Beauty Bits - Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream

Hello hello :) 

So I'm finally sharing a little beauty post today, which I've been meaning to write up for ages. Before I begin though, I do want to start off by saying that when it comes to foundations and skincare, I tend to play it quite safe and stick with what I know works for me. That does unfortunately mean that I don't have a whole lot to compare to, so it's probably best to take this review with a pinch of salt.

I just really wanted to share my thoughts on the Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream, because it's a product I've fallen in love with over the past few months.

Let's start off with a bit of background information.

Clinique claims that this CC cream will "instantly colour correct a range of complexion concerns - redness, dullness and sallowness". It's supposed to give sheer to moderate coverage, with a lightweight texture and a "naturally radiant" finish. It also offers oil-free hydration and SPF 30. 

The CC cream is more about "colour correction" (as you could probably guess from the name), as opposed to coverage, so in terms of covering blemishes, it's not going to perform as well as say, the BB cream (which I haven't tried). 

The thing that I find interesting though, is the skincare element. It's supposed to not only provide colour correction while you're wearing it, but actually help to correct your skin tone over time (or so the lovely lady at the Clinique counter told me)

Now, onto my thoughts...

 At first when the Clinique sales person put it on my skin I was a bit unsure, as she applied quite a lot of product, and it appeared quite heavy, making me look very made up (and I'm someone who likes a very natural looking base - I don't like the feeling or the look of having my skin all covered up, and usually I go for either a light mineral foundation, or none at all). I asked for a sample to take home however, and after applying it myself, using just a very small amount of product and blending it in really well, I fell in love with it. 

It is quite a thick consistency with a slightly sunscreen-y scent, which isn't too overpowering. When applied lightly, it gives a gorgeous, fresh, glowy finish that's very natural and it actually does what it claims -  correcting the redness in my skin and helping to disguise my dark under eye circles! It is quite a light coverage, but for me if there's anything more to cover, I find concealer does the job.

The best way I can describe it is that it's like a thin veil that doesn't cover up or mask imperfections, but sort of glides over the skin and adjusts the colour, evening everything out and just making the skin look better and healthier. I find it actually starts to look even better as the day goes on, sort of "melting" into the skin and really blending in nicely. 

My favourite thing about it though, is that I actually notice an improvement in my skin after wearing it. I can't describe it exactly, but my skin just seems to look less blotchy and more even toned and just healthier, the day after I've worn it (Now I guess I could just be imagining this, but I don't think I am!)

The one downside for me is the shade selection. From what I've read there are 9 shades available, but only 5 have been released in Australia. I have it in "Light" which is perfect for me in the autumn months, but in the summer it was just a tad too light for me (and the next shade was too dark). It's a shame, because it would be perfect for summer otherwise, given the SPF 30.

There seem to be mixed reviews on this product with a lot of people finding it disappointing, but I think that it really depends on your skin type, what you're looking for and how you apply it. For me, I have dry, sensitive skin, with my skin problems mainly being redness and the occasional blemish. When I'm looking for a foundation/base, I like something light that's going to even out my skin but not cover it all up. That's what the CC cream does.

I think you would like this product if you have normal to dry, fairly clear skin, and just want something that evens things out, without covering everything up. If you have oilier skin, or you're looking for something with a medium to heavy coverage, this isn't for you, as it's quite moisturising and definitely doesn't cover up all imperfections. (Although you can apparently use it as a base under foundations - I haven't tried it this way though).

My suggestion would definitely be to try it out at the counter and also ask for a sample to take home so you can try applying it in different ways. The look you get definitely varies depending on application method. 

The way I like to use it is:

1) Moisturise really well before applying (even though the CC cream is quite hydrating, I still find it applies much more smoothly when my skin is well moisturised)

2) Squeeze out a pea sized amount and dot it all over my face

3) Blend it all in with the Real Techniques Buffing Brush

And you're done!

All in all I really enjoy using this product. I'd definitely recommend trying it out at the counter if you're after something light!

Hopefully this was helpful for some of you. I'm no beauty blogger and I know this was rather rambley, but I actually really love this product and had a lot to say! I'll try to keep things more concise next time!

Thanks for reading!
If you managed to get this far - let me know if it's something you'd like to try, or your thoughts on it if you already have!

Lauren
xxx