It has been a while since I last posted anything beauty-related and mask-wearing has certainly reduced the need to keep up the beauty investment. One area that I’ll not skimp nor ignore however, is skincare.
I reviewed the Clinique Dramatically Different Lotion+ ($34, available here) some years back and while it remains a popular product, I’ve not repurchased as I didn’t consider it sufficiently moisturizing for me.
During last summer’s moisturizer-induced haul, I picked up several of the Clinique iD Custom Blend Moisturizer ($47, available here) – the idea being you can create custom moisturizers with added benefits suited to exactly to your skin needs. The addition of the booster serums increased the price by around 1/2 which is a considerable add-on when you consider there are relatively inexpensive skincare products including those by Deciem’s The Ordinary.
While the premise of a customized skincare product certainly appeals to many, the delivery doesn’t quite live up to expectations. The great features of this product includes ensuring the full line up of the Clinique moisturizer, gel and moisturizing tone-up gel are compatible with the assorted offering.
I picked up two bases – the original Lotion+ as I preferred the texture and feel over the other options. I also wanted to try the new tone-up gel which looked to be another great alternative.
As for the serums, I picked up these options: Sakura for reactive skin, Ginseng for sallow skin and the Lactobacillus Probiotic Ferment for irritated skin. Of the three, the Sakura one felt the most moisturizing and comfortable on the skin. I paired this serum with the Lotion+ so it applied like a double-dosed treatment.
The Ginseng one felt average, there was nothing about that particular combination (again, paired with the Lotion+) I thought the Lactobacillus Probiotic Ferment was the worst of the three, perhaps because it was paired with the tone-up gel which isn’t as hydrating for the skin as the other option. The combination felt drying on the skin and one I stopped using for a while and I’ll likely need to lather up with another moisturizer.
Overall, this felt like an average product for me, certainly not worth the price tag considering how quickly I go through moisturizers. Living in the Toronto area where drying winter temperatures can be harsh, I don’t think this would be the best option to have. The concept behind the product is clever but the execution is a little lacking! Hopefully we’ll see more options for the base as that would be a great addition to the existing line-up!
