Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum Review

I know this serum is on each one of your secret wishlist 😛 It’s so much hyped and touted as the best treat that you can give to your skin.  The serum claims to have the technology that can sense the needs of one’s skin and repair it accordingly.  Also, it claims to target a bunch of skin problems, out of which, at least one you would consider as your major skin concern/issue.  Read on to know whether it’s worth all the hype and of course whether it’s worth the precious bucks 😛

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum

Product Description:

A serum smart enough to understand your skin’s past and change its future. Precisely formulated for one skin in the world. Yours.  Targeted repair as needed, where needed.  Visibly addresses uneven skin tone, lines and wrinkles, firming, or radiance.  Calming ingredients help skin stay more receptive to repair.  Patented technology, 5 years of research.  For all ages, all ethnicities.

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum

Price:

Rs. 4500 for 50 ml.  It’s available in a bigger 50 ml size priced at Rs. 6500

Ingredients:

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum

My Experience with Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum:

On two earlier occasions, I had almost picked up this serum and then kept it back looking at the price tag.  It costs a steep Rs. 4500 for just 30 ml, so of course, I had to think twice, four times actually 😛 The last time at the store; however, I decided to take the plunge and grab the serum.  I have a belief that there’s a magical product out there that would whoosh away all my skin problems.  When I was paying the bill, I was totally convinced this was the one!

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum

Coming to the packaging, 30 ml of the custom-repair serum comes in an opaque silver-grey sleek tube with a small press pump that dispenses a tiny amount of the non-fragrant medium consistency serum.  As with most of the serums, it’s neither too runny nor too thick.  Just one or two pumps are not enough to cover the entire face.  The consistency and texture of the serum is smooth and kind of waxy, so once you apply it on your face, it just disappears into the skin that one is bound to pump out more quantity for other areas.  The serum spreads onto a small area before disappearing, that’s the reason why you need more for a single time.  Clinique advises us to use it twice a day, but you would end up finishing up the serum way too soon, maybe 1-1/2 months.

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum

The serum does not leave any greasy or slick layer on the skin that you would need to powder up.  On average days (when the days are not chilly), just this serum is enough to hydrate and moisturize the skin sans the greasiness.

It does not burn or sting the skin and is safe enough for application under or near the eye area too.  Immediately after application, it makes the skin soft and smooth.  You feel the effect when you are washing your face too. With continuous use, over two months, it has improved and refined the texture of my skin.  It does impart radiance and makes the face smooth to touch and feel.

It is able to smoothen up a few fine lines as well, but you know, to see more prominent results, you would have to go through one more bottle 🙂  However, I kind of ruined the results I got from this serum with a salon facial which gave me horrible breakouts, and now I am back on anti-acne ointments and have dry skin issues. Once the acne clears up, I will be back to this serum.

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum

One more thing, this serum can replace your primer (in my case Clinique Superprimer) because it lets makeup glide smoothly over.  It does not prolong the wear of makeup though, but of course it doesn’t grease or melt your makeup away either.  It does not feel heavy on the skin, feels as if you haven’t applied anything at all.  I was wary after seeing the long list of ingredients thinking it would make the serum heavy, but it’s not heavy at all.

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum

It takes care of blotchy skin texture and evens out complexion decently (with regular use).

There are a lot of good ingredients and extracts that I see at the back of the packaging, but at the same time, there are a lot of silicones like dimethicone and polysilicone too.  I would say all that talk about sixth sense and auto repair is a lot hyped, it’s not what it’s touted to be.  The texture and effects of the serum are very similar to MAC Marine Bright Formula Essence, but Clinique is the better one.

Coming to another important feature, this serum did not irritate my skin or cause breakouts (it means it’s non comedogenic), and it’s completely safe for sensitive skin.  I think it’s the kind of serum that will work for all skin types from super sensitive to dry, oily, acne-prone, and normal skin.

Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum

Ranking it on a scale of 1 to 10 – it’s not below average, hence the rating would fall somewhere between 8 to 9, but certainly not 10.  It’s a very good serum, but not an excellent one.  It’s at least the best serum that I have used, MAC’s Marine Bright Serum comes a close second. It definitely is awesome for acne-prone and sensitive skin, no breakouts, and works well in refining up the texture and working on fine lines.

Actually, it’s a lot similar to Clinique’s Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle and UV Damage Corrector, not same, but similar.

As mentioned earlier, currently, I have breakouts after the salon experience and I have given a break to this serum, would start using it after my breakouts clear up.

It gets a thumbs up from me, totally worth a try, but watch that price!

Pros of Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum:

  • Refines skin’s texture and imparts radiance to the skin with regular use.
  • Does not break out sensitive/acne-prone skin.
  • Suitable for all skin types.
  • Lightweight, non-greasy skin serum.
  • Lots of amazing ingredients beneficial for the skin listed out on the packaging.
  • Good packaging.
  • Works as a makeup primer too (makeup glides on smoothly above it)>
  • Evens out complexion with regular use.
  • Gets quickly absorbed.
  • Does not leave a greasy layer on the skin.
  • Works on blotchy skin.
  • Firms up the skin a bit.

Cons of Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum:

  • Has quite a few -cones.
  • You would need a little more than just 1 or 2 pumps for each time (because the serum quickly disappears into the skin).
  • Some may not like the waxy texture.
  • “Sixth sense, ” “custom repair” – that’s a hype!  It works in giving you a good skin texture, but not miraculously, it will fall short of your expectations.

Would I Repurchase Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum?

Maybe! It’s the best skin serum I have used so far.

Do I Recommend Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum?

Yes, if you are tired of heavyweight skin serums that grease up your skin, then this one is for you if you don’t mind the splurge.

IMBB Rating:

4.5/5

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Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup
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Dermalogica Clean Start Smart Mouth Lip Shine
Dermalogica Age Smart Multivitamin Thermofoliant
Revlon Custom Creations Foundation with SPF 15
Stila Custom Color Blush – Self Adjusting Pink
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Forest Essentials Advanced Soundarya Age Defying Facial Serum with 24K Gold
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IMBB RECOMMENDS

20 thoughts on “Clinique Smart Custom Repair Serum Review

  1. Jomo…. Love u… I was actually waiting for someone to review this as many times my money has been wasted on hyped products…. Ur review is so beautiful… And u giving a thumbs up… I will definitely go ahead and buy this now…thank u jomoliii

  2. I so badly wanted someone to review it Jomol! Thank you so much 🙂 Since the day it was launched :P, I just wanted to buy it, but I know how some of my impulsive buys have turned out to be such huge disasters 🙁
    My main concern is uneven skintone. . . . Do you think it will work on it?

    1. Monika….he he ask me, I have tried the maximum duds 😛 Uneven skin tone it will work Monika but you would have to go through two bottles, it takes time to work and show effects.

    1. Mimosa….pricey, but if you have dry skin, you have hell a lot of options other than this – Estee Lauder, shishiedo, and what not:)

  3. Jomo…this is def one investment for ur skin but am glad that it actually works…what a review..you have covered all major woes of an oily skinned beauties…right now I am loving kumkumadi as it is winter and my skin can afford such oils… 🙂

    1. Rads, you know how difficult it is find good skin care stuff for oily skin/acne-prone skin. This is one serum that is great for oily skin 🙂

  4. I have just entered my 20s and i was looking for a good serum…i had heard a lot about this…would definitely try to get this…thanx for reviewing this for us…you are such a sweetheart jomol di…. 🙂

  5. I had been in 2 minds to pick this one up but went with the dark spot corrector Serum from Clinique instead – after all, its a tried and tested product and I have seen 150ml bottles of it in Duty free – so I thought it must really work thats why someone would buy a 150ml bottle. But good to know that this one’s good too – I might pick this once my dark spot corrector serum gets over! Thanks for the review.

      1. Munchkin is so much better!! Thanks for the wishes and prayers!!

        Guess what! My Clinique serum got over yst! in a month’s time – 60ml!!!!!! That is too expensive! Im gonna try Estee Lauder instead!

  6. When I started to read the review it seemed like the most perfect thing on the earth to treat the skin .. Sense one’s needs n all.. That would have been sooo great.. But I m glad it worked nicely for u.. Since I have the same skin type this would be on my wish list 🙂 🙂

  7. I picked this up with their CTM 4-5 months back.. Though did not make wonders to my skin.. In fact my skin breaks out sometimes with these 4 things.. I am not sure what exactly is not working for me!!
    nice review Jomol! 🙂

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