Une femme recommends…
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| Clinique City Block Sheer SPF 25 |
First, I must thank those commenters from a few weeks ago who turned me on to Beautypedia.com. With God as my witness, I will never buy overhyped, overpriced skincare again!
So after spending a few hours days weeks obsessively searching the product reviews at Beautypedia.com, I had a list of well-reviewed and actually effective products to try. As I was running low on my daytime moisturizer, and hadn’t been thrilled with some of the drugstore sunscreens I’d tried, this moved right to the top of the list.
I must confess, Clinique was one of the first lines of department store skincare I started using in my twenties. It was well formulated for my (then) oily skin, and I felt so grown-up buying skincare at the fancy Macy’s (back when Macy’s was fancy). But as my skin and I aged, I moved on to other lines, and hadn’t used Clinique products in quite some time.
Here’s the thing, this stuff replaces not only my daytime moisturizer and sunscreen, but I’ve found that using Clinique City Block I can skip foundation too! There’s a slight bit of tint in this formula, and it’s just enough sheer coverage to even out my skin tone and provide close to the level of coverage I was getting with a sheer foundation (and it looks more natural too). A brush of translucent powder on the nose, and I’m good to go for the entire day!
For those of you with sensitive skin, this is a mineral-only sunscreen, no other active ingredients. For most days, the 25 SPF is sufficient. There is also a 40 SPF version, but it contains avobenzone to bump up the SPF, and seems to have less tint and a bit more sheen. I figure if I’ll be in the sun for extended periods of time, I can reapply more 25 if needed. (For serious sun exposure such as incurred while hiking, boating or gardening, I wear a hat anyway.)
The price is right ($18) and the 1.4 oz. package is TSA-carry-on-friendly. For a product that does the work of three, this one’s a winner and an excellent value.
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Love the Scarlett O’Hara! My Clinique story is similar to yours: when I was younger and oily, I used their 3-step “system” and felt very glamorous : > Now I still do love their blush. And this sunscreen sounds good, I’ll give it a go.
Ooh the site sounds good – and I’m always on the look out for sunscreen for sensitive skin. Spots and a heat rash are not a good holiday look. I’ll check this out. Thanks for the advice.
Clinique was my first too, I thought it was so scientific and grown up.
I like cityblock too, will check out beautypedia
I adore those two or three in one products. I’m getting this, thanks!
May I piggyback to say I love Clinique’s “All About Lips” b/c I use those paint-on lipcolours like Outlast, which are drying (but oh the joy of not eating off my lipstick). Applying All About Lips at bedtime rehabs them perfectly.
Thanks for the review. I’m going to try it.
Consider also perusing makeupalley.com before you purchase. User submitted reviews, but you can get a range of skin/hair/body types and needs which helps you understand where your own needs are in the spectrum of responses. I’ve found it very useful when I’m in the market for a new XX. (and no affiliation with the site, other than I’ve submitted my own reviews of products I like/don’t like)
I need a “bigger” sunblock in warm weather, and I’m glad for this tip — last summer I used something by my beloved LaRoche Posay that left my light-colored clothes with orange stains where I’d “glowed.” (A lady does not sweat. Or even perspire.)
ah mon dieu, finding products that WORK, at any price, is truly a project. as a person with sensitive, dry, fair skin i was in the habit of using 4-5 products every morning to keep my skin somewhat moisturized, sun protected, and non-irritated.
my mom recently went thru a # of sunscreens to find one she could tolerate (derm troubles convinced her to commit to sunblock) and i received a bunch of her rejects to evaluate (thank you mom!).
enter Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defense 50 – this is a fantastic moisturizer and sunblock all in one, replacing the previous 4-5 tubes. it runs $14. for 1.7 oz., not cheap but affordable as i only use it on my face.
two other products that really work for me: Monistat Gel-to-Powder Anti-Chafing is makeup primer, mattifier/powder, and reverse lip liner all in one. (find it near the yeast infection remedies, and no it’s not to be used ‘there’.)
Retin-A is the best exfoliator there is. the generic version works great, and consistent use really calms my sensitive, rosacae-ridden skin. i don’t see much wrinkle-reduction, but it does refine the pores beautifully.
that Clinique City Block sounds very very nice….(i’m always looking for increased perfection in products). i’ll score a sample next time i’m in Sephora. 🙂 steph
p.s. thirding the usefulness of makeupalley – it really focuses my shopping, for ‘treatment’ products as well as colors (eye shadow, lip liner, etc). steph
I just clicked the site mentioned, and understand, that it took time going through it.
I stick to just one company´s products, being well aware that there are better and less expensive ones available, but I am just too suspicious and lazy to try new ones.
I am thrilled! Last week I found Paula Begouns channel on blogtalkradio, I never heard of her before. And now you mention her – a small world! 🙂
I am dealing with a very very acne prone skin and sometimes it feels as if all the effort is worth nothing. And it is a lot of effort! I remember my mother, dealing with pimples when I was already a teeager and she was in her forties. Back then I was naive and thought pimples would stop as soon as I become an adult.
Paula seems to be a good source to rely on. I listened to one of her blogradio-shows, she is really taking her time to help people. The advice I liked most was the ne she gave a woman who is going to be married in June. Paula said “DOn’t change your routines 4 weeks prior to the wedding, stick to your routines” She knows skin takes time to recover from any outbreak etc. Maybe I will try one of her products, they are available in Austria, too!
Enjoy the clinique sunscreen. I myself am no Clinique fan at all, gossmakeupartist on youtube did a hilarious review on the orangey faces at the clinique counter, with their white coats. Hilarious!
I’m still a drugstore fiend and have always been a little ashamed about it, but alas, I suppose I’m really 16 at heart. However, this has piqued my interest as my skin has been super-oily lately which is great for wrinkles, terrible for acne. Thanks for the review.
I love City Block and have been using it for 2 years, based on Paula’s recommendation. If I’m really ruddy or broken out I might need something on top if it, but like you, I can pretty much use it as my foundation most days.
If you really want to obsess, buy Paula’s giant book. I could read it for hours! (but then again, I’m weird like that.)
I love the Clinique products and I’m addicted to their lip glosses and shower gels. Though these days I really try to buy cruelty free vegetarian cosmetics.
But I think you’ve found a great product and eliminated the need for extra layers on your skin. A perfect all in one product for the summer, especially in California I would imagine.
I’ve used the City Block sunscreen before and really like it. I’ve recently discovered Cetaphil’s UVA/UVB Defense SPF 50 moisturizer. I like City Block for work during the week with it’s tint and lower spf, but for the weekend when I’m outdoors a lot, the Cetaphil is wonderful. And of course it’s great for sensitive skin. I can only use mineral sunscreens on my face and this is the least irritating that I’ve tried, and at a reasonable price too.
I’ve mentioned my love for Paula B here and on my own blog. My daughter told me she spent many hours reading about ingredients. I like Paula’s products myself; she has free shipping this month.
I agree with spacegeek, makeupalley is the best! also you can filter reviews by age!
Thanks for reminding me of this product I have used it before and find it very good. Think I will stock up on some more.
I love your recommendations. Just taken delivery of the Cindy Joseph Boomstick which is fantastic.. Looks like this will be another winner! Thank you so much. p.s. I did exactly the same as you with Clinique – used it when I was younger (again, thought I was v. grown up buying it) and then found it too harsh especially the soap and the toner…! XXX
I’ve been a devoted user of Clinique’s City Block 25 for the past couple of years. I recently got wind of their new Moisture Surge tinted moisturizer, but as soon as I started using it I realized I can’t apply it near my eyes–I’ll be back to my trustworthy City Block 25.
I’ve been using this forever and see no need to stop now – as you say, no need for foundation because of the slightly tint – and it’s one of the few in a colour that works on my pallid skin.
Thank you for the Beautypedia.com tip.
A friend gave me Silk Naturals (http://host.silknaturals.com/) perfecting and tinted blur powder samples for my birthday and I really like the smooth finish much better than my previous cargo liquid foundation, but Silk Naturals products are not inexpensive.
love love love Clinique’s City Block.
Bought CityBlock, like it.