Clinique Turnaround Revitalizing Lotion & Treatment Oil

Happy Wednesday! I've recently finished doing my rewrite exam (yes, rewrite *sob*..) I am catching up on my review posts. I'm really excited about today's post because it features two products from Clinique's newest skin care line, Turnaround. This line promises to restore hydration and smoothness for all skin types. I know when you picture Clinique, you probably think of the iconic yellow Dramatically Different lotion, but the brand has way more to offer than that. I've been telling everybody that Clinique has really been stepping up and offering amazing new products on both the skin care and makeup front, and the Turnaround Revitalizing Lotion and Turnaround Revitalizing Treatment Oil are no exception.

Turnaround Revitalizing Lotion (left) is modeled after the step common in Asian skin care, the watery "essence" or lotion that comes after toner but before serum or moisturizer. Sitting somewhere between water and a gel, it is definitely thinner than the average lotion you might picture on the drugstore shelf, but thicker than a toner.

This bottle has a weighty cap that gives a satisfying click when you twist it open or closed, so you know it's secured tightly. What's also cool is that the mouth of the tube has a special bit attached so you need to give one firm shake to dispense one drop. You can hold the bottle totally upside down and not a single drop will come out until you shake. It may sound like a hassle, but I actually really like this feature--it means you'll never pour out more than you need. That's really good considering I only need a few drops for my entire face!


This lotion has a lot of interesting ingredients, including rice bran extract (skin conditioning), pomegranate fruit juice, and Saccharomyces lysate (a type of yeast) extract to "help restore luminosity and radiance", trehalose and hyaluronic acid (notable hydrating, water-binding ingredients) for "a more potent water retention capacity", and fermented Lactobacillus to "[boost] skin's natural defenses against external toxins (it may have anti-inflammatory effects for skin.) I couldn't find very much information about Saccharomyces lysate or pomegranate juice in topical use, though.

Aside from the above fancy-sounding ingredients, the second and third ingredients are glycerin, an excellent humectant, and dipropylene glycol, a humectant and emollient that also helps other ingredients better penetrate the skin, but can cause irritation in rare cases (for what it's worth, I've applied this to my eczema bits with no reaction.) Clinique's press release is surprisingly quiet about the Centella asiatica extract also present; it has anti-inflammatory, collagen-boosting, and anti-bacterial properties.

To use, I shake about 2-3 drops into my hand and press into the skin a few times until I feel it's absorbed (slightly tacky feeling to the skin). It adds an extra layer of hydration in addition to whichever moisturizer I use on top. I haven't really noticed any change in terms of radiance but my skin is feeling very plump and moisturized as a result of using both this lotion and the Turnaround Revitalizing Treatment Oil. I've been trying to focus more on skin care lately for smoother makeup application and this lotion has been a welcome addition.

I feel like this is suitable for most skin types, but especially for dry or dehydrated skin. Sensitive-skinned types (provided you are not sensitive to propylene glycol) will especially appreciate that it has no fragrance or alcohol added and includes anti-inflammatory ingredients. At $39, it might seem like just another skin care step to throw money at, but consider this: it comes in a pretty sizable 6.7 oz bottle and you only need 2-3 drops. I've been using this for the past few weeks and have made no visible dent in it. (And to compare: previously I had been using Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Liquid, which is $47 for 5 oz.)

Next up is Clinique Turnaround Revitalizing Treatment Oil. This product promises a lightweight oil that will "restore brilliance, luminosity, and smoothness" for all skin types. The ingredients list boosts a number of different oils: olive, mango seed, and sunflower to "seal in moisture", and cranberry seed and milk thistle seed to "defend against oxidative damage" and pollution/sun damage. There's also the antioxidant effects of vitamin E and vitamin C (the latter surprised me since I've reacted badly to vitamin C products before, but then again it's second-to-last on the ingredients list here.) Other antioxidants include clary extract to "normalize the cell renewal process" and rosemary extract, but they may be irritating for some people. Lastly, there's salicylic acid for gentle exfoliation, but I'm not sure whether or not there's a high enough concentration/appropriate pH for it to be effective.

Just as with the Revitalizing Lotion, I really only need 2-3 drops of this. The only other moisturizing oil I have experience with is Physician's Formula 100% Argan Oil, and Treatment Oil's texture is indeed super, super light in comparison. So light that I initially applied more, only to find my face was a little too oily. Seriously, start with just 2 drops or so in your hands and press all over your face. It doesn't feel like much, but my skin really drinks up and feels hydrated from those few drops, even with makeup on top. You can also mix a drop into moisturizer as a boost, or apply on top of a lotion/cream moisturizer to "seal" everything in. This would be a great option for people that want the moisturizing benefits of an oil but want something that feels light and non-greasy. The light feeling is probably in part thanks to the first ingredient, capric/caprylic triglyceride, an emollient and skin-repairing ingredient made from coconut oil but with a much lighter texture.

Packaged in a skinny tube bottle, there's a dropper at the end of the twist-off cap, which dispenses the oil with a press of the button at the top. I'm not sure if there's just something wrong with my particular bottle, but the oil tends to drip out of the dropper (slowly) without me ever pressing the button, so I have to be careful to have my hand ready to intercept the drops as they fall out. I've lost a few drops to my makeup table though :< Due to the clear bottle packaging, I would be cautious and store this in a drawer away from light to protect the antioxidant ingredients.

Although it's claimed to be suitable for all skin types, I think those with oily skin can skip this one as it's probably just more extra oil they don't need. The lightweight texture is especially nice with summer approaching; applying an oil with a heavier feeling can feel kinda gross as it gets warmer and more humid.

Small note: curiously this is $41 CAD on Clinique but is $51 on Sephora! Wtf @ this random 24% markup! Unless Sephora is having 20% or you really need that extra bump to hit VIB/VIB Rouge, I would buy it from Clinique--maybe during a GWP event to really get your money's worth.

I am really enjoying both products and would seriously consider repurchasing them. I use them in rotation with a skin care routine that includes retinol and AHA and my skin is looking pretty damn good lately. I highly encourage my fellow dry-skinned sisters/brothers to check out both products (please don't ask me to choose which I prefer, I love them both!)

Do you currently use an oil or watery lotion in your skin care routine?


PS: Special note to Vancouverites: the World Congress of Dermatology is being held this year in Vancouver and to celebrate Clinique will be offering special complimentary consultations at Hudson's Bay on Granville Street throughout June 8 - 13. With purchase of a $20-40 HBC gift card, you can also reserve a spot for a workshop (offered twice a day at 2 and 4pm) to learn from Clinique's global experts on topics such as dealing with acne, finding a perfect foundation match, makeup tips for lips, brows, and eyes, and advice for aging skin. Workshop attendees will also receive complimentary, customized samples and special gifts. For consultations or workshop reservations, call the Clinique counter at Hudson's Bay Granville.


Clinique Turnaround Revitalizing Lotion ingredients: water, glycerin, dipropylene glycol, propanediol, Saccharomyces lysate extract, Centella asiatica (hydrocotyl) extract, caffeine, bifida ferment, creatine, ergothioneine, adenosine phosphate, Punica granatum (pomegranate) fruit juice, acetyl carnitine HCL, Oryza sativa (rice) bran extract, PEG-8, PPG-6-decyltetradeceth-30, caprylyl glycol, carbomer, trehalose, hexylene glycol, yeast extract, sodium hyaluronate, polyquaternium-51, butylene glycol, tromethamine, trisodium HEDTA, phenoxyethanol

Available at Clinique, Sephora: ~$39 CAD / 6.7 oz


Clinique Turnaround Revitalizing Treatment Oil ingredients: caprylic/capric triglyceride, neopentyl glycol diheptanoate, octyldodecanol, dimethicone, trisiloxane, Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, tricaprylin, Salvia sclarea (clary) extract, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, Mangifera indica (mango) seed oil, Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, salicylic acid, Oxycoccus palustris (cranberry) seed oil, Silybum marianum seed oil, tocopherol acetate, phytosterols, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, BHT

Available at Clinique, Sephora: ~$51 CAD / 1 oz