Maintaining clear skin hasn’t always been my strong suit when it comes to beauty. I’ve battled with blemishes throughout my teenage years and well into college and I’m just now getting a handle on what works best for my skin. Like I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I have combination to oily skin being 50% Portuguese, so it’s hard to find a skincare routine that manages the oils in my skin without stripping them away with harsh toners and exfoliators. After years of buying drugstore skincare products, I thought it was time to put my focus on a range that is a bit more high end with ingredients that are fragrance free and allergy tested to avoid irritating my extra sesitive skin. I’m always hesitant to try out new skincare products, especially moisturizers because for whatever reason, they almost always lead to a breakout that is hard to treat.

After being informed about Clinique’s 3 Step Skincare regime, I knew I had to give it a try because the ingredients and formulation of each of their products were made for skin just like mine – sensitive and prone to breakouts. I made it a goal to never go to sleep without applying the entire 3 step process on my skin and after a few weeks, my skin has never looked so radiant and clear. I did make it a point to switch up the regime according to my skin’s needs. Since my chin is more prone to breakouts, I avoided using moisturizer on that area and focused it on the rest of my face. I played with this method off and on and found that the best need for my skin was to keep the natural oils on certain parts of my face and avoid over adding oil found in moisturizers. I particularly love their Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm because I have used oil cleansers for years and knew I wanted to keep that a part of my nightly routine. There’s something about oil cleansing that is almost therapeutic right before going to bed. Applying the balm straight to your skin and adding a little bit of water helps emulsify the product and melt the makeup off your face. After cleansing with their Liquid Facial Soap, I’m guaranteed to have the cleanest skin possible.

For a long time I never used eye cream during the day. For whatever reason, I thought it was only appropriate at night until I tried Clinique’s Age Defense Eye Cream which makes the most sense to use because it has SPF 20 and dries almost instantly on the skin so as not to create the tacky, balmy feeling after applying. I get so excited to use these products on a daily basis because I know they actually work and it makes skincare not seem like a chore and something I actually enjoy doing to start and end my day.

All c/o Clinique: Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm | Liquid Facial Soap | Clarifying Lotion | Turnaround Revitalizing Lotion | Age Defense Eye Cream

*A big thank you to Clinique for sponsoring this post!