Clinique City Block Sheer Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF 25

The weather is beginning to really heat up and I have ordered and started using my first new facial sunscreen of the season, I decided to start off with Clinique this summer and I bet that I will use their sunscreens all throughout the summer months.  I have used Clinique sunscreens for years now and I wanted to try one of the few formulas that I have not yet tried, the City Block Sheer Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF 25.  I originally used the body version of the City Block sunscreens many years ago and was very pleased with the results of the products, City Block is a line of sun protectants that are designed for daily use and contain anti-oxidants to ward off some of the free radicals that are prevalent in city life.  I drive about a half an hour to and from work each day so I appreciate that extra dose of protection from both the sun and particles that are in the air.

In previous summers, I have used the body version of this product on both my body and my face and had great results from the products.  This summer, I wanted to see what additional benefits I would get from using a product designed only for facial skin.  At minimum, I would get the exact same results but the best case scenario is that I would get even better results for my face from this version of the product.  I have used this product for the past few days and I can yet again state that the Clinique City Block line of sunscreens are just fabulous products.

"A lightweight daily sunscreen that provides UVA/UVB sun protection.  This daily sunscreen provides the face with broad-spectrum sun protection in a sheer formula. Worn alone or as a primer under makeup, its oil-free formulation helps to absorb excess oil and whisk away perspiration. Formulated without chemical sunscreens, it is appropriate for sensitive skins and the eye area.", states the Sephora website when providing a product description.  I was really excited to see that I could use this as a primer since that would eliminate an extra layer of product on my face during the hottest months of the year. 

I apply this product every morning to clean, dry skin and then use a bit of face lotion on top of it (if needed).  I first used a dime-sized amount of this facial sunscreen and did not find it enough to fully cover my whole face and then the next time that I used it, I used a nickel-sized drop and had enough to cover my whole face and then to work the product down into my neck area.  I was a bit surprised to see that this product has a bit of a flesh-toned tint to it, the body formula was the traditional white shade of sunscreen and I was a bit put off until I emailed Sephora and they confirmed that this is the correct color of the product and all was well.  I believe that it has a bit of tint to be best used as a primer instead of just a sunscreen. 

This line of products works well to keep my skin protected, I have never gotten a sunburn when I have used any product from this line and I will keep using then for these benefits.  The primer part of this product is where I wasn't as impressed as I could be, I found this product to be more of a sunscreen than a makeup product, it doesn't absorb or spread as well as a primer and I would never buy this product only to use as a primer.  I use this product with a separate primer, if I don't then my makeup will not spread correctly and doesn't last as long as it normally does with a separate primer. 

I will continue to use this facial sunscreen for the rest of the summer and I bet that I will buy it again next summer, unless Clinique comes out with another facial sunscreen in this line.  I am happy with the results that I get from the SPF 25 for normal use, but I would be interested in finding this same product in a higher SPF for vacation or a day outside. 

photo courtesy of Clinique