Clarins SkinCare Review

As you know a few weeks back a few of us were invited to a fab event thrown by Clarins in Selfridges London, where amongst other things we were all given a skin analysis and sent some products to test out - you can read about the event here.

Clarins were very generous and gave us full sized products to try so we could really see how well the products work.

I personally found the skincare analysis with one of the consultants really helpful - I learned that your skin type can change with the seasons, age etc. I was told I have combination skin, which was dehydrated.

As you can see I was sent a range of products - cleanser, toner, moisturiser, night cream, eye cream and a face scrub, as well as cult beauty product Beauty Flash Balm.

The range as a whole worked well for me, and there were some definite stand out products I really liked...
Cleanser - Foaming Cleanser with Tamarind and Purifying Micro-Pearls (Combination or oily skin). This costs £15 for 125 mls. Despite using this twice a day, there is a LOT left in the tube - I'd expect a tube to last 4-6 months. Its a very fresh smelling creamy feeling cleanser which rinses easily and is not over drying on the skin. It also contains quite large "Micro-Pearls". These don't so much scrub the skin (they are too big for that), but more give it a gentle daily "polish", which feels really nice. This will not remove eye makeup - a separate remover would be needed for that, although it seemed to remove face makeup effectively. If you were wearing a particularly full cover/heavy foundation, you might need to remove with a stronger cleanser first.

Toner - Toning Lotion with Iris (Combination or oily skin). This is £15 for 200mls. Again clean smelling and it does a good job of freshening the skin. This does also appear to remove any grime left on the skin after cleansing, which is good - it preps the skin well for moisturiser and doesn't leave it feeling tight. I'd expect a bottle to last around 3-4 months with twice a day use. I personally like to tone, as I don't feel like my skin is properly "clean" if I don't... I know a lot of people skip this step though without any skin related disasters ensuing!

Face Scrub - Gentle Exfoliating Refiner This is an expensive product at £21.51 for 50mls, which is quite a smal tube, however you really do only need to use a small amount - I'd expect this tube to last me about 4 months with use once or twice per week. The grains in the scrub are very fine, so this really gets into the nooks and crannies and clears out the pores well - I'd liken this in texture to the Body Shop Vitamin C skin re-finisher, however the grains in this are even finer. It does seem to make a difference to the pores on my nose - they appear clearer for a couple of days after using the scrub. A great product, just a shame you don't get more for your money.

Moisturiser - Hydraquench Lotion with SPF15
This is made for normal to combination skin or for hot climates, and is £30 for 50mls. I was sent this as the Hydraquench range is meant to solve issues of dehydration in the skin - in other words, you only need to use this until the skin regains its hydration levels. 1 pump of this was plently for my whole face - you can tell when you don't need to use it as it starts to feel too heavy on the skin. This took a couple of weeks before I noticed it was starting to feel too much. I still use this if I do a face mask or scrub, just to top up the moisture levels in my skin. I'd say the Hydraquench range is well worth looking into if you have dry skin. The lotion itself smells fresh, with a bit of a marine scent, but it doesn't last for long on the skin. It comes in a pump and is therefore really hygienic to use and it travels well too

Night Cream - Multi-Active Night Lotion. The Multi-active range is aimed at those of us in our thirties who are seeking to hold at bay the first signs of aging for as long as possible (sob...). In the past whenever I've used a night cream, I've always found them really thick and heavy feeling - and while that is kind of the point because your skin does all its regenerating and restoring at night, I don't want to be applying something that feels like it leaves my skin all congested. This one feels very very light, more like a serum in texture and feel - it sinks straight into the skin and is quickly absorbed. It leaves no trace of any greasy feeling on my skin at all. My skin feels softer in the morning and I look like I have slept well, even if I haven't. I really really love this product - its pricey at £40 for 50mls, which I'd expect to last for 3-4 months. I personally think it's worth this price, and its made me want to look into other products from the range in the future. Definite stand out.

Eye Cream - "Special"Eye Contour Balm - softens fine lines for dry skin. Designed for the first signs of ageing - this claims to soften fine lines, and also contains reflective pigments to give skin a more even appearance. This is another stand out product for me - I have used Clarins eye creams before and had equal success with them while I was younger - I used the eye contour balm in my 20's and did notice it made a difference, and I can say the same for this one - it worked really well for me. It won't shift dark circles as it's not designed for that, but I've noticed an improvement in the fine lines around my eyes. The area looks more hydrated and fresher, which makes this a winner in my eyes - it costs £23.49 for 20mls. You need a tiny amount each time you use it and it sinks in easily without leaving a greasy feeling on the skin. Love this one.

Beauty Flash Balm - £25 for 50ml.
Can you believe this cult product has been around for 20 years! (God this post is making me feel old!) I used to swear by this in my late teens and early twenties for a post-hangover skin pick-me-up. Then I went to uni, and could no longer afford the £25 price tag (50mls). I suppose I also started to rely more on the power of a decent concealer and foundation for perking up the skin. My mum used to top me up every couple of years with a tube and me and my sister both continue to love it. A tube lasts about 5-6 months. This is not a product I use every single day, just when my skin needs a pick-me-up - probably once or twice a week.

It can be used a few different ways. I personally like to smooth on a very thin layer - ie not rubbed completely in, but rather left on the skin and left to settle in. It can also be used as an overnight treatment when applied a bit more thickly to the skin and slept in. Basically the product brightens and hydrates the skin, leaving it feeling soft and looking well rested. Perfect for a hangover.... so perfect in fact that it didn't take long for drugstores to produce a dupe - one of which can be found in the Superdrug Natural High Range.

The Clarins original has a soft, comforting yet still clean smell.

So there you go - well done if you have made it to the end of the post - hope this has been useful!
Any recommendations for products in the range are always welcome too!

MizzWorthy xxx