It’s difficult to discuss skincare, within any context, without coming across Clinique. One of the top names in dermatological health and an authority in catering for a variety of skin types. With this latest venture, Clinique engineer their products to work with, and complement, men’s skin whilst providing their usual level of quality that’s become synonymous with the Clinique brand.
Having been gifted some samples by Clinique, we spent some time testing and living with this range, using these products in a variety of circumstances including whilst travelling, in the office and at home. We’ve put our thoughts together on the range, what we love, what we don’t love and what we think of Clinique’s efforts as a whole.
Quality – 4/5
As you would imagine, quality is something Clinique are used to delivery with each of their product’s texture and feel suiting their application. The exfoliating scrub is a thick cream filled with micro-beads that actually feels like you are exfoliating your skin, unlike some exfoliators that feel like facewashes with a few beads thrown in for good measure. The moisturiser is a luxurious cream that doesn’t leave sticky residue when rubbed into the skin and genuinely reduces skin dryness and fatigue.
However the facewash, for us, fell slightly short of the Clinique standard of quality. Although when first squeezed into your hand it feels heavy and luxurious the lather it creates doesn’t seem to feel thick enough , it also takes a fair amount of work to get it to this state. Although the end result is satisfactory this is something of a let down considering Clinique’s background.
Favourite Product: Exfoliating Tonic – This is by far-and-away the star of the collection. Rather than re-brand a woman’s cleansing tonic this feels like it was designed for men. Applied to a cotton pad and wiped around the facial area, this clears the skin of any daily grime and oils that might lead to spots later on. After using it for 48 hours our skin felt clearer and healthier and it’s now a regular in our washbag.
Fragrance – 4/5
We’ve mentioned before how important fragrance is in men’s skincare. Too often we end up with one of two extremes, either a generic sporty scent that has no real character or something so musky it becomes overpowering after a few uses. Clinique have made sure to stick to what they know with a scent that is clean and fresh, using citrus and mint elements to provide a great experience for all the senses.
Our one issue would be that the Exfoliating Tonic does smell quite alcoholic when first applied which, even with its great performance, does make using it after a hangover something of a challenge for us.
Favourite Product: Moisturizing Lotion – With base notes of lemon this is a joy to use in the morning and evening. An easily-applied lotion that leaves minimal residue and leaves your skin smelling clean and fresh.
Packaging – 5/5
The Clinique brand has always been one of simple designs where the products do all the talking and the packaging acts as a beautiful delivery system. In the case of the men’s range, Clinique have once again pulled off a great design that looks mature and masculine whether in a washbag or on the bathroom shelf.
The gun-metal/titanium-matte finish on the packaging is elegant and stylish whilst ensuring that the products are easy to grip (even when wet). The instantly recognisable Clinique logo and font in white acts as a great contrast and adds a simple finishing touch to a basic design that makes a big statement.
Pricing – 4/5
First thing’s first, this is Clinique. You aren’t going to find this on many supermarket shelves and even less likely to find any of the range for less than £10. However, as we’ve said before, we don’t mind paying for a great quality experience and that is precisely what Clinique delivers with their men’s collection.
All of the range costs upwards of £15.00 with the moisturizing lotion topping the price tags at £25.00 per tube. Having said that, there are many more skincare ranges of a similar pedigree that cost a lot more than this so, for the discerning gentleman who’s looking for a mid-level price range in their skincare, this could be for you.
Overall – 4/5
As usual, Clinique have taken the time and effort to produce a range for men, rather than boys, that provides a more mature and higher quality experience. It’s a fantastic collection of individual stars that, when combined, create a formidable range that would be at home in any gentleman’s skincare routine. They’ve also taken the trouble of creating an entirely separate range for men suffering from oily skin should this be something you have to deal with.
Gentlemen, we can’t recommend this enough and, if we were to advise picking up any specific product, we would recommend buying the exfoliating tonic as a tester. Great products, great performances and great prices. It’s hard to say no to such an offer.
