ProductWhores

Be An Insider

For all of you Clinique lovers out there (and who isn't, really?)  this is exciting news.  They're going to be starting a new "Clinique Insiders" program, where they will select 20 women from all the submissions they receive to be Insiders.  If you're chosen, you'll get sneak peeks at all their latest products (skincare and makeup!) and you'll have the opportunity to give Clinique product reviews and opinions which will appear on Clinique.com.  As an Insider, you'll also get access to special upcoming events and as a bonus, you'll receive a welcome kit with full-size Clinique products and a Flip Video digital camcorder!  Sounds great, right?   

If you're interested, you can apply here.  Good luck! 

Get A Surge Of Moisture

My skin isn't normally dry, but with this weird Los Angeles weather we've been having lately (It's 110 and sweaty!  It's 60 and raining!  It's 75 and sunny!) my skin doesn't know what to think.  It doesn't feel dry, per se, but it feels dryer than usual.  Enter Clinique's Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief.  According to Clinique, it's an "updated formula that elevates performance to extend and prolong moisture for a full 12 hours while taking into account changes in temperature and humidity."   It's a lightweight gel that goes on smoothly, blends easily and doesn't feel heavy or greasy on my skin (I was afraid something other than my usual oil-free formulas would make me break out, but so far so good). 

Gloss For The Summer

The best part about heading into the summer is that when the weather gets warmer, I can get away with wearing less makeup.  For some reason, when it's cold out I feel obligated to put on more makeup, but in the summer I feel justified throwing on only blusher, mascara and lip gloss when I run errands.  (I'm constantly amazed by women who can leave their house not wearing any makeup at all.  I mean, don't they have ex-boyfriends or people they hate that they're worried they might run into?)  Out of all the glosses I've tried recently, my favorite so far is Clinique's new Long Last Glosswear SPF 15.  Part of their Long-last bronze collection for summer, the gloss gives your lips color and shine PLUS an SPF 15 (so important when you're trying to look good at the beach).  The moisturizing formula also helps keep your lips smooth and fights chapped lips.  I have to say, they're not overselling this - most glosses I've tried are more sticky than moisturizing, but Long Last Glosswear really kept my lips soft and there was no stickiness to be found.

Almost Powder

Did you know that nearly half of all powders sold are the Clinique brand?  Or that Clinique sells more powder than the next 10 powder brands combined?  Me neither!  But if their latest entry into the powder foundation arena is anything to go by, I can see why.  Almost Powder Makeup SPF 15 is at counters this month and it's a fantastic addition to my foundation drawer.  Normally I could care less how my makeup is made, but the process by which Almost Powder comes together is really interesting, so I think it's worth sharing.  It's made on 3 machines, using a "state-of-the-art liquid to powder technology."  While this is happening, small air pockets are created in the powder, giving it the silky feel that makes it to your local Clinique counter.  It takes twice as long as a normal powder to make because it goes through three different levels of pressing to preserve those air pockets - a definite plus in the way it feels on your skin.      

Give Yourself the Power

Lots of people have been raving about Clinique's new Lash Power mascara lately, but I hadn't fully appreciated how right they were until I tried it myself. I've been testing it for a few weeks now and it's definitely earned a permanent place in my mascara rotation. (Yes, I have enough mascaras to have a rotation. And yes, I know that's slightly frightening). It was originally developed by Clinique for their Asian markets, so it was made to withstand a hot climate without smudging or smearing. Sound good? It gets even better. Its special formula dries after you apply it, which protects your lashes from things like cold water, tears, sweat and humidity for an entire 24 hours. (Which, as a side note, is making me think about the last time I was up for so long that I needed my makeup to last a full day. I can't even remember! I think that means I'm officially old). One of the main selling points for me with Lash Power is the brush - it's a small, more oval shaped wand that makes getting to even the inner corners easy. It also makes it much less likely that I'm going to smear mascara somewhere on the rest of my face when I'm trying to apply it in the morning because I am seriously clumsy before 9am. I really like the way it makes my lashes look - they're more defined, yet somehow they appear naturally longer, as opposed to those spiky, fake lashes that some mascara gives you. Gorgeous and natural, without giving me raccoon eyes by noon? I'm definitely in.

Now if I could only decide which one of my other mascaras to drop out of the rotation, I'd be all set...

Photo courtesy of Clinique

Blush In The Nude

There was an ad campaign for a beauty product when I was a kid that revolved around the line, "Look like yourself, only better." Even though I wasn't wearing makeup yet, I remember thinking, "Who the hell wants that? I want makeup that makes me look like Christie Brinkley!" (Didn't everyone back then?) Luckily, I've grown up enough to appreciate the genius of makeup that just makes you look like a better version of the you that wakes up in the morning, which is why I'm loving Clinique's new Nude Blush Collection for spring. It's made up of subtle colors that add light and depth to your features, hiding your flaws while helping to highlight the things that you like about yourself. I'm kind of obsessed with the Blushing Blush Powder Blush in Bare Nudes - it's made up of of three different shades in one compact, so the color is really natural, and it's oil-free, which means it won't make you shiny. The Color Surge Eye Shadow Duos Stay Matte come in four new colors and are made without pearl, so the look is perfect for daytime. There are also new limited-edition Color Surge Butter Shine Lipsticks in natural, wearable colors - I'm already hooked on these lipsticks based on the fact that they're both colorful AND moisturizing, a combo that isn't always easy to accomplish, so I'm sure I'll be finding myself at the Clinique counter to pick up one (or more!) of these before long. I have yet to try the new Lash Power mascara, but I hear it's amazing, so I'm saving that for another post to give it my undivided attention. There's also a new Blended Face Powder in Invisible Blend and four new Cream Shaper eye pencils (Eqyptian/Brightening Gold is my favorite) to round out the collection. You know, I'm happy that spring is finally just around the corner, but with all great new collections that are headed to stores, my wallet is already wishing it would stay winter for just a little while longer. I've already spent that money!

And here's another cool thing that's happening in the world of Clinique - on February 17 at 6pm, Clinique is going to make its QVC debut. Janet Pardo, the Senior Vice President of Product Development, will be on the air live to answer questions and demonstrate the products, which are going to be offered in special collections, sizes and pricing. It's great for those of you who don't live near a mall, but personally, I'm a little worried. I think I get half of my cardio from shopping - if I start being able to park my lazy self on the couch and order Black Honey, I'm pretty sure my butt is going to grow at least two sizes by summer. Then again, the mall is where the shoes are and that's usually enough to inspire me to leave my apartment. Damn you, modern technology! Why must you make things so confusing?

Photos courtesy of Clinique

Almost Perfect

There are some products that I love so much, I re-buy them over and over, knowing that I'm never going to get sick of them. Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Black Honey is one of those products. Even though I have hundreds of lipsticks (seriously, they're taking over my bathroom), whenever I run out of it, I go immediately to buy another tube. I love it so much that I once spent close to three hours in the middle of the night frantically searching my entire apartment when I couldn't find the one I'd just bought. Luckily it had just fallen out in the car, but I might've shed a tear or two when I thought I'd lost it. Everything about it is worth raving about - it's glossy and moisturizing, so it's almost like wearing Chapstick, but the color is an added bonus. It's one of those universally flattering shades that looks good on everyone. I'm not exaggerating - it holds the distinction of being the only lip color that both my mom and I own. Believe me, that says something since we tend to like the exact opposite when it comes to makeup. It's hard to describe exactly what color it is - it's sort of a deep berry, but it also looks somewhat reddish - and it's completely natural on. It's the kind of color that goes from day to night, which is the cheesiest description ever, but I honestly do put it on both to run to the mall and to go to a bar, so it's applicable. It's not a stain so it doesn't last forever, but that's about the only thing there is to nitpick about - and even that doesn't really bother me since it's so moisturizing, I like reapplying it. And since it's Clinique, you can buy it at most department stores and even get a free gift if you time it right. Of course, Black Honey is only $14, so you'll probably have to buy at least one other product since the free gift usually only comes with purchases of $25 or so, but really, when is that ever a problem? I haven't even been to a Clinique counter in weeks and I can still come up with five products I want just off the top of my head. That's the beauty of being a Product Whore, I guess.

A Surge of Color!

I am really digging the Color Surge Eye Shadow Duos by Clinique right now.  The colors are magnificent, go on smooth, last all day and are opthomologist tested for us contact wearers.  I chose the Strawberry Fudge duo (yum) that has a gorgeous light pink shade (with some metallic sheen to it) and a deeper plum/pink, perfect for adding to the crease for more drama.  Easy to blend and perfectly coordinated colors make the Color Surge Eye Shadow Duos perfect for low-maintenance make-up junkies.  You can't screw up the application and they truly have a rainbow of colors to choose from - all grouped into easy-to-wear color categories.  I will definitely be going back to buy more.  My eyeshadow collection is ridiculously out of control and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Mousse Isn't Just For Hair Anymore

I usually don't wear self-tanner, but since I came back from vacation with my body three distinct colors (my usual pasty white, a sunburnt tomato red and a few actual tan spots) I figured I had to try something to even it all out. Since I wasn't sure which brand to use and Clinique was offering a free gift with purchase, I decided to start there (I can be convinced to try any product with the promise of a free gift. Even if the gift includes products I know I'll never use, I'm still incapable of walking away. It's free!). I bought the Body Quick Bronze Tinted Self-Tanner Mousse and despite a few drawbacks, I found a lot to like about it. For one, the mousse formula makes it easy to apply. Once you smooth it on your body, you can see exactly what spots you missed to make sure you don't end up looking like a zebra. And the color that developed on me looked really natural, which I was pleasantly surprised about. I halfway expected to wake up and find myself glowing orange, but that never happened. There were a few things that I didn't like about it though. The bottle says that you can put clothes back on ten minutes after applying, but I waited half an hour for it to dry completely and some of it still rubbed off onto what I was wearing. It seems like it'll wash out, but I was still kind of annoyed. There's only so long you can stand around your apartment naked, even when you don't have a job or anywhere to be. I never thought I'd say this, but naked is boring. I also kind of hate that the smell lingers, even after showering. It's not a bad smell, it's just not one I want following me around, especially mixed with perfume, but I couldn't seem to shake it. That could just be me though, so I'd love to know if other people had this problem as well. Overall though, I was really happy with this product. It evened out my skin and made me feel a lot less silly looking and it was definitely easy to apply. I don't know if I'll continue to use it on a weekly basis once I'm back to normal, but for those of you who like to look like you vacationed in the Caribbean when you were really just working in New Jersey, it might be the perfect solution. Especially if there's a free gift involved!

Touch This Tint

I always kind of figured I would hate cream eyeshadows based solely on the fact that you have to apply them with your fingers rather than a brush. I should've known this easier method of putting on makeup would appeal to me. With Clinique Touch Tints, all you do is squeeze a little color onto your fingertips and rub it on your eyelid and you're done. Perfect! Anything that lets me spend an extra five minutes in bed automatically becomes a product I need to own. My favorite color is Nude Sparkle - it's sort of a shimmery gold color that's perfect as the highlighter for a deeper brown liner. I've used it so much that the tube is almost empty and that barely ever happens to me because I have so many products to choose from. Plus, the Touch Tints come in two different formulas, cream and shimmer, so you can wear them during the day and at night. And since you don't need a brush to apply, you can throw them in your gym bag or take them on a weekend getaway and use the room you're saving for an extra lip gloss. It's like killing two birds with one stone! You gotta love the products that let you do that.