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Original poster

Clinique Super City Block -discontinued.

91 replies

Yourearealboy · 28/05/2022 07:38

I have used Super City block for years, I see it’s now discontinued and replaced with Superdefence City Block 50 -which is a mineral and chemical sunscreen. The old one was just mineral. Has anyone who also used Super City Block tried this new one? I’m wondering how they compare.
TIA.

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Thread gallery
8
Original poster
Yourearealboy · 16/04/2023 10:54

@DanglingMod does it actually protect well? I see they do one that has no tint.

Still googling all the other suggestions and trying to decide what to do.

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DanglingMod · 16/04/2023 13:50

I'm.not sure. Because it's too dark on me, I didn't rub it in all.the way into the top of my forehead/scalp and did get a bit burnt the other day. I guess that means it worked on the rest of my face??

Original poster
Yourearealboy · 16/04/2023 19:01

If you were just burnt on the bit you missed then that does sound positive. I will consider ordering that then.
I was so unsure what to order anymore that I even had a f25 city block in my M&S basket this morning, it said ‘only 4 left’ then, as I hit checkout, it changed to out of stock.

(Positive in that it worked elsewhere, not that you got burnt!)

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Original poster
Yourearealboy · 01/05/2023 15:35

<sigh> un tinted Avene is awful.
I put it on for the first time yesterday. It left me so white I looked like a mime artist! This also had the unsettling effect of making my teeth look really discoloured.
I mixed some foundation in with it today and thought it looked okay in my make up mirror. However, I was just out and pulled the sun visor down and was shocked at how streaky and caked/mask like with product my skin looked in actual daylight. It also made my pores look huge & I’ve never had this issue before. I will have to use it up if I’m just going to be staying at home.

Has anyone tried the Liz Earle one? It’s on offer so not too expensive atm.

https://www.lizearle.com/skincare/our-range/environmental-defence-cream-spf-25/F33407.html

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Porridgeislife · 04/05/2023 07:29

@Yourearealboy I used to get on with Neostrata SPF 50 which is mineral and tinted. I’m quite pale (NC15/20) so most are too dark.

https://www.dermacaredirect.co.uk/neostrata-sheer-physical-spf50.html

https://www.dermacaredirect.co.uk/neostrata-sheer-physical-spf50.html

Geriatricmillenial · 10/05/2023 14:42

I do appreciate your continued endeavours in this field, @Yourearealboy. There’s got to be one out there somewhere!

I tried the tinted Bondi Sands yesterday and it was SUPER shiny and sat in every pore. Might just be my skin but I’m more dry than oily…

I’ve heard good things about Heliocare, anyone tried that?

Original poster
Yourearealboy · 10/05/2023 14:51

Do you think? It seems a bit of a hopeless quest at the moment.

I’ve been watching YouTube videos of people trying some products and discounting them, I’m also watching a few sample of others to buy on eBay so I can try them. I just can’t afford to make another mistake.

I did do an experiment the other day when it was sunny. I put the Avene on a patch of my arm and had that out in the sun. The patch was a very white blob because of the white cast but it was very effective at sun protection. My arm either side of the product was vey pink but not the bit I had the Avene on.

I have continued to use it and just look deathly pale whilst I try to find a more suitable one. The other thing I had liked about the Clinique was the environmental protection, other than the Liz Earle one I haven’t seen another one offer that other than full chemical sunscreen.

The search goes on!

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NeedWineNow · 10/05/2023 15:30

Disastrous news. I've used City Block for years. I can't even get the spf25 let alone the spf40, in fact I think I bought the the last couple at the Cosmetic Company outlet at Ashford. I have used the new one, but it's quite shiny and you have to wait a while to put make up on over the top.

Why oh why do companies do this? It's so annoying.

Original poster
Yourearealboy · 10/05/2023 16:28

The new super defence city block one also burnt my face. In mid September. I wasn’t impressed with it at all.

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chickenmug · 10/05/2023 21:21

I’ve been using Cityblock for years and have been trying to find an alternative. I tried the new Cityblock last year and got sunburn on my face.

So far I have tried the following physical sunscreens:

Heliocare tinted 50 spf - I quite liked this one but it has a strong smell which I really didn’t like. Recommend testing before buying.

Drunk Elephant Umbra tinted sunscreen spf 30 - this is quite dark and needed blending. Wouldn’t buy again.

Ultra Violette - clean screen spf 30 with titanium dioxide. I like this one, but it’s quite shiny. It’s also very pale so might leave a white cast. Will use until finished.

Ultra Violette - Lean screen spf 50 with zinc oxide. I tested this in space nk and honestly though I had found ‘the one’… spf 50 and a darker tint than clean screen. However I haven’t been able to try on my face as I’ve now bought two tubes of this and returned them both as the pumps didn’t work.

The search continues…

Original poster
Yourearealboy · 10/05/2023 23:42

wow @chickenmug you've tested a few!
Did you use the Heliocare cream or gel? Did it offer good protection?

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chickenmug · 11/05/2023 15:32

I’ve tried so many and I think I’m over it now. When my lean screen runs out I’m going to start wearing a sheer sunscreen and will have to add a light foundation on top.

I used Heliocare 360 Mineral Tolerance Fluid SPF 50. It does have a particular smell, so I highly recommend testing if you can. I didn’t burn with this one.

yellowsun · 12/05/2023 18:54

Heliocare makes my skin feel suffocated.

I have tried Colorescience face shield flex in fair and am enjoying it.

I am using the Paula’s Choice tinted spf30 then the colorescience spf50 when it is sunnier.

Dinosaurus86 · 12/05/2023 22:32

Did you try the Liz Earle one @Yourearealboy? Just catching up on this thread. Had been using city block 40 for the last 15+ years. Reluctantly bought the new version and hate it.

Original poster
Yourearealboy · 13/05/2023 06:28

I hadn’t heard of those yellow I will have a look.

I haven’t tried the Liz Earle Dinosaurus it’s only spf 25. I have bought a 3ml tester size of one of the La Roche Posay Anthelious ones to try as it’s spf 50. Awaiting its arrival but I didn’t like the smell of one of their face creams I bought so not sure what this will be like. Do log onto the Clinique site and leave a review of the awful new one, maybe if enough of us do it they will bring back the old one.

Chicken you recommended trying because of the scent issue, these types of things don’t tend to have testers. Is there a brand of shops that you know of where you are able to test? I’m quite small town though so would be a real trek to get somewhere with big stores.

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mischlerischler · 13/05/2023 07:15

Skinceuticals mineral sunscreen is great, but pricey. If you are desperate for a mineral one, maybe give it a go.

I tried so many mineral sunscreens, but most either look awful under the make up or leave a white cast. I am pregnant, so can only use a mineral sunscreen for now and skinceuticals is the only one that works for me.

If you are okay with chemical then Bioderma is good too.

maidmarianne · 14/05/2023 09:34

I swapped my city block for the Inkey List mineral sunscreen last year. I really like it. It doesn't work as well as a make up primer as the city block did, but it's an excellent alternative as sunscreen. I use as starting to feel the city block sitting on my face and this feels lighter.
It's also way cheaper than most of the alternatives.

Original poster
Yourearealboy · 14/05/2023 18:51

The EA one looks amazing but way over my budget.

I can’t do pricey unfortunately.

Girlattheback That’s just a face spf rather than city block. Supercity block, and the original city block one, both had a tint and a pollution filter.

I wish I could test all these suggestions, I don’t want to keep making expensive mistakes.

The Anthelios UVMune 400 cream 50 SPF tester arrived yesterday. I thought I had ordered one of theirs with a tint in but must have got confused after looking at so many. It goes on okay, I tested it on my arm and stuck my arm out of the shade and into the sun and it protected well. Doesn’t leave a white cast, although seems a bit sticky so not sure how face powder will be on it.

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Dinosaurus86 · 15/05/2023 13:17

I’ve just ordered the Elizabeth Arden… so will report back on that. It is way more than I really want to pay though, so it’d better last ages.

Tapex · 18/05/2023 19:56

Is there any reason why the company has discontinued it? It was the only product that worked for me. Surely they are aware of the number of customers that swore by it.

Original poster
Yourearealboy · 18/05/2023 20:36

for that price Dinosaurus I hope it’s amazing for you!

No clue Tapex every time someone asks that during a product review on their website they completely skirt the issue.

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NightNightJohnBoy · 18/05/2023 22:19

I heard on R4 (I think in a discussion about animal testing, didn't catch it all) that some ingredients used in sunscreens had been found in tests to have negative effects on rats' reproductive process.
I have been using City Block for years (maybe 20? Is that an exaggeration?) and have highly sensitive skin so it was a wrench to find out that it was discontinued. When I heard that on the radio I thought 'aha!'. Maybe that's why.
I've tried the other Clinique product - it brings me out in spots. Using it anyway but on the lookout for something better.
Have they discontinued their facial sunscreen too? That also worked for me (no spots).