What's the first thing you do when you wake up? Do you change out of your pajamas? Go eat breakfast? Make a coffee? If you're me? The absolute first thing I do when I wake up, and before I go to bed, is to wash my face. With combination skin, a regular skincare routine is suuuuper important, as your skin can react differently on a weekly basis. Throughout the summer my skin has been fairly happy, but over the last few weeks with the change in temperature and humidity, my skin is definitely feeling it. Luckily, that's when Clean and Clear swept in to help me out.

Clean & Clear is one of those brands that brings back fond (or, un-fond) memories of adolescence for me. I wasn't the pimpliest of kids thankfully, but that's because I was good at keeping oils at bay! I absolutely was a Clean & Clear girl but I know the brand isn't just for teens, so I was curious to see how these products stand up to my adult skin. I chose the selection for combination skin and was presented with this set of products.

Step 1 - Cleanse with the Clean & Clear Essentials Foaming Facial Cleanser
CLEAN & CLEAR® ESSENTIALS Foaming Facial Cleanser cleans skin and washes away problem-causing dirt, oil, and make-up to help skin stay clean and healthy. The rich lather is oil-free and gently removes dirt and oil without over-drying and leaves skin clean and refreshed.
The thing you need to realize about this cleanser is that a little goes a long way. The first time I used it, I put an amount the size of a nickel in my palm and it was WAY too soapy. It was just too much. My eyes began to water and it left my skin a little too tingly and tight. Just a small amount is more than enough for a good cleanse. It is rather intense though, most days I go for a softer cleanser, so I stopped using this twice a day when the review period was over, but it's still in my bathroom.

Step 2 - Tone with the Clean & Clear Essentials Deep Cleaning Astringent
CLEAN & CLEAR® ESSENTIALS Deep Cleaning Astringent contains a maximum- strength acne-fighting medication that treats and helps prevent pimples.
This is pretty much the only skincare step that I skip as an adult. The one big change I noticed from my teenage skin routine to my adult one is that once I left harsh astringents out of my routine, my rosacea calmed riiiight down. Now, I'm much more likely to use a hyaluronic acid instead. I found that after just two days this astringent was causing my skin to flare up, several hours after applying it. It didn't burn or hurt, it just seemed to really affect my complexion. I think most adults who aren't EXCEPTIONALLY oily can safely skip this step.

Step 3 - Moisturize with the Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturizer
CLEAN & CLEAR® ESSENTIALS Dual Action Moisturizer combines oil-free moisture with a proven acne-fighting ingredient. It can help to moisturize dry skin while treating and helping to prevent breakouts. It leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth.
Now, this step I can get behind. I find I need to rotate my moisturizer several times a year as my skin is always changing. Fall is particularly rough because I can't have a moisturizer that's too heavy because it causes my skin to break out, but ones that are too light don't give my skin enough moisture. This product provides just the right amount of moisture and allows my skin stays protected and healthy.

Final thoughts?
After a few days of testing out this method, I've come to the conclusion that while Clean & Clear is definitely not a brand just for teens, overall it's not the brand for me. My skin is more combination than sensitive, but I found these products on a whole were too harsh for me to use daily. While I was using the astringent in particular, my skin looked flush and was producing more oil than normal. BUT I did notice my skin stopped reacting pretty much immediately after I stopped using it. Overall though, since Clean & Clean is optimized for the pimply, oily teenage, with this brand, perhaps a more sensitive product line would suit me better.

That said, I'm definitely going to continue using the cleanser as a rotational item in my routine, and I think I'll let the moisturizer stick around too. But I'm ditching the astringent. My skin just doesn't need anything that harsh anymore. It' good to know that despite not feeling like much of an adult sometimes, my skin says otherwise!

Products were provided for review but all opinions are my own.