Dare to Bare: Clinique Anti Pollution Skincare

Clinique Anti Pollution Skincare
Clinique Dare to Bare
Starting the day with not enough sleep, some great skincare and a full face of makeup

For the past five weeks I have been trialling a new skincare regime, featuring some new to me products from Clinique.  The products are part of Clinique’s anti pollution skincare range. They feature ‘Cleanshield Technology’ which in a nutshell is a blend of sunflower, barley and cucumber which help to make your skin barrier more resilient.  Anti pollution skincare sounds like something to be sceptical about, right?  But when you look closely, you will find ingredients that you are great for the skin health as well as protecting the skin against the small particle size of air pollutants commonly found in urban environments. As we all know there is no overnight cure for good skin.  Nothing is better for the skin then a good diet and plenty of rest… but if like me that is eluding you, a good skincare regime works wonders.

What my skin goes through in a day

I wake up early, truth is I’m not sleeping well and sleep is really important for good skin. If you don’t get enough sleep your cortisol levels elevate and increased cortisol levels can lead to inflammatory flare ups in the skin.  Once I have woken up, I spend a bit of time checking my phone (dont we all!) which emits blue light. Some research has shown that repeated exposure to blue light can cause inflammation in the skin, which can lead to photoaging.  Then it is time to get ready for the day and for me, on a work day, that means a full face a makeup.

Clinique Dare to Bare
Me 11 hours later after a full day of work a smelly tube commute, a couple of site visits in central London and a failure to top up my lippie!

As a Londoner, as soon as I leave my home, I am exposed to extremely high levels of air pollution.  I live and and work in areas that regularly breach EU limits by more the 100%.  The impact on the respiratory system is well documeneted but air pollutants have a detrimental impact on skin barrier function.  Your skin barrier helps to keep hydration in the skin and irritants away from the skin.  I spend my day in an office that (thanks to dodgy air conditioning) is always too warm or too cold, which again affects hydration levels.  Then there is my  commute, on the tube, which as you know is not the cleanest environment.  Basically my skin goes through alot of a daily basis.  I have always loved my skincare but as I get older the impact on my skin is ever noticable.

Clinique Anti Pollution Skincare

My skincare routine

The City Block Purifying Charcoal Cleansing Gel (£19 /100ml) is my morrning cleanser.  It is a  foaming cleanser that does not strip the skin and leave you with that taut feeling after use.  I sometimes use it as a second cleanse in the evening but in my routine it works best in the morning.

Clinique City Block Charcoal Cleansing Gel

On a Sunday I  use the City Block Purifying Charcoal Clay Mask and Scrub (£29 / 100ml) as my clay mask.   I only use it once a week as it contains a (gentle) physical exfoliant (charcoal powder and silica) on my face. However I really get addicted to using it on the neck and decollate which are ofen neglected.

Clinique Purifying Charcoal Clay Mask and Scrub

Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly Anti Pollution (£31 / 125ml) has been a real multi tasker.  It is a light weight gel that does not leave any residue on the skin and dries to a matte finish.  The hydration boost that you get is perfect for this time of year.  I use it as serum stage, but also before using the clay mask and also after moisturiser like a primer.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Jelly

Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion + (£38 / 12ml) is a product that I have used before.  It contains mineral oil which you guys know I prefer not to use on my face.  However, mineral oil is occlusive so applying it after hydrating products will help to maintain the skin barrier.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion +

On the skin

The four products highlighted have been used in conjuction with other skincare products. A cleansing balm or oil to remove my makeup, a toner an SPF and an alpha hydroxy acid treatment.  They worked well with the Clinique products and  gave me the flexibility to decide what my skin needed day to day. It has been a while since I have used Clinique products and I have been pleased with the result.  These products are not an overnight fix. However with regular use, despite the fact that my diet is not the best and I am not getting enough sleep, my skin has remained hydrated throughout the day and I have been blemish free.

Clinique Anti Pollution Skincare
Me after using all the Clinique products

The large sizes have meant that I could share the routine with the Mr .  The packaging aesthetic is gender free and products are fragrance free so he was very open to trying them.  The Purifying Clay Mask and Scrub was his favourite product from the range. It was perfect on his designer stubble and helped to control his oily skin.  My top recommendation however would be the Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly.  It is the product that I reached for the most.

Are you a Clinique fan? Let me know your favourite Clinique product  in the comments below.

This post is in conjunction with Boots, but all thoughts are my own. All prices correct at time of publication.

Read more of my skincare reviews here and here.  Follow me here to find out more about fragrance obsession.

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