Dermalogica – a skincare brand I’ve always heard of since I was in my mid 20s but never had the chance to really try it out because the premium price tag puts my wallet to tears. With that, I’ve always included the brand’s product in my wishlist but never got around to trying it out. However, I’m super excited to share that Dermalogica has recently branched out a new & more AFFORDABLE sister skincare brand called CLEAR START, a range specially curated for oily, breakout-prone skin, aka yours truly here.
When Clear Start reached out to me for a collaboration, I wish you could’ve seen my face. It looked & felt like when Doraemon sees/eats a dorayaki – SO MUCH HAPPINESS! Enough of history & stories that no one asked for aside, here are some products that I received from Clear Start, ranging from cleanser to moisturiser.
Breakout Clearing Foam Wash (75ml)
Note: this is a deluxe sample size. The original tube which contains 177 ml (RM105) of product was out of stock & had a shipping issue due to the pandemic, so they wasted no time & sent me a Deluxe travel size to try out instead. It’s still consider quite a lot of product which I guess can probably last you a month of use?
This is one of their bestseller product from the range & I could totally see why. Containing salicylic acid, which is great in controlling acne from forming & helps to clear congested pores, this cleanser did not leave my skin dry unlike other salicylic cleansers I’ve tried before. It has a citrusy scent (contains citrus peel extract) which smells VERY refreshing, IMO. Because of this, I noticed I tend to pick this over other cleansers in my stash because I love myself a nice scented (I’m not allergic to fragrance but YMMV) cleanser. Overall, this is a decent cleanser if you have oily, acne-prone skin. If you have dry skin, you might wanna skip this.
Ingredients List – Water/Aqua/Eau, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Methyl Isethionate, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Polysorbate-20, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Oleanolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Porpyra Umbilicalis Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Rhizome/Root Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol.
Micro-Pore Mist (118ml)
Are you a team mist or team no mist? Although facial mist can be deemed unnecessary, I actually enjoy the sensation of using a good facial mist & the extra hydration it delivers to the skin. Containing great ingredients such as niacinamide, witch hazel, green tea & cucumber extract, this Micro-Pore mist is great for those who are into minimizing the appearance of pores, control their sebum production throughout the day & lighten appearance of post-breakout marks thanks to niacinamide. The spray nozzle can be a tad bit harsh so there’s some room for improvement there. Nevertheless, it distributes the products nicely on the face. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed the lightweight, cucumber-scented facial mist.
Fun Fact: What’s interesting about the packaging is that every Micro-Pore Mist bottle is unique on its own way. Why? 🤔 Each bottle is made from 50% recycled plastic from different sources, which is why you’ll see different colored plastics throughout the bottle. This is sold without any boxes/carton to further reduce @clearstart’s overall packaging footprint 👏🏻
Ingredients List – Water/Aqua/Eau, Niacinamide, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Glycerin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus, Polysorbate 20, Panthenol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Camellia Oleifera (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Rosa Canina (Rose Hips) Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol
Clearing Defense Mattifying Moisturizer SPF30 (59ml)
You know when you’re always running late & waiting for that moisturizer to sink in before applying sunscreen can be pretty annoying? Because if you don’t wait for the moisturizer to be fully absorbed, chances your sunscreen pilling would be pretty high? Yeah, been there, done that. Hated it. Fortunately, Clear Start invented this multi-purpose moisturizer & SPF in one tube that offers a beautiful matte finish, perfect for oily skin gals & boys out there!
This creamy, white & dense non-comedogenic moisturizer sunscreen is great for oily & acne-prone skin. Containing willow bark extract, green tea extract, vitamin c & natural tapioca which helps to reduce shine, this is a nice moisturizer sunscreen for oily, acne-prone skin. Its creamy & dense texture does not feel too suffocating to the skin, provides a nice amount of moisture to my skin but I do notice that applying too much/layering causes this to pill on my skin. So lesson learnt that a little goes a long way with this product! Also, can someone just agree with me on the cute box packaging that happily greets me everytime I open it? lol
Ingredients List – Water/Aqua/Eau, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Caprylyl Methicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Dimethyl Capramide, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Tapioca Starch, Coriandrum Sativum (Coriander) Fruit Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Terpineol, Thymol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Potassium Cetylphosphate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Peg-100 Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherylacetate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol, Citronellol, Phenoxyethanol
Breakout Clearing Booster (30 ml)
Apply. Reduce. Clear.
If you’re suffering from occasional breakouts, this ultra-potent clear spot treatment serum is your next new bestfriend. Packed with acne-fighting & soothing ingredients such as salicylic acid, niacinamide & seaweed-derived extract, this claims to clear breakout causing bacteria in just 15 minutes!
The texture is clear, can be slightly slimy & doesn’t dry down fast, so this will be great for only night use (unless you work from home or doesn’t apply makeup). I do however, enjoy the dispenser. It dispenses by pushing the soft bottom of the bottle, which is hygienic & helps with dispensing the right amount of product. The result is promising & this is great w/ itchy bumps! I like applying it on itchy bumps/areas on my face even before pimples are formed. It instantly calms down the irritation & prevents new pimples from forming. The only downside that its rather sticky & slippery, even after it fully dries down (which takes quite long), so I have to be careful not to accidentally wipe/touch my face after putting it on.
Ingredients List – Water/Aqua/Eau, Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 20, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Thymol, Terpineol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Dimethicone, Lecithin, Pullulan, Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Gluconolactone, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Overall, the Clear Start range of products are definitely worth trying out if you have oily, acne prone skin, or just starting to venture into medium-range priced skincare products. I wouldn’t recommend to those with dry skin as these can be too drying for you.
Thanks for reading, loves! I hope you find these reviews helpful & feel free to leave down a comment if you have any questions!
For my Malaysia & Singaporean friends, Clear Start products are easily accessible online on Sephora.com! Thank you so much to Yvonne & the Clear Start team for sponsoring these products! Products are sent in exchange for honest reviews & all opinions are my own.
Gudeiary 