Author's product rating: 
| Advantages: |
Lightweight, waterproof, no chemicals |
| Disadvantages: |
Almost is not always enough |
| Recommend to potential buyers: |
yes |
It was a moment of summer madness. On one of the rare sunny days in Glasgow, I went to Boots to pick out some new foundation. I made two crucial errors on this expedition- I took the Boyfriend with me, and I allowed myself to be drawn into the dreaded "Clinique Bonus Time".
The Boyfriend factor meant that there was a sudden time pressure, always a no-no when picking out makeup. Instead of being permitted the opportunity to lovingly sample every tester in the shop, I suddenly had to Make. A. Decision. Now. The second factor meant that as it was Clinique Bonus Time, I felt I had to take advantage of the chance to get a little raspberry coloured bag. You know these bags- full of small bottles of goo along with goodies like Clinique "NotLipstick in Ecru 20." The nice laquered saleslady assured me all of these products could double as eyeshadow in a crisis. Right. Whatever.
The tiny rational portion of my brain managed to focus on the fact that I did, in fact, actually need foundation. I have tried Clinique foundations before, but have not always been terribly impressed. Then my eyes lit on the "Almost Make-up Range".
The 45 ml bottle is packaged in classic Clinique pale green and silver. The range of shades runs from the very pale fair to through to peachy, ivory, darker sandy brown tones. I confess I only ever have looked at the lighter shades as I have extremely pale freckly skin. In fact, that is one of my major gripes about foundation in general- it is very tricky to find a very light base that is not too pink. I applied a bit of this to the back of my hand, and it appeared to blend in very well. It was very light and seemed to be quite a subtle effect- which I expected seeing how it was called "Almost Make-up".
This is always a difficult moment when selecting foundation, because of course the overhead store lighting is different to outdoor lights, or the more subtle household illuminations. Normally I walk around the store a bit with the tester on my hand, or even go outside for awhile and come back-but the Boyfriend Factor made all of this impossible. As it was a nice bright sunny day, I made a bizarre mental lateral leap, picturing myself walking along the beach in Spain with a lovely light glow, my barely there make-up giving me the sheerest coverage.
Of course, I bought it, and ran home happily clutching my Bonus bag of small bottles of goop. At which point I was able to observe the effect of the Almost Make-up at home in the bathroom mirror. In the cold light of day, it dawned on me that I had basically shelled out £15 for some tinted moisturiser. Hmm…
Now, before I become too negative, let me explain that there are some excellent aspects to this product. It contains SPF15, which is ideal for day to day wear. Moreover, it's chemical free sunscreen, which is helpful if you are concerned about all the nasty ingredients in some sunblocks. As I get older and thus more freckly, I have made a daily concerted effort to wear sunscreen, and this product allows me to apply it as make-up: a nice bonus.
Allergy tested, 100% fragrance free, and oil free, Almost Make-up is great if you have sensitive skin, or are worried about the effects of pore-clogging foundation. According to the website, the makeup also contains antioxidants, which I gather is a good thing. Moreover, the make-up is waterproof, great if you are actually at the beach, or sweating, or have a bucket of water thrown over you- (Look, in Glasgow, anything goes, OK?)
The coverage is extremely sheer and very lightweight. This is both the major pro and con of the product. If you have great skin, and are looking for something to give you extra glow, this is fantastic. Almost Make-up perfects skin tone, with the emphasis that it was already pretty good in the first place. On a good skin day, it does leave you looking rather fresh and glowy. You don't need very much to achieve this look either- a little bit does the job.
Those people needing heavier coverage, for example to disguise blemishes, dark circles or wrinkles, will find this doesn't fit the bill. It doesn't matter how much you put on- it is and will remain "Almost" and not "Complete" Make-up.
Personally, I need a little bit more coverage than this make-up offers, although I admit it does give a more natural look. However, I do feel that if wanted to look totally natural, I wouldn't be buying make-up in the first place. I do intend to take it on holiday, which is normally a time when I don't want to bother with a full face of slap. With a light tan, or during a day in the sun, I imagine Almost Make-up would be fantastic. This is very much a summer makeup, or for those days when you just want a little light boost. In winter, more coverage is needed, for me anyway.
If you have good skin, this product is excellent. But if you are expecting it to perform like normal foundation, forget it. Use your £15 to buy a more traditional base- unless of course you cannot overcome your Bonus Time urge to possess that puce padded pouch stuffed with anti-makeup.
| More Reviews |
 Is She Or Isn't She (Wearing Makeup That Is!).
Review of Clinique Almost Makeup by
Kezza88
Advantages: Sheer coverage, no-one can tell you're wearing it.
Disadvantages: Price
...it has to be a Clinique review, as he hasn’t found out about this….yet.
Almost Makeup is not a new product from Clinique - it’s been out for a few years (I’ve been using it for 3-4 years), and is one of those products you either love or hate. I’ll confess at the start that I’m a devotee.
****So, what’s the stuff in this pale green tube with the silver lid?
Almost Makeup is similar to a tinted facial moisturiser, in that it provides sheer coverage, ...
...some Estee Lauder Spotlight, or Clinique Anti Gravity cream on under my Almost Makeup. The "undercoat" gives my skin a lift, and the "top coat" makes my skin look alright - you'd never guess I'd been out for a night on the turps (apart from the constant yawning). ****Ok, so there is a downside, where can I buy this, and will I have to mortgage my house?
Clinique products are available at most major department stores (Debenhams, House of Fraser, ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful |
| Length of Coverage |
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very helpful
03.11.2003
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Clinique's Almost Makeup
Review of Clinique Almost Makeup by
ralphaz
Advantages: really natural coverage
Disadvantages: won't cover up larger imperfections
...Makeup, because I'd been using Clinique foundation for a long time, but wanted something a little lighter. Also a friend had recommended this particular product to me. I wasn't dissapointed.
THE PRODUCT:
It comes in 6 shades, fair, light, medium, deep, deep 2 and bronze.
The consistency is more similar to a moisturiser than a liquid foundation.
It contains antioxidants which according to Clinique help protect the skin from harmful environmental ...
...chemical free and Oil-free. And Clinique also claim that it is non-acnegenic and has been Ophthalmologist tested. It includes skin-soothing botanical extracts.
It is waterproof and is safe to use around the eye area.
The packaging is classic clinique. It comes in a pale green tube with silver coloured lid. This means it is very easy to apply either using the fingers or a sponge, as you just squeeze it out.
Its priced at £17 for a 45ml tube.
The ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful |
| Length of Coverage |
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very helpful
18.11.2003
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Make-up for the good girl's skin
Review of Clinique Almost Makeup by
Firemunchkin
Advantages: Gives a polished overall effect
Disadvantages: Doesn't cover up the blemishes
...it works out quite cost effective. The tube gets messy, which is why using the back of your hand to apply is - ahem - handy. I would recommend that you speak with a Clinique representative before buying this, to make sure you get the right colour for your skin. ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful |
| Length of Coverage |
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helpful
22.11.2003
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Almost Makeup
Review of Clinique Almost Makeup by
kemca
Advantages: light on skin, spf 15
Disadvantages: will not cover blemishes
Almost makeup from Clinique - For those of you, who like me, don't like to wear foundation but occasionally(!)need a little helping hand. Almost makeup is essentially a tinted moisturiser, which will help even out skin tones without blanking out your features, a problem common with some fully fledged foundations. It feels light on the skin and is ideal for everyday wear as it has an all important skin protection factor of 15. It is fragrance free ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful |
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somewhat helpful
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