Product review - Clinique Pore Minimiser

One of my major skin concerns is open pores - namely on my nose and on my cheeks just at the side of my nose, so pretty much an extension of the vertical of the T-zone.

I've been searching for ages for something that would treat them. I used to use the old Clinique Pore Refining cream, which came in a lilac tube.

Sadly, after using it for months, I found it hadn't done anything except discolour my skin slightly, making it lighter than the rest of the skin where the product hadn't been applied, so I stopped using it. I eventually found a cosmetic solution from Benefit, their Porefessional (will do a separate review for that).

Then while windowshopping recently I saw Clinique had discontinued their previous lilac-packaged serum - it had more of a lotion consistency so I don't really count it as a serum... - in favour of the gel-cream green-packaged new version.

I immediately decided when I had enough money to spare for it that I'd get it. Everyone has been telling me pores become worse when you get older - especially my mother, for whom pores are also a concern.

The new serum has a pretty hefty price tag for me: £38.00 But boasts quick results, "in 2 weeks, pores look 58% smaller. Guaranteed." as the website says.

And I have to admit, even though I was doubtful, it's true that the pores do look smaller. Blackheads are removed, there's not nearly as much dead skin collected there which I used to get, despite washing my face thoroughly twice a day.

The downside - the serum makes my skin so smooth that it feels greasy. I can't use it under make up, and if I use it when I'm wearing glasses I get frustrated at just how much more my glasses slide down my nose. It's rather annoying. On days when I'm going to be wearing make up, I just use it at night after my nighttime washing routine.

And of course the other downside is the price of it. However I've found you only need to use the tiniest amount of it to thoroughly cover the problem areas, so hopefully it'll last for a long time (I think I've been using it for about a month or just over a month now)

But, the important point, the pores are smaller.

Verdict: 7/10. (lost one point for the price, two points for the super slippery feeling)

Follow up

"Once Upon a Time" is still my post-work/pre-bed favourite right now, though some of the episodes do make me feel kinda sad. Maybe it's just me being sensitive due to being tired.

Still can't stop thinking about the Sheriff ¬_¬ damn crushes.

Got 6 mins before I have to start working.

Once Upon a Time

Started watching "Once Upon a Time".

I'm a lot more into it than I thought I'd be...

...and I can't stop thinking about the Sheriff T^T I think I have a crush on him...

...not useful when I'm at work!

Hrm (and kitten woes)

Emailed in sick to work today cause of stomach pains, headaches and body aches (approx 4 more days til the new antidepressants kick in fully, and I'm hoping they'll help with the random aches and pains) and just the fact that I can barely keep my head up above my shoulders.

Although, even though (despite having had some rest) I still feel crap, I really wish I was in work. I wish I was there being productive and helping the team.

Sigh... tomorrow I'm going to stay as late as I can, and double check if they will let me come in on Friday to make up for today (I'm a part-time temp so am only there Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).

If not... well... it'll be a bit of a rush to get my week's work done by the end of tomorrow, but in the meeting next week I hope they'll take being ill into consideration.

Therapy yesterday was actually really good. She helped me get some perspective on the last 3 "bad" weeks by making me list everything good and everything bad from recently. 11 good which came off my tongue easily, 5 bad which I had to actually think about. It made me laugh. We've also started on mindfulness which is something I'm keen to try. She thinks I only need two more sessions, maybe three at most because of the new medication. So hopefully by September I'll be done.

I need to find something to do with my day today, even though I'm off sick. Doesn't have to be anything big (I really wish I could invite H round for some True Blood and junk food, but she's so busy getting everything done at work before going on holiday.

----

Just had to stop writing for a while. Flatmate's boy kitten pissed on my blanket... sigh. Was furious. Sheets are in the wash and quilt has been cleaned with heavy duty antibacterial liquid and super hot water in the bath, it's drying now...

The bit that drove me over the edge - I could've forgiven his kitten for being all male and deciding to piss on stuff - was flatmate saying it's cause our kitty peed on the bed first.

She'd been leaving some kind of colourless food-scented liquid on the bed when it was hot, but it smelt more like sick than pee, and it was colourless, big giveaway. Anyway.... when he suggested she was some unhousebroken little sh*t I lost it. We've had her since March and even when she first got here, she knew where and where not to go to the toilet.

That's when I lost it and raised my voice to him. He retreated to his room, I sent some ranty texts to a friend, and then started soaking the quilt. Decided some tea was in order, and in order to be a grown up about it, I asked him if he'd like to join me for tea, which he did willingly.

While it was brewing we sat at the table and discussed it like adults, and then had a general light-hearted conversation over tea. He's scared about his kitten peeing on everything now, it's 2 more months until he can get him neutered. I said I'm scared of our kitty peeing on the quilt because it still smells like boy-kitten's pee, but he assures me that since kitty is a girl, she won't do that sort of thing.

I hope not. She's been so well behaved since day one, the only annoying thing she does is jump on the worktop and she doesn't do that any more...

Sigh

Waiting for my therapy session. I don't really want to be here today - my therapist has been away for 3 weeks. Completely unrelated to that, I've had a pretty lousy 3 weeks (due to switching meds), but I know she's going to want to talk about it a lot.

I don't want to talk about it, but I feel that's unproductive. Even though I know the meds had a lot to do with it, a lot of my old insecurities came up again.

But, now, they don't bother me as much, if at all - surely it was just the chemical withdrawal and subsequent imbalance?

Oh well. After this I can go home, shower, and relax. And make lunch for tomorrow if I have the energy.

No retail therapy for me...

Retail therapy used to be one of my biggest vices. Any time I felt a bit sad or low - for someone with manic depression, this happens a fair bit - I'd buy something pretty.

About a month ago my doctor and I decided it was time to switch antidepressants. I'm (hopefully) moving to Japan at the end of the year, for a minimum of one year, and the antidepressants I was on are unavailable in Japan for some reason, even though ones with a very similar chemical structure are available.

So I've switched onto the ones I can get in Japan, so we can see how well I take to them.

I had a really, really rough 3+ weeks while I came off the other ones, and I'm still not completely back to functioning near 100%. I'm tired a lot, with random body pains, which makes it hard to keep high-spirited.

Hopefully within another week I'll be back to "normal".

Anyway, since I didn't have a job for a few months my savings ran out and I've had to watch every penny. Sure, I get an allowance from my dad (until I find a full-time job that can support living wherever I am), but I can't spend it as frivolously as I thought I could, and even now that I have a temp job, I'm still counting the pennies.

So even though I accompanied a friend pre-holiday shopping yesterday, and even though I saw some dresses I want, I didn't buy anything. I guess our post-shopping meal was a treat though (ate way too much in the end! D'oh).

....with my spending down to the essentials, my wish list on Amazon keeps getting longer and longer, haha :P

First Post!

Finally decided to move onto blogger, but with leaving all my old Wordpress posts behind.

I don't really like writing introductory posts, but things I'll be writing about include:

• Books. I'm a bookworm and love to curl up with a book
• Make up. I'm obsessed
• Japan. My home away from home

And then anything else that takes my fancy.

Right now I don't have time for a real entry. I need to find my sister's kitty and give her her hypoallergenic bath cause I'm sneezing like crazy. And, to top it off, I've lost my antihistamines >.<;;