Clarisonic Mia 2 Journey: Days 1-6

I recently decided to invest in a Clarisonic. I have heard so many people talk about how great it is, so I figured now was as good of a time to get it as any.

The one I bought for myself is the Mia 2 with a 1 minute automatic timer and 2 speeds. I got mine in hot pink, which I believe is a limited edition color.

Clinique Haul

Now that I work for Clinique and have to wear Clinique makeup to work, I realized I need more products so that I can have more of a variety of looks. Basically this means that I decided to spend some good money on Clinique products and now you all get to see the cool stuff I bought.

I have quite a few Clinique lipsticks, but none of the Chubby Sticks for lips. These are pretty awesome. They are like a big crayon that twists up. I find them super easy to use and fairly moisturizing as well.

I got two Chubby Stick Intense lip colors - one in Roomiest Rose and one in Grandest Grape. These are two of the Intense shades, which are a little more pigmented than the original Chubby Sticks.

Roomiest Rose is a soft, warm pink. I fell in love with this color the first time I tried it on. It looks nice with a lot of different looks. Grandest Grape is berry, violet-toned shade. This is a perfect color for fall!

Roomiest Rose and Grandest Grape

I also bought two Chubby Sticks for eyes as well. I have always been pretty skeptical of cream shadows or anything close to that because my eyelids are super oily and I have a problem with pretty much everything creasing on my lids. These, however, have worked pretty well for me so far. They are really easy to apply, especially if you're in a hurry. They can be worn alone or as a base for eye shadow. The two shades I got are Massive Midnight and Lots o' Latte.

These have a much rounder, flatter tip than the Chubby Sticks for lips because that makes them easier to apply. Plus, can you imagine trying to apply them with a more pointed tip? Ow!

Lots o' Latte is a taupe shade. It's a great base for almost all colors of shadow and it looks good alone too. Massive Midnight is a deep blue shade that I seriously love. I also want to mention that you can use these as an eyeliner too. Massive Midnight is a gorgeous eyeliner.

Lots o' latte and Massive Midnight

I picked up three of Clinique's new All About Shadow in the colors Rock Violet, Graphite, and Pacific Coast. These are better pigmented than their old eye shadows and look amazing on top of the Chubby Sticks for eyes.

Pacific Coast is a teal shade that is pretty vibrant. Rock Violet is a gray-violet that photographed more pink that it looks in person. Graphite is also a gray-violet but much darker. It also didn't photograph very purple. 

Pacific Coast, Rock Violet, Graphite

The last thing I bought is Clinique's Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion. I love this stuff and if you want to learn more about it, you can read my blog post about Clinique.

I went to Ulta this week for one thing and came out with several things, so I will have some more stuff to show you as soon as I get a chance to photograph them all. Stay updated by following me on one or more of the sites I'm on, which are linked in the sidebar.

Acne Solutions

I have had oily, acne-prone skin for a long time now. Basically, it sucks. It has been hard to tame, but I want to share some ways that I have been able to improve my complexion and keep the acne and oil at bay.

I started getting acne when I was in 4th grade. As I got older, it only got worse. I felt like I tried every acne medication, ointment, etc. on the market. I had an allergic reaction to benzyl peroxide, so that eliminated a lot of my options as well. I tried Clinique Acne Solutions line at some point a few years ago and didn't think it worked for me. However, after some convincing from my Clinique consultants, I tried it again. 

This time was different. My skin did get worse at first. I don't think some people realize that, and I don't think I realized it back when I had tried it before. Your skin has to expel all the bad gunk in it, which can cause, AT FIRST, more breakouts, irritation, and so on. Once that stage had passed for me, my skin started to look a lot better. I went from having several major breakouts to having one or two.

I still use the Acne Solutions line minus the Acne moisturizer because it has benzyl peroxide in it. I substitute it for Clinique's Dramatically Different Gel Moisturizer. My acne has definitely subsided thanks to this line. I still get breakouts, but they are not usually too bad. With stress and hormones, I would never fool myself into thinking that I will ever have perfect skin, but I know my skin is a lot better now than it was before.

Clinique is somewhat more expensive than drugstore acne lines, but it is also cheaper than things like Proactiv, which I definitely do not recommend. It is a three step system - cleanser, clarifying lotion, and moisturizer. Each item in the acne line is around the $15 mark. If you have tried tons of different products like me, you probably won't mind spending a little money on this. If you don't want to commit to the whole thing, at least try the clarifying lotion.

A great thing about Clinique is that they have a 100% guarantee. If any of their products just don't work for you, they can be returned. Just remember to give anything you buy at least a couple weeks to see if you like it.

As I said, I can't use products with benzyl peroxide, so that makes Cliniques Acne Solutions Moisturizer off limits. I am currently using the Clinique Dramatically Different Gel Moisturizer instead. This moisturizer is oil-free and it supposed to help maintain the moisture balance in oily skin. It is meant to be used in conjunction with another moisturizer. I have a few different ones I use.

I'm not necessarily in love with this product, but I don't hate it either. I don't feel like my skin is a lot less oily when I use this product. However, it is a decent, oil-free moisturizer. I probably won't run out and buy this right away when I finish the bottle though. A bottle of this moisturizer is $26.

SIDE NOTE: Sometimes I feel like almost all of my posts are just about a bunch of products that I rave about. I just want to be clear that I don't think everybody needs to go out and buy everything I talk about. I just like sharing with people what I have tried that works for me and things I really like or even don't like. You can do what you wish with the information I give you: END SIDE NOTE

When it comes to acne, one of the best things you can do is just take care of your skin. Wash your face every day and night. I know it's hard to wash your face at 2:00 am when you can barely keep your eyes open, but I promise it's worth it. At least get the makeup off your face and out of your pores.

Also, drink as much water as you can. Your skin needs hydration in order to work properly. Your skin can help you if you don't help your skin.

Finally, I really believe that eating habits are related to what your skin looks like. I know there have been tons of studies on this and some people say some food can cause acne and some people say it can't. All I know is that when I eat a ton of junk food, I notice that I get more acne. When I eat healthier, my skin is clearer.

I know this post if kind of wordy and long, but I hope it helped. Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions for me or feedback. Have a great weekend!

                                                                                                                                              Photos from Clinique.com, Howstuffworks.com, Growyourfamilystrong.com, and Foodnetwork.com

Clinique Cosmetics PART 1

I want to start reviewing cosmetic brands every so often here. I think it would be fun to talk about what I have tried from a certain brand, what I like, what I don't, etc. However, I NEED FEEDBACK! I want anyone who reads my posts to feel like they have some input on what they read on here. If you like what I am doing or want to see something different, I need to know! So leave comments please!

Moving on, today I want to talk about Clinique. I started using Clinique products when I started working at Younkers a few years ago. Since then I have tried a good amount of their products. They are a pretty affordable high-end brand for the most part. I have not tried many of their serums or things from their lines like Even Better because I don't have a need for them yet, so I won't have much information on those things. 

This is PART 1 of 2 posts I will do on Clinique. This one is about skin care and makeup remover. Stop back tomorrow for PART 2, which talks about Clinique's makeup.

• Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion - This is a liquid exfoliator that is used after cleanser and before moisturizer. This particular one has a white powder in it that soaks up the oil that acne-prone people like me have. It also contains salicylic acid, which helps fight acne. I have been using this for over a year now with my cleanser and moisturizer and I have seen an incredible improvement in my skin. My acne has cleared up immensely. I still get acne, mainly on my chin, but it nowhere near as bad as it was before. It is best used with the acne cleanser and moisturizer, but I find that it dries out my skin and causes irritation if I use too many products with salicylic acid. It retails for $15.

• Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel - This is a spot treatment for acne that also contains salicylic acid. I use this on blemishes that are just coming in or that are very noticeable. The treatment dries the blemish up and reduces the size and redness. The bottle lasts a long time because you don't have to use very much of it. It retails for $16.

• Acne Solutions Oil-Control Cleansing Mask - I really can't say much about the results I have had with this because I just got it a few weeks ago and have only used it twice. It is a clay mask with salicylic acid in it that helps heal acne, unclog pores, and fight oil. It says on the packaging to leave it on for 5 minutes and then rinse off, but I leave it on until it completely hardens and then rinse it off. It does leave my skin a little red after using it, so I would recommend using it at night a little before going to bed. I would also not use it more than once a week. So far I like it and will continue to use it to see what kind of results it will bring me. It retails for $22.

•  Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel - This is their most popular moisturizer. They recommend using it with the other 3-step products (cleanser and clarifying lotion). It comes in a lotion for dry/normal skin and a gel for oily skin like mine. I started using this a few months ago and think it is an ok moizturizer. I haven't noticed too much difference in my skin from it, but it does feel nice and helps a tiny bit with cutting back on the oil on my face. It retails for $25.

• Moisture Surge Moisturizer - This is my favorite moisturizer ever! I have developed some annoying dry, flaky patches on my face from the dry Iowa winter we had. This moisturizer, which is like a "big drink of water for your skin," as my Clinique consultants would say, leaves my skin feeling hydrated but not oily. I use this one mainly at night before going to sleep and on days when my skin feels a little dry. The large jar (2.5 fl. oz.) retails for $49.50 and the small (1.7) retails for $37.

• Moisture Surge Overnight Mask - This is a new product for Clinique. It is a creamy mask that you put on at night after all your skin care and then wash it off in the morning. It helps bring moisture back to your face and it feels amazing. I use this once a week. When I wash it off in the morning, it leaves my face feeling super soft and hydrated but not oily. It retails for $32 and will last for a long time because you barely have to use any of it to cover the entire face.

• Pore Refining Solutions Correcting Serum - This serum, used before moisturizer after clarifying lotion, is supposed to smooth out the skin and diminish the look of your pores. I have not tried this product consistently enough to see any real results, but I love the way this serum feels on my skin. It makes my face feel baby soft and smooth. To see results, it needs to be used twice a day, every day like the rest on Clinique's skin care products. It retails for $42.50.

• Take the Day Off Makeup Remover - This makeup remover can be used on the eyelids, lashes, and lips. It is very easy to remove my makeup with this stuff. All I have to do is put it on a cotton ball and hold it on my eyelid or lips for 5-10 seconds and then wipe everything away. It takes off both regular and waterproof makeup. I do have to rinse off my eyelids after using it though because it does leave behind that oily residue. I also want to to point out the Take the Day Off is the perfect and most awesome name for a makeup remover ever! It retails for $18.

 Have you used any of these Clinique products before? What do think of them? Are there any other Clinique skin care products not mentioned that you really like? Let me know in the comments below!