New in my routine: Estee Lauder Clear Difference Blemish Serum and Treatment

Finally, an honest-to-goodness detailed skincare review! It's been a while since I've talked about skincare products, but if someone slaps on "blemish treatment" on anything I feel compelled to try prove it right (or wrong). ASAP. I may not have a ton of blemishes like I used to but I still get the occasional annoying zit, you know! You may also factor in my life-long fear of regressing into the acne-scarred young lady I used to be. *shiver*

So let's get on it! I have two things from the Estee Lauder Clear Difference line: the Advanced Blemish Serum and the Targeted Blemish Treatment. I've been using them for over three weeks now and I am pretty happy with the results! Together, they've helped clear up a few new pimples quickly and with lesser darkness. 

The Estee Lauder Clear Difference Advanced Blemish Serum contains salicylic acid to reduce the appearance of blemishes and to help prevent new ones from forming. It's a light, almost gel-like serum that is absorbed quickly by the skin. It also helps control oil (a wee bit) and serves as an excellent primer of sorts for your foundation.

I find it hydrating enough for my combination skin, so I skip the moisturizer. After three weeks, my skin looks a lot more even and it feels smoother too! I noticed that old and new blemishes are less dark than usual. 

I look like a total dork in this picture but whatever! I just want to show you how my skin is like right now - zero makeup, and I didn't even tweak the light or color balance.

The serum has a matte finish and a sort of temporary pore-refining effect. That's why it makes such a nice primer! It contains dimethicone, which helps fill in pores somewhat. It's an ingredient your typical silicone primer would have.

Next up is the Estee Lauder Clear Difference Targeted Blemish Treatment. I'm sure the packaging also caught your eye - it looks like a futuristic thingamajig haha. But it's a pimple treatment that has 1% salicylic acid. It's meant to dry new pimples quickly and to reduce redness efficiently. I love it because it works, stopping new flare-ups from getting worse by coating it in a tight embrace of drying and anti-bacterial ingredients.

And boy will your pimple feel tight and a bit stung once this gel dries. It's slightly uncomfortable especially if you used a lot of the Blemish Treatment, but it's easy enough to get used to. I appreciate that this can be used under makeup as it dries invisibly, making it a no-brainer to cover up with concealer.

It's a highly effective pimple treatment for me, but if you have severe, cystic acne, then this will certainly not be enough. It's best for those with mild, occasional pimples that are just sitting on the surface. If you have serious acne problems then I'd recommend a trip to the dermatologist.

But let's talk about the packaging. I don't love it AT ALL. The rollerball thingy slides around and you never know how much product you have left to spread. When you press the bottom to dispense more of the gel, too much of it just plops out in clumps on the side of the ball. :( Really unfortunate, considering the price. I wish they went with a small pointed spout - not as fancy but it's a lot more convenient.

Some complained about how unhygienic a roller ball is for treating something like acne, but I'm sure the product has enough preservatives/antibacterial ingredients in it to prevent contamination.  

Overall, I am pleased with how the Estee Lauder Clear Difference Blemish Serum and Treatment are working for me. My skin feels great and most days, I don't need to wear concealer anymore! Surely you know how liberating that feels. I'll definitely continue using these two - I'll switch them up with my other skincare. ^_^  

Both are expensive, but if you can afford it and you'd like to try out something new for oily, acne-prone skin, then I highly recommend it.

Let me know what you think as usual!

Ingredients of the Clear Difference Serum - Active Ingredients: Salicylic Acid 0.5% Inactive Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Dimethicone, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, PPG-14 Butyl Ether, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sucrose, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Steareth-21, Glycine, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Laminaria, Saccharina Extract, Caffeine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isohexadecane, Steareth-2, Algae Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 80, Quaternium-22, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance (Parfum) Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Benzalkonium, Green 5, Yellow 5.