I must admit that Clinique never pops to the top of my mind when I think about makeup brands. The only exception is their lipstick, and even then I only pick safe colours. I’ve loved the lipstick formula since forever, thanks to its very hydrating feel. The recent Chubby Stick and Chubby Stick Intense have rekindled my love for Clinique’s lip products, and my collection has grown to four sticks so far.
But recently I’ve found not one, but two complexion products from Clinique that I’m head over heels in love with: the first is the Clinique CC Cream (which I’ve previously reviewed) and Clinique Even Better Makeup. I’ve never thought that I’d find a foundation that I love from Clinique, but they’ve been doing excellent work in this department since the addition of the Superprimer, which I am lusting after.
What is Clinique Even Better Makeup?
It’s an oil-free, dermatologist-developed foundation that’s safe even for sensitive skin. It contains broad-spectrum UV protection, though it only clocks in at SPF 15. It promises to improve clarity, even out skin tone, and visibly diminish age spots; the tone of the product makes me realize that this is actually an extension to Clinique’s Even Better line, which focuses on fixing uneven tones and brightening. Any makeup that promises the benefit of skincare will surely garner attention, but probably not without the maximum impact if it was paired up with the right skincare range.
The mineral sunscreen within the foundation will help you from developing age spots or uneven skin tone, because it gives provides protection from the nasty UV rays; but other than that, I don’t see any significant results in those departments after two weeks of using it. I will think of it just as a plain foundation and expect nothing more.
Why do I love it?
Having dry skin makes it hard for me to find a matte-finish foundation that looks good on me. It will usually look too matte and will aggravate the dry skin look. I especially despise foundation with silicone ingredients because it feels uncomfortable. But the truth is, foundation that contains silicone blends easily, especially if it has a matte finish.
Another issue is how oil-free foundation tends to sit on top of my skin instead of blending into it, making me feel like I’m wearing a mask. Not a pretty sight at all! This foundation doesn’t feel like it has any silicone in it and can be easily applied with either my fingers or a foundation brush. It settles into a very nice flawless satin-matte finish that doesn’t leave skin looking dry or flaky; the foundation actually leaves a slight dewy look that I kind of like. There’s one more surprise in how the coverage is buildable, but using a normal pea-sized amount would get you medium coverage. This is enough to cover redness and acne scars while keeping the texture of your skin visible.
Who would love this?
Those with oily skin but don’t want a dead matte finish foundation. People with dry and normal skin looking for a matte finish foundation that feels comfortable on skin.
I know that there are plenty other foundations with medium coverage or matte finishes out there, but finding one that has both (and still feels comfortable!) is very rare. I’m quite happy that Clinique carries my shade here! Mine is Sand (9) and I used MAC NW35 – it’s harder for medium-dark cool-toned people to find a perfect match in foundation.
Have you been feeling the love for any Clinique product lately? If you do, what is it?
