I'm a fan of Clarins. I use their body oil, I have a hydrating mask of theirs, and in the past I was a big fan of their cult classic the Clarins Flash Balm, so I was excited to try this range out, especially as my skin has become drier and more sensitive with age.
Overall I enjoyed the regime. The Emulsion was my clear favourite - it sunk it wonderfully and felt like a treat. The Redness Corrective Gel was also great. The Restoring Treatment Oil and I are still figuring out how to work with each other, but there's hope.
How did it work altogether though? Really well! My skin is definitely calmer, the redness on my cheeks has been reduced and my skin is hydrated.
It's not the most affordable range out there (but it is Clarins...) but I would recommend it to a friend whose skin needed extra love, while giving a real feeling of pampering, and I would definitely buy the Emulsion.
First off, the packaging is perfect for hygiene, dose control, uv protection and airtightness. The gel and emulsion both come in a handy tube format with a pump dispenser and a firm-click lid, so they're wonderfully portable. The oil is in a classy opaque glass jar with a precise dropper and excellent seal. Love them all. Plus they look pretty in white and dusky pink.
They all share the same scent. Pleasant enough but really strong. It didn't react with my skin at all, but it was stronger, more floral, and more lingering than I would prefer. Not a deal-breaker though.
In terms of the efficacy of the products as a whole... For context, my skin (normally sensitive and dry anyway) was VERY tight, dry and reactive before the trial (it gets like that most winters), stinging when I applied even gentle moisturisers. Before the end of the first week of the trial, my skin felt calm and comfortable, and that cycle of hyper-sensitivity was broken. As anyone with traumatised skin knows, that's fast!
In terms of the individual products... Gel: I put this on in the morning. It's lightly creamy and sinks in quickly. The green pigment is meant to reduce the look of redness, but I didn't notice a difference. It's soothing and calming though, and lightly hydrating. For oily or normal skin types, this would probably be perfect on its own. For me, I need more moisture, so I put the emulsion on top.
Emulsion: This is my favourite. It's soothing AND moisturising. Personally I'd be happy to use just this and skip the anti-redness gel. I ended up using it at night as well as in the morning, as it felt so good and I preferred it to the oil.
Oil: Recommended for night-time use, this, again, might be good for oily or normal skin types. On its own it was calming but not hydrating enough for me, and I didn't like the feel of it on my skin. (I'm not a face oil fan generally though.) It gradually mattes down, but it doesn't soak into the skin like a lotion. The oil worked well for me as an additive to the emulsion though. Two drops applied over the top of the emulsion really boosted the hydration. The result was a bit slicker than I'm used to, so I'd only do that at night when I need a real moisture hit.
I've given the regime 5/5, not because each product in it gets 5/5 for me personally, but because as a whole, it works really well together. You can mix and match the different products to suit all sorts of different skin types. And every one of them contains the same active ingredients for soothing, re-balancing and protecting stressed skin. Great for re-setting and then maintaining strong and healthy skin through the winter months.
It's very pricey, but it certainly works, and the products are all very economical in terms of coverage, especially the oil - one or two drops for your whole face!
Tips: 1. I'd use these products on clean skin (skipping serums and everything else) to let the soothing oils and botanicals work directly to normalise upset skin and re-balance protective layers. 2. These are perfect for layering, depending on your hydration needs - first gel (if using), then emulsion, then oil (if needed).