Clinique CC Cream SPF 30 - An in Depth Review

Hello friends!

Today I'm bringing you a review of the new Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream*. What's a CC Cream? Well, it's meant to correct complexion concerns such as sallowness (which I definitely suffer from!), dullness and redness. It also contains SPF 30 to not only correct, but protect your skin against the sun as well.

The texture of this product is a lot like my Estee Lauder BB Cream that I love so much (and am quickly running out of!). It blends in easily, but is quite thicker than a foundation, so I usually use a foundation brush for application. When I first applied it on my skin, I was a bit alarmed at how thick it felt! My skin initially felt a bit greasy and it my pores were very apparent. Fortunately, the sensation disappeared quickly after the application and my skin looked flawless. I feel as though maybe that initial effect is caused by the SPF in the product - it almost feels like putting on a heavy sunscreen. In fact, it smells a bit like sunscreen as well, but it also disappears soon after application. And it smells like good sunscreen, not like chemicals.

The product is moderately pigmented. As you can see, my skin look a lot more yellow in the second picture below. My skin naturally has a lot of redness in it, so I found it did a great job at neutralizing the red in my skintone. I took the second picture right after application and found that the yellowness settles a little bit more after a few minutes. In the picture where I have a full face of makeup on, you can see how well it blends in with the rest of my makeup. I have no concealer or foundation on in that picture. If you like a light coverage, the Clinique CC Cream can definitely be worn alone. The shade I used is called "Light" but they actually make a lighter shade than that. The shade range is quite good!

What's the difference between the Clinique CC Cream and a BB Cream? Since I only have the Estee Lauder BB Cream to compare to, I'll do my best to describe the differences I have found between the two. For starters, the BB Cream is less pigmented, and has a duller finish. The CC Cream has a more luminous finish (but not shimmery) and truly does offer color correction. My BB Cream doesn't cover the redness in my skin as much. Both contain SPF and have a thicker consistency than foundation. For an excellent skin day, I'd use my BB Cream but for a night out, I think the CC Cream's finish would be perfect for glowing (but not oily) skin.

I highly recommend this product if you're looking for something different than foundation. I don't know about you, but sometimes I get tired of the airbrushed feeling of a heavy foundation. In the summer, I'd rather my skin look like skin, ya know? So this product has been perfect for me on the days I went to the beach, biking or spent time outdoors. I haven't had any issues with it sliding off, or making my skin oily. It actually wears quite well during the day. And since it contains an SPF, I know my face is protected. Just don't forget to put an SPF on your lips as well - I learned my lesson the hard way!

Happy Wednesday to you all! Anyone else counting down the days till the weekend already? Have you tried a CC Cream before? How do you feel it compares to a foundation?

* I have received this product for consideration but my opinions are always my own. I am not being compensated for this review and I always strive to review products with honesty.