Quick Rave: Here are three sleeper hits from Clinique that I love using lately

CheeksHighlighter and IlluminatorEyeliner

Jan 4

Honestly, makeup has taken a backseat for me because of the pandemic. I’ve been working in beauty for almost 13 years so it was quite strange to not be as involved with makeup as I always have. There aren’t as many new products and there aren’t huge waves anymore when it comes to trends. Definitely not normal. But this has given me an opportunity to re-examine my beauty look and go back to the basics. I still do want to look good, after all! This blog is called Project Vanity, haha.

And so. Clinique has always been famous as A Really Good Skincare Brand but not as many know that they have great makeup as well. Their foundations have always been a winner for me, both the liquids and powders. Of course their Cheek Pop blushes are some of the finest out there when it comes to texture and natural swoon-worthy colors! I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised that the Clinique Powder Pop Bronzer (P2,100/ 9g) and Highlighter (P1,950/ 9g) are something special as well.

I actually didn’t take product photos before using them because I didn’t expect to do a review. I regret that, because I’ve used them so much that the beautiful flower design is already buffed down! But at least you can see how much I’ve enjoyed these in the last two months. The only reason the highlighter is not as worn as the bronzer is because I lost it for a bit. Never again!

SWAtCHES Left: Clinique bronzer in Solar Pop / Right: Clinique highlighter in Lunar Pop

What makes these so good is how they drape on the skin. The Powder Pop Bronzer in Solar Pop (P2,100/ 9g) can’t be used as a contour powder because it’s too warm and a bit too sheer for that purpose, but it works perfectly as a way to warm up a face. It can almost be used as a nude bronzy blush if you prefer but it’s just lovely as a shade right above the cheekbokes, forehead, bridge of the nose, and chin.

The bronzer has a sliiiiight sheen to it but it never looks shiny - only skin-like. If you’r tired of bronzer that are too matte that they end up making skin look flat, this is the solution to that.

Using the Clinique bronzer, highlighter, and eyeliner in this look

The Powder Pop Highlighter in Luna Pop (P1,950/ 9g) is not deer-in-headlights shiny. Instead it infuses the skin with a sheer glow, so fine that you can even use it as an all-over finishing veil once you’re done with you face base. Use a light layer only of course! If you want to catch the light on your lids, brow bone, nose bridge, and cheekbones, you can swipe this with a finger to get the full highlight. As you can see in my swatch, it looks beautifully luminous on skin without emphasizing texture too much. So nice!

Both powders stay on for about 3-4 hours if you’re not wearing a mask. With a mask, well, of course it’s a different story. Depends on how often you take it on and of and how much of the mask rubs on the makeup.

The real plot twist, however, is the Clinique Pretty Easy Liquid Eyelining Pen (P1,500). I had zero expectations when I first tried it, but lo! It is waterproof! And I mean waterproof. I can wash dishes and shower and this would still be on my hand (the swatch I mean). Once I place it on my eyes, it’s just there even if I sweat, oil up, or cry. It only comes off with an oil cleanser!

I love the calligraphy-type brush it comes with too, so it’s very easy to apply and get a precise line. Black, the shade I have, is also a matte black that is fairly opaque in one swipe.

The only complaint I have is that this can feel dry very fast, so I have to shake the barrel midway while I’m doing a line. I hope it doesn’t run out fast! I mean, it’s pretty expensive for a liner. Otherwise it’s perfect.