich is a nice moisturizer that hydrates skin leaving it smooth and soft. It makes fine lines look smaller temporarily and has good antioxidants properties. However, the jar packaging compromises the antioxidants in the formula, which become ineffective after a while. In addition, it doesn’t diminish dark circles.

Rating: 3.5/5

Name: Comforting Cream Cleanser
Brand: Clinique
Size: 150ml
Price: €18.00

From Clinique’s website:
Extra-gentle, creamy-rich cleanser is perfect for dry, delicate or sensitive skins. Whipped to perfection so it glides easily over skin, melting makeup and impurities. Leaves your complexion clean, smooth, moist. Massage on, tissue or rinse off.

What I liked:
- removes makeup well
- leaves skin feeling very soft
- soothes skin
- fragrance-free
- the packaging

What I didn’t like:
- makes skin a bit greasy
- the price

I got the Comforting Cream Cleansr as part of a Clinique travel-sized set, which also contained All About Eyes Rich and Continuous Rescue Antioxidant moisturizer. The cleanser is designed for people with sensitive and dry skin. Mine is combination, so I doubt I would have tried this if it hadn’t been part of the set.

The product comes in a simple white tube with a green lid. The cream is white in color, quite rich and spreads well on the skin. Just apply it on dry skin, massage and rinse or tissue off.

Because the cream is thick and concentrated, you only need to use just a little bit and the bottle will last for ages. It removes all traces of makeup well and easily. However, I haven’t tried it on my eyes and lips, so I’m not sure how well it removes waterproof mascara or lipstick.

It rinses off easily and leaves my skin feeling very clean, smooth and soft and not dry at all. It doesn’t irritate skin and my dry patches felt soothed. However, I noticed that it made my oily t-zone slightly greasier, so I wouldn’t recommend this product to anyone with oily/combination skin.

Despite the product being fragrance free, it still has a faint and clean scent. That’s means no ingredient was added to give the cleanser a scent but all the ingredients used in cosmetics and personal care products have their own smells, so that’s what you’re smelling.

Summary:
Overall, this is a great cleanser for people with dry or sensitive skin. It removes all traces of makeup, is fragrance-free, gentle and soothing. However, it is expensive and, if you have oily skin, it could make it  greasier.

Rating: 4/5

Clinique summer 2009 collection features warm bronze shades to get that natural sunkissed look.

SHIMMERING STRIPS POWDER BLUSHER (LE) ($29.50)
Four stripes of long-wearing powder to create a sheer radiance. Use all over face for a luminous glow or on the cheeks to highlight.

ALMOST BRONZER SPF15 ($28.50)
A long-wearing, sheer bronzing duo that provides a natural look all year round. Available in Light/Medium and Medium/Dark.

LONG LAST GLOSSWEAR SPF 15 ($14.00)
First blush: nude
Bonfire: burnished tawny red with gold shimmer
Rock Violet: blackened violet with shimmer
Sunset: bronze with coppery golden shimmer

UP-LIGHTING LIQUID ILLUMINATOR ($22.50)
Sheer, lightweight liquid instantly illuminates skin. Highlights and contours cheeks, brow bones, or gives face an allover glow. Available in Bronze (sheer bronze with gold shimmer) and Natural (soft neutral beige with gold shimmer).

LASH POWER MASCARA LONG WEARING FORMULA ($14.00)
A mascara that lasts through rain, sweat and humidity while the brush research even the tiniest lashes.

Name: Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer
Brand: Clinique
Size: 50ml
Price: $39.50

From the packaging:
Potent moisturizer helps keep skin strong, free of the visible effects of environmental damage. Use day and night. By day, add sunscreen.

What I liked:
- moisturizes and leaves skin soft and smooth
- absorbs quickly
- no breakouts
- fragrance free
- the packaging

What I didn’t like:
- no SPF

I’ve always been curious to try Clinique skincare products, but the price-tag has always put me off. While I don’t mind spending money on a moisturizer that is really good for my skin, I’d just like to know it works well for me before actually buying it. So, when I went to my local beauty store and found out that Clinique had released 3 travel-sized sets for €12, I thought it would be the perfect occasion for me to try out their products. The kit I got contains: Comforting Cream Cleanser, All About Eyes Rich and Continuous Rescue Antioxidant moisturizer, which is the one I’m gonna review today.

Clinique Continuous Rescue Antioxidant Moisturizer is available in three versions: very Dry to Dry, Combination Oily to Oily and Dry Combination, which is the one I have. The moisturizer is ivory in color and the consistency is creamy, not too thick and not too light either, and because you only need a very small amount, the tube will last for ages. It absorbs quickly, hydrates skin well, leaves it feeling very soft and smooth and looking clearer and healthier. I didn’t notice any breakouts and it didn’t increase my oiliness either. However, because I’m still quite young, I can’t really say if this does anything to fight the signs of aging.

I also like that the product is fragrance-free. However, you can still smell a very faint, clean-like scent. Fragrance-free means that no ingredient was added to the product to give it a certain smell, but every cosmetics ingredient has its own odor, so that is what you’re smelling.
The moisturizer comes in a green tube, which is more sanitary than a jar. However, it isn’t see-through, so you can’t see how much product is left in it.
The only downside of this moisturizer is that it doesn’t have SPF,so you still need to apply a sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful sun rays.

The products contains Dimethicone, a silicone which forms a barrier on the skin, sealing in moisture and preventing water loss. Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that smooths kin, improving the appearance of dry patches and flakes. Another emollient ingredient used in the product is Shea Butter (Butyrospermum Parkii). It is derived from the seeds of the karite tree and, because it is high in fatty acids, softens and moisturizes skin as well as being effective at treating severely dry skin. It also helps skin to retain elasticity.

Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract) and Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract are two ingredients that have antioxidant properties. However, the aromatic components present in the first and the fact the second is a potent spice may cause skin irritations in some people.

Towards the middle of the ingredients list, there’s niacinamide, which is a very promising ingredient. It increases ceramide, free fatty acids and collagen production in the skin, improves its elasticity and prevents water loss. In addition, it reduces flaking and the appearance of dry skin and restore suppleness.

Summary:
Overall, I really love this moisturizer as it worked wonders for my combination skin! My skin looks clearer, healthier, sooo soft and moisturized all day. I also didn’t experience any breakouts. In addition, the product is fragrance-free and the packaging is sanitary. However, it doesn’t contain any SPF and it is quite expensive. And, being still quite young, I can’t really say if it works to fight wrinkles.

Rating: 4/5

QUICK BLUSH ($21.50)
Berry On Time
Hurry Honey
In-a-Rush-Blush
Minute Mocha
Peach-in-a-Pinch

FRESH BLOOM EYESHADOW ($16.50)
Apple Blossom
Cherry Blossom
Maple Blossom
Tiger Lily

LONG LAST GLOSSWEAR ($14.00)
Air Kiss
First Blush
Honey Shimmer
Whisper

HIGH IMPACT CURLING MASCARA ($14.00)