The other day my friend – a self-proclaimed “product whore” – sent me a text that said (and this is a direct quote): “I have tried every product out there. And somehow I always come full circle back to Clinique. I just got their Turnaround Night Cream and this morning I look three years younger.” From there, we went back and forth on the laurels of Clinique. So I need to share the love.

Now – I have worked for and with Clinique for many, many years. I recommend a lot of the products because I know them better than I know a lot of things. I can give first, second and third hand advice. And I loved working there and love most of the people who still work there.

But I’m not brainwashed. I’ve worked with many other brands and products and have solid points of reference for companies other than Clinique. Here’s what I can say about Clinique:

The 3-Step Skin Care System really does give great skin.
Exfoliating Scrub makes skin quickly and instantly soft.
High Impact Mascara is one of my favorites to use at shoots.
Redness Relief Instant Relief Mineral Powder works on almost everyone (that is, of the lighter toned skins).

My latest discovery is Clinique Even Better Clinical Dark Spot Corrector. It’s a serum but it doesn’t have that watery texture which always makes me feel like I’m paying a lot to put water on my face. To be perfectly honest, I’ve not cared a lot for serums but that is partly because I’ve not needed them much. I still don’t really need them but when my friend gave me this one I decided to try it.

I found that after maybe a week my skin was in fact smoother and clearer. I don’t really have dark spots or very uneven skin but my skin is generally not as even as it used to be. Specifically, my skin gets red here and there, especially on my cheeks and nose. So I’ve taken to sometimes using foundation in those areas. After using Even Better, though, I no longer needed foundation. I asked my husband if he noticed. He is always very cautious about his feedback about a woman’s appearance so usually says things like, “I can’t tell” or “I don’t know – I’m not really the person to ask.” But this time he said, “I think so.” Which, for him, is basically an endorsement.

Next I’ll ask my friend about Turnaround Cream. Even though I’ve worked in cosmetics for the better part of my life, she has used a lot more products over the years than I have. And she knows creams and serums from every brand out there. So once I get her professional opinion I’ll let you know.

In the meantime, if you have dark spots or uneven skin, check out Clinique Even Better.