Clinique Cleansers Comforting Cream Cleanser > Reviews (3)

I was a Clinique virgin until this autumn. I never quite understood the hype and thought the products were overrated and overpriced. But, they say don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, and they also say don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, so I was intrigued (and pleased) to receive a collection of Clinique products from my PA as a leaving present prior to my departure from the UK.

I am lucky in that I do not have particularly troublesome skin, which is something to bear in mind as you read this. I am writing it as someone who can eat her 5 a day twice over or live off pizza and chocolate for a week, who can move to such polluted places as Mexico City or dusty dens like Freetown, or spend weeks on end in the sea, and never notice changes in her skin. I am not especially loyal to any skin care brand, will buy whatever is on offer, and am quite happy using baby wipes on my face since they’re a heck of a lot cheaper than the ‘proper’ facial cleansing versions.
I’ve recently moved from the provinces to Freetown, which is Sierra Leone’s rather dusty capital. I walk around a lot and get filthy, and then come home to a house that doesn’t have running water (or any water at all, half the time). In other words, it’s hard to feel clean here, and while I don’t mind the grime on my feet (squint a bit and it just looks like a tan) it’s a little different on my face. I have a number of products I use here, from standard soap to wipes, but the one that makes my skin feel truly purged of dirt is this cleanser.

This is a really rich, creamy cleanser. You only need a tiny bit, and the packaging makes it easy to squeeze out a suitably sized blob so you don’t waste any. It’s incredibly moisturising too, without feeling too greasy, and although it doesn’t lather up with bubbles, it’s easy to spread around your face. I tend to wash it off with water (when I have it) and then follow up with a swipe of toner (Clinique, natch!) but if I forget or have only taken this one to the gym it’s not the end of the world, as your skin is clean after using this, it just doesn’t tingle in the same way it does when you use toner.

The cream is really thick so you can rub and rub and it doesn’t sink in – it’s not supposed to, as you wipe or wash it off afterwards, but it was a worry I had initially. The more you rub the more it seems to lift off the dirt though, so it’s definitely worth doing. How do I know it’s removing the grime? Well, when I tissue the cleanser off I can see it – the tissue turns orange, to match the dust on the roads here. It is that filthy a city. It’s a bit like that mouthwash that changes colour as you rinse – it’s disturbing and reassuring in equal measure to know both how much dirt there was, but also that it’s now gone.

The cleanser smells expensive, which is a weird thing to say, but is true. It has a hint of citrus to it but is quite clinical as well, which seems like a good feature to have, as if it’s been developed by a bunch of scientists not beauty therapists.

It's not an unpleasant smell at all, but at the same time you wouldn't want a bottle of it as perfume.

This is an extremely versatile cleanser which makes it ideal for my constantly fluctuating water status. You massage it onto your face (either dry or wet) and then wash or tissue off. This means that even when I have no water at all, I can use this on dry skin and just wipe it off.

This is called ‘Comforting Cream Cleanser’ and I can imagine it would be especially nice to use in winter, in a hot shower when you just want to feel pampered. Considering how nice it is used in 30 degree weather when your skin is dripping with sweat, it must be heaven on a day when it’s icy cold outside and your skin is feeling tight and chapped, and in a pinch you could wash with this if you didn’t have any moisturiser handy, as the immediate effects are the same – softer, smoother skin. I also received the Clinique 7 day scrub, and while that makes you feel cleaner quicker (it’s an exfoliator you use in the shower), once you’ve rinsed/wiped this one off the results are similar: clean feeling skin that’s also a smidge softer than before you used it.

I cannot vouch for how this would work on particularly oily or dry or sensitive skins, as mine is none of those: it is robust, spot-free and what experts rather meanly call ‘normal’ (as if other skin types are not). But, I can say I’ve given it a good run for its money in terms of dirt removal, and it scores highly. Because it is so rich it might not be suitable for really oily skins, but you certainly don’t need to have dry, flaking patches to benefit from it. On that note, the packaging assures me it is allergy tested and 100% fragrance free. It is designed for drier skins (though of course mine is normal) and I can imagine the creamy consistency would feel nourishing if your face is all chapped and tight.

This cream cleanser comes in the standard, easily identifiable pale green Clinique tube. It has a downward facing tip, so you don't have to struggle to get the last bits out as they're always dripping downwards, and it’s easy to stand it up by the sink or shower as the base is flat, and big enough to balance. I noticed the benefit of expensive packaging immediately, as it is just so easy to control how much comes out in one go. With this cleanser, a little goes a long way so you really don't need huge amounts, and I can get just the right amount with a slight squeeze, and no wastage. Even though the initial outlay is quite high, it pays for itself to some extent in this way, as it doesn’t come slopping out like other places, and you don’t need to use more to get a good result.

This is a product equally suited for day or night time use. I tend to use it just once a day as I’m trying to make it last, and clean my face another way in between, but if I’m travelling I’ll just take this with me and use it twice daily.

I am very happy with this cleanser. In some important areas my skin hasn't changed (I had no breakouts before, and it's not caused any; I had no visible wrinkles before and haven't developed more) and in some equally important areas it has, as my skin now feels smoother and cleaner.

As a result of using this, my skin both looks and feels smoother and softer. If you're a Clinique junkie, you'll want to try this one, and even if you're not it's worth a look. It’s a gentle, mild cleanser, but it digs deep to get out all the dirt. Recommended.
(I don’t wear make up, but this is supposed to be ace for removing that too – perhaps someone who does and also uses this can comment on its effectiveness in this area?)

http://www.clinique.co.uk/product/1673/6​079/Skin-Care/CleansersMakeup-Removers/C​omforting-Cream-Cleanser/index.tmpl

Currently £12 - £15 for 150ml, but shop around as Clinique stuff regularly seems to be on offer.