Product Review: Clinique 40 SPF Super City Block

I have a confession: I live in Arizona, in one of the most sun-drenched places in the United States, and I rarely wear sunscreen or sunblock. Further, I'm as pale as the day is long- fair Irish skin that never tans. My skin bears the battlescars of living in a sunny state- I have melasma, a darkening of the pigment on certain areas of my face. My dermatologist told me years ago to use sunblock to reduce the melasma hyperpigmentation caused by the sun, but I didn't listen. I pretended that the 15 SPF sunscreen added to my moisturizer and makeup foundation was enough, even though I knew it wasn't. The parts of my face with melasma got darker and more widespread. Nothing horrible, but still-- like having liver spots in your thirties. Not good.

When a friend (who has beautiful skin) and I were discussing skincare and cosmetics and dealing with the ill-effects of the Arizona sun, I confessed my sunblock transgressions. I told her that I hated sunscreen and sunblock because it felt so heavy and oily, and that it made my makeup slide off my face. I told her how, when I rubbed my hand on my skin with sunscreen on it, it exfoliated right off in my hand. She knew exactly what I was talking about-the price of having skin safe from the sun was dealing with products that looked and felt terrible.

Then she told me about Clinique Super City Block. She swore by it, claiming that Super City Block was unlike other sunblocks. She said that it wasn't heavy and greasy, it protected better than most facial sunblocks on the market, and went on smoothly. She said it worked great under makeup. She also said it was a little pricey.

She wasn't joking about any of it.

At a little less than $17 (with tax), you get 1.4 fluid ounces of product. That's right. It's a slender tube of sunblock; not that large bottle you're used to getting from the drugstore. It's popular stuff, too: I had to go to two department stores before I found it. The Clinique representatives at both stores claim that it's an extremely popular product. I was a little skeptical that that many people are willing to pay $17 for a tiny tube of sunblock, but I paid the money and walked away with my tiny bag containing my tiny box which held my tiny tube. The blurb on the tube claims that Clinique Super City Block is weightless, oil-free, great as an under-makeup primer, and perfect for sensitive skin. It also claims to protect the skin from the sun's UVA and UVB rays. Antioxidants in the sunblock allegedly protect against environmental irritants.

The sunblock is indeed light. It's also tinted-the brown color is unexpected, but the color is sheer when applied to the skin. It goes on smoothly and can replace your under-makeup moisturizer. When applied with moisturizer and makeup, it's too much, and the makeup does start to slide. Skip the morning moisturizer on the areas in which you apply the Super City Block. And even though the tube is very small and somewhat pricey, don't be afraid to slather the sunblock on. It can't do its job unless it's on, and since Super City Block goes on so smoothly and without the oily feel, it won't be unpleasant to apply generously.

In the weeks that I've been using it, I've noticed that my makeup isn't sliding off my face any more than usual (when it gets above 105 degrees anything on your face, including your nose, slides off). I don't mind wearing Super City Block at all. Best of all, I've noticed that the dark patches of melasma at my temples and above my lip have lightened, now that they are no longer provoked by the damaging rays of the sun.

Do I recommend Clinique Super City Sun Block, SPF 40? Absolutely. Even if you don't live in an area drenched with harsh sunlight, you should be protecting your skin from harmful UVA and UVB rays. Keep your skin younger-looking and hydrated. And if you must deal with the hassle of sunblock, invest in something you can live with (even if it costs a little more). It's worth it.