Clinique Acne Solutions foundation review: is the cult foundation really a saviour for acne-prone skin?

The Clinique Acne Solutions foundation is one of our favorite foundations for acne prone skin. It's part of the brand's bestselling Acne Solutions range, which houses their cult Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel and Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam too. The whole range has been met with a stream of rave reviews thanks to its targeted formulas that work to tackle acne-prone, oily, and combination skin.

But the iconic foundation is the only make-up product in the range. Formulated with salicylic acid—a BHA that works to flush out pores and kill acne-causing bacteria—it claims to help cover, clear, and prevent blemishes. On top of that, it’s an oil-free formula which is great news for acne sufferers, as the lightweight formula is non-comedogenic so will neither clog pores nor feel heavy and cakey on the skin. 

In its quest to be one of the best foundations, it’s also able to neutralize the appearance of redness while providing a decent level of coverage that has a matte, but still natural-looking, finish rather than being a flat matte, which can be a problem with a lot of similar foundations. Currently available in 8 shades, the formula does help absorb oil but some people might find it needs touching up with powder throughout the day to really keep oiliness at bay as much as possible.

How much does the Clinique Acne Solutions foundation cost?

At full price, Clinique’s Acne Solutions foundation (or Anti-Blemish Solutions Liquid Make-Up) costs $31 (£29) for 30ml of product. It’s available from Clinique's official website, but other retailers often offer discounts.

What are the ingredients?

The main talking point in terms of ingredients here is salicylic acid, which you'll know if you've long searched for the best foundation for acne prone skin. All acne sufferers and oily skin types already know what a hero that is in terms of tackling spots and the fact it’s got a place in a foundation is a brilliant addition to the formulation. That means that it can work its magic throughout the day, targeting spots and fighting the acne-causing bacteria. Other ingredients include caffeine, which is excellent for reducing inflammation caused by spots, as well as glycerin—a type of humectant that works to help hydrate and moisturize skin. It’s also worth noting that this foundation is oil-free, too, which is good as it means you’re not adding extra oil onto already-oily skin, making this one of the best non-comedogenic foundations you can buy too.

How many shades are there in the range?

This is the only factor that lets this foundation down. Despite the fact there has been a big push from consumers in terms of holding brands accountable when it comes to the range of foundation shades available, this one sadly only comes in eight shades. Out of those shades, the majority of them come under the ‘very fair’ and ‘fair’ categories, and at the time of writing this, there are only three shades in the ‘medium’ categories. Given the lack of options for people with medium to dark skin, we are hopeful that the shade range will be expanded to match the diverse shades that are available in other Clinique foundations in the near future.

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What about the coverage and finish?

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Liquid Make-Up has natural-looking, medium coverage that can easily be layered and built up depending on the desired finish and what your own personal preference is. The product itself has a satisfyingly silky, liquid texture that’s on the runnier side but isn’t too watery. Our tester found it applied best using a damp make-up sponge, but it can also be buffed in with a buffing brush. It dries down to a demi-matte finish, and it’s fine to apply powder on top if you want to set it in place.

How easy is it to use?

There’s no denying that this foundation does dry down quite quickly, but it is easy to apply and if you use a damp make-up sponge to apply it, you get a slightly longer play time to ensure it’s blended properly. The bottle that the foundation comes in is easy to hold and grip, and even though there isn’t a pump, the thin nozzle means that it can be poured out in a controlled way so you won’t end up wasting product. We also found that a little bit went a long way, so even though this foundation is on the more expensive side, one bottle should last a while.

Overall results

All in all, we were incredibly impressed with Clinique’s foundation, from the added skincare benefits to the natural-looking finish. With continued use, we are sure this will be a positive addition to any make-up bag in terms of how effective it is at treating spots.

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Liquid Make-Up summary

In summary, we are huge fans of this foundation and would happily and confidently, recommend it to anybody who suffers with spots, breakouts or acne or who has oily or combination skin. The oil-free formula helps balance skin and the added salicylic acid will help treat unwanted spots throughout the day while also working to flush out pores. 

While you should still be using a targeted skincare routine specifically for acne-prone skin, this will definitely help to enhance the results. The foundation itself is lovely to use, blends well and leaves a nice, natural-looking finish rather than being chalky, thick, and heavy. 

The only complaint is the lack of shades on offer, but Clinique’s other foundations all mostly have an impressive range of shades so we are hopeful that this one will follow suit. There’s a very good reason that this is a real cult product for acne skin types, and we can see why—if you invest, you won’t regret it. We promise.