It's bonus time!

There's nothing I like better than a Clinique bonus time!

I've been holding out for one to launch at Boots since Christmas when I got a giftcard from my family - I've even resisted the bonus times at Debenhams and John Lewis (still ongoing) because I just knew the Boots one would be fab and it is.

It's strange that we have two huge Boots in our city centre and yet neither of them do Clinique. So my sister and I went on a shopping trip today so I could get my hands on one, and I was not disappointed!

To qualify for bonus time, one item has to be skin care and so I bought my regular foundation (Even Better, shade #1 Alabaster) and the Anti Blemish Solutions cleansing foam - this is excellent if you have combination skin like me with the monthly pimples that just seem to flare and not go anywhere. It is quite drying but makes blemishes disappear sometimes as quickly as the next morning if I apply it before bed.

1. Moisture surge - I love this moisture surge and always use it as well as my regular moisturiser. It's perfect during the winter and I always make sure I stock up in time for summer holidays too, because as soon as I seem to step down off of the aeroplane steps into a hot sunny climate I come out in a heat rash that covers half of my face, and this really helps to make it disappear after a couple of weeks.

2. All about eyes - I've been hooked on this ever since the first time I tried it, and put it on nightly before bed after my three step, along with my moisturiser and moisture surge. It does really well to make my eyes look more awake and if you use it in the morning after a three step it can also help to keep eyeshadow / liner in place throughout the day.

3. Rinse off foaming cleanser - I've had this before in a giveaway and wasn't very keen on it. I find the texture very strange and I don't like the way it doesn't glide over my face as easily as the regular Clinique wash off face cleanser.

4. Chubby stick - I love love LOVE Clinique chubby sticks and can't rate them highly enough. DC bought me a pack of five a couple of Christmasses ago and I was automatically hooked. They give a good coverage of colour and I was surprised that they actually last a reasonable amount of time before they run out. The only downfall is that I find them quite drying on my lips, just the same as the regular Clinique lipsticks, although applying a little bit of vaseline just before application usually sorts that problem out.

5. Quickliner for eyes - this is the only product in this Bonus Time that I have never tried before, but my fellow Clinique-obsessed friend J swears by them, and goes through them like I don't know what. This is something that I've going to have to try out, and blog about later. I usually apply one of the Clinique dark eyeshadows under my eyes with a tiny brush for definition, but I'll try this eyeliner this week instead and see how I get on.

6. High impact mascara - I have been loyal to Maxfactor's Masterpiece for many years now and never thought I would find another mascara that I would love as much. When I got my first high impact mascara, I didn't even bother to try it because I was that convinced that it wouldn't help my lashes as much as the Masterpiece does. I only happened to use it when I had ran out of the Masterpiece and didn't have anything to use - and then I was changed woman! It's an excellent mascara even for fine lashes like mine. It adds definition and length and can help with both a day and night look - one coat for work, or for a night out build it up and it can look really striking. I now alternate between buying and using the Maxfactor mascara, and switching to Clinique whenever I get a bonus time.

As you can see this bonus time is great for me as I've used most of the products before and absolutely love them. It's annoying when you look forward to a Bonus Time and when it arrives it doesn't include anything that you would really use, and then you get a build up of products in your beauty cupboard that you don't use but don't want to throw away. But Boots always put on a really good deal and I always find myself pleased with what I get. Plus, the Clinique beauty assistants in my Boots are a hundred times more helpful and pleasant compared to our Debenhams and John Lewis. They always have a smile on their face and are more than willing to help. Bonus Time + excellent customer service = happy beauty shopping.

Dans