Clarins:
Pros: Broad selection of effective, broad-spectrum sunscreens;
excellent range of self-tanning products; some good cleansers
and gentle topical scrubs; the makeup has improved considerably;
superb foundations and powders; very good powder blush; an ideal brow pencil;
wonderfully creamy lipsticks; great lip liner and mascaras.
Cons: Overpriced; pervasive reliance on jar packaging; most products have
more fragrance than beneficial plant extracts; poor toners; an overabundance
of average moisturizers; no effective products for lightening discolorations
or treating acne; no AHA or BHA products; the Anti-Pollution complex
cannot protect skin as claimed; disappointing eye pencils;
average eyeshadows and makeup brushes.
Clarins Super Restorative Day Cream:
($102.00/1.7 ounces)
is another fairly standard moisturizer from Clarins with the usual assortment
of wow-factor claims, including smoothing wrinkles, helping skin feel “lifted,”
and restoring a youthful appearance. If you have dry, dehydrated skin,
any moisturizer can make skin look younger and feel smoother.
Super Restorative Day Cream isn’t the best choice for daytime because it lacks
a sunscreen, and there is no recommendation on the label to make sure
you use sunscreen in addition to this product. It contains mostly water, emollient,
glycerin, thickeners, silicone, slip agent, plant oil, fragrance, pH adjuster,
plant extracts, film-forming agent, mica (for shine), several more plant extracts,
vitamins, and preservatives. Given such a rather ordinary emollient moisturizer,
your money is best saved for some other splurge.
Clarins Instant Light Eye Perfecting Base: ($24) comes packaged in a click-pen
applicator with a built-in synthetic brush tip. Housed inside is a smooth
liquid concealer that blends well, evening out the appearance of skin
on the eyelid or undereye area. This has a crease-free matte finish
that adds a touch of shine to skin, though not distractingly so. Both shades
are good, but they are best for fair to light skin tones. Although this is
an impressive product, it is superfluous if you’re already using
an excellent concealer in the eye area.
Clarins Extra Firming Foundation: ($39) doesn’t contain a single ingredient
capable of firming skin, extra or otherwise (tiny amounts of mushroom
and algae extracts do not firm skin). That doesn’t stop this foundation from
being a top choice for someone with normal to dry skin. It's texture
and application are creamy smooth, setting to a soft matte finish
that remains slightly moist to the touch, which provides a healthy glow.
You can attain medium to full coverage, but it looks best when blended
on lightly (over a sunscreen if you’re using it during daylight hours).
The range of 11 shades has some impressively neutral options for fair
to medium skin, as well as Clarins’ only selection of truly dark foundation
shades (Mahogany, Camel, and Chestnut).
For more info, download Clarins Makeup Reviews, a free ebook.
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