Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Correcting Serum

Now that summer is over and I am done with all forms of self-tanning, I have decided to purchase a few new skincare products and get my skin closer to perfection than it is ever is during the summer months.  My skin has been pretty dry lately and the use of self-tanner was making it much worse toward the end of the summer.  In response, my face was producing more oil and thus beginning to break out a bit and the pores on my T-zone area are looking much larger than they normally do.  One of my first skincare product purchases at the very end of August was a new serum that would help to refine the appearance of this area until I can get my skin back to its normal equilibrium and the extra oiliness is a bit reduced. 

I use currnetly using this pore-reducing serum with a series of hydrating products, I am hoping that the combination will help to re-hydrate my skin and stop if from producing all of the excess oil.  this serum is going to help to improve the appearance of my face over the next few weeks as I am trying to get it back to normal before we get very far into fall, my skin gets even drier as the temperatures drop and I need to get this excess dryness and oil issue under control long before November.  My major concern when looking for a pore refining product is that I didn't want to find a product that would effectively control the oil but would then make the rest of my face even drier.  I also didn't want any type of product that was formulated for oily skin or contains any type of acne fighters.  My requirements pretty much excluded 90% of the products that I saw at Sephora and made my task even harder than I thought that it would be...

Clinique is a company that has produced many skincare items that have worked very well for me over the years, none of their skincare items or color products have irritated my skin and their simple formulations work well while still remaining free of any excess ingredients.  Clinique is one of the few brands that I trusted to search for a product that it very much out of my normal skincare realm.  I decided to purchases the Pore Refining Solutions Correcting Serum, this company also offers a primer with the same type of results however I wanted to try to treat and improve my skin instead of just covering up the pore size. 

"A concentrated serum that refines pores.  This product helps skin create a smoother, more youthful look.  Pores seem smaller, as if they had 'snapped back' into shape.  It contains the Pore Resurfacing Complex, which quickly and gently clears out debris and rough flakes.  Over time, skin creates stronger supports for a tighter, smoother, younger look.  This product is oil-free and ideal for all skin types."

I first started using this product all over my face, twice a day.  I quickly saw that I could use this product on only my T-Zone at night and then all over my face during the day.  I use a very rich night cream so using it all over my face at night wasn't helping my face cream to fully pentrate.  During the day, I am finishing up the C.O. Bigelow face lotion that I bought earlier in the summer and this product works best with a lighter formula of lotion. 

I have been using this product twice a day for about a week now, I am beginning to see a bit of difference on my T-zone, I see no difference at all on my cheeks as I did not have large pores in this area to begin with.  My T-Zone looks more refined in the day time and my face lotion goes on much smoother and easier over this product.  I found that I need a bit less primer to help create the flawless look and also less foundation and loose powder.  I don't expect my skin to drastically change as I do not have huge pores all over my face and I just needed a bit of help to get my skin back to normal.  This product is working well and I don't except that I will need to purchase another tube of it this fall, I will be likely to buy it next spring and summer to help combat some of the effects of the summer on my skin.

Like all other Clinique products, this serum didn't irritate my skin and didn't contribute to any of my existing problems.  I know that I can always turn to Clinique and know that my skin won't get dry and irritated.  I often recommend this brand of skincare to others who have sensitive skin and I have never heard a bad comment uttered against this company in that respect.

My skin is on the way to getting back to normal after three months of self-tanning and sun!

photo courtesy of Sephora