Clinique 3-Step-System | REVIEW

As someone who suffers from really bad acne, finding something that cleanses my skin well but doesn't irritate my skin is really tough. My acne is so horrible that I've actually been placed on accutane in the past.

Accutane for anyone who doesn't know is the absolute last resort when it comes to acne. It's a prescription medication that is so strong that it can't be prescribed by your GP in your local doctor surgery, it's something you need to go to the hospital every month to be prescribed but only if you pass the blood and pregnancy test the make you do. Every single month. The medication was amazing, it gave me clear smooth skin for the first time since I hit puberty but it came at a cost. I was constantly in pain, aching bones and muscles, I bruised easily, if I cut myself I would be bleeding for an hour. It also caused me to fall into a depression, which is a serious side effect of the medication and therefore it was recommended I be taken off the medication.

Since being off the medication, my acne has flared up horribly. My skin is just not something I want to show around people, its a source of great embarrassment to me, so bad that I can't leave my house without a full coverage foundation and concealer on, even if its just to the shops.

I started the Clinique 3-Step-System on Christmas day as it was a Christmas present and let me tell you, it's a life saver. Gods gift to acne prone skin. At least my acne prone skin. Within a day, redness had calmed significantly, spots that were swollen were now half their size. For the first time in a long time, I was comfortable enough to go outside with no makeup on and it felt amazing.

What I like about the 3-Step kit is that there's no fussing about what you need to use and in what order, it gives you all the information you need to know. That's the scariest part about changing up my skincare routine for me personally, not knowing what any of the products outside of the typical cleanser, toner and moisturizer are for. There's so many different oils and creams and gels out there now.

STEP 1 ~ The liquid facial soap is so mild on my skin, it hasn't caused me redness or rashes as soaps usually do. It lathers up very nicely, you only need to use a tiny drop. There's no scent to these products, which I like as it can cause my sensitive skin to flare up. What I like about this cleanser is that it doesn't cause my skin to feel tight after use like the Neutrogena Grapefruit face wash had been doing. It wasn't a comfortable experience, beginning and ending my day feeling like I needed to do facial yoga to stretch my skin out. Not how I wanted to live my life. This cleanser is honestly amazing, I love it so much.

STEP 2 ~ The Clarifying Lotion. Does what it says on the tin. This bottle of pink liquid goes the extra mile and makes sure that every little spec of dirt, makeup whatever you have on your face is totally gone and makes your face feel 10 times cleaner. This is now an essential part of my day, I have used the clarifying lotion so much in the last month and a bit I needed to buy a full new bottle because I am almost out. 100% the best thing to happen to my skin.

STEP 3 ~ The Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. This was something I was really scared about trying if I'm being honest. I had been using the Nivea daily moisturizer and it hadn't done me wrong at all, I had no dry patches or anything but I decided to give this new moisturizer a try anyway and I am so glad I did. I liked the Nivea one but I LOVE this moisturizer. My skin may not have been dry before but it was not this smooth and didn't feel like I had moisturized if you get what I mean? Since using this moisturizer, my skin has been feeling amazing. It's also really good for applying your foundation over, it kind of creates a layer of protection on top of your skin so your makeup applies evenly and flawlessly. I'd even go as far as saying that it minimizes the look of pores on your face which is always an added bonus!

I have only been using this system for a short while and already I can tell I won't be switching my skincare routine up for a while, as there's no point in fixing something that's nowhere near broken!

I would definitely recommend using this system, they are on the pricey side with the individual products ranging from £16 to £30 but you can get the intro kit from Boots for £20 right HERE.

Hope you guys enjoyed this blog post, as always send me suggestions for future posts to my Twitter, or even if you just want a chat at racheIem.

Much Love,
                    Rachel xo