The Skin Care Report: Part I

This is so exciting! The first review in the Grand Skin Care Search for Real Girl's new ultimate regimen! More than any other topic, Real Girl receives emails asking her: Alright already! What skin care products should we buy to make us gorgeous and forever young! We are waiting here!!! Oh, darlings. I wish it were that easy. More than I wish that the streets of New York could be free of icky, dirty slush. Because hello? Cute shoes! Must be worn!

Unlike the ever-popular Mascara Chronicles Part I and Part II, the Grand Skin Care Search will take time. Months, even. But I’ll keep you updated every step of the way, reporting on each product after I’ve used it for a minimum of two weeks. Which brings us to…

Clinique Superdefense Triple Action Moisturizer SPF 25, which comes in “Very Dry,” “Normal to Dry,” and “Normal to Oily” formulations. Real Girl instantly had a conundrum to wrestle with here: La Combination Skin. Lucky for me, I get both T-zone oilies and winter dry patches. Because of the dryness of the season, though, I chose to try the “Normal to Dry.”

The ingredients: Here, Real Girl has done some serious research. The three “active ingredients” of this moisturizer are all sun protectants. They’re good ones, and will fight UVA and UVB rays, and that’s great! Because remember, no matter what products you use, your best defense against skin-aging will be sunscreen. So if you’re looking for a moisturizer that’s more sunscreen than antioxidants, this be fab for you.

In addition, the moisturizer does have some good herbal antioxidants, including echinacea and rosemaric acid, whose effectiveness I looked up online and I’m satisfied will fight free radicals to some capacity. Only problem being, the Clinique folks can’t tell me in what concentrations these antioxidants are present. So, I haven’t a clue if the doses are enough to bathe your skin in free-radical-fighting yumminess. I will continue to try and find out.

You’ll find here, too, some nice moisturizing ingredients and anti-irritants for the sensitive skin brigade. If you’ve used Clinique moisturizers before, and you’ve liked them, I think you’ll be satisfied in those fields.

The Experience: Not bad at all! The moisturizer has a silky, non-greasy feel, blends in well, and left me dewy and fresh for hours. (But not shiny, which is key.) Here’s my one caveat, though. I think I need to try the “Normal to Oily” formula. Because, alas, I did receive one blemish while using the product—and though I can’t say for sure it’s because of the Clinique Superdefense, I can say that usually when I break out, it’s because of my skin care product. So if you are prone to such things, you might want to check out the Normal to Oily, as I plan on doing.

Will I report back when I try the Normal to Oily?

Does the person who invented lip balm deserve a Nobel Prize?

Clearly, people. Clearly.

Overall thoughts on Clinique Superdefense: Pretty darn good! I’m wary of the power of the antioxidants, but they’re in there. This product promises an awful lot, involving all sorts of newfangled techniques and constructions. I don’t know about that, but I think this is a decent, skin protecting option. If I love the Normal to Oily, it’s going in my makeup bag! (To be rotated, most likely, with other vital parts of the future Regimen…)


So, darlings, what are your thoughts? And do you have moisturizers you’d like me to research? I can’t say for sure I’ll sample them, but I’ll sneak a peek at the ingredient list if I can. And if you’re too shy to comment, feel free to email La Real Girl at realgirlbeauty@yahoo.com. (And will I be reviewing only department store brands? Please. We're so all about the value here.)

With love,
From one Real Girl to another.
xx