Review - Clarins Body Care

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about a couple of body products from Clarins that I received when I purchased my absolute favorite lip balm from them as a sweet gift with purchase! I usually keep my GWP products stashed away for whenever I'm traveling if they're in mini size, but these GWP were not exactly mini sized (not full sized either of course!) so I decided to use them up in the meantime. I've never actually used any Clarins products before other than their lip balm, so here is some quick info about the brand! ^.^

Clarins Group is a French luxury cosmetics company, which manufactures prestige skincare, makeup and fragrances products. A masseur called Jacques Courtin started CLARINS, a French luxury skincare brand, in 1954. Courtin made his own treatment oils that he claimed firmed the skin, and sold them from his salon in Paris. He built up quite a fanbase, including endorsements from some big French celebrities of the time.

The name CLARINS originally came from a character he played in a school production, and saw it as a good luck charm. In fact, it seems he loved the name so much that he incorporated it into his own in 1978, becoming Jacques Courtin-CLARINS. Courtin-CLARINS very much had women in mind when creating his line of products. He believed that, for women, happiness was inextricably linked to beauty. He is quoted in an interview as saying that "Beauty has become an important element in a woman's psychological make-up."

Clarins Exfoliating Body Scrub for Smooth Skin (With bamboo powders, Softens, Smoothes, Firms)

The essential first step to achieving a firm, youthful-looking body. This refreshing exfoliating treatment — with smoothing Natural Bamboo Powders — casts-off rough, flaky surface cells and impurities, giving body skin a sleek new start. Extracts of Mimosa and Shea caress skin with a delicate veil of softness. Preps skin for the treatments to follow.

  

Massage onto dry or damp skin 1-2 times per week (including the bust area and concentrating on rough areas such as elbows, knees, feet and thighs). Rinse thoroughly. Recommended before applying a Self Tanner.

I really enjoyed using this body scrub, and it actually prompted me to regularly scrub my body regularly like I would with my face, which honestly never occurred to me. I found the exfoliator really easy to use, it has a very pleasant scent and texture, the scrubby bits are housed in a lovely cream base which helps hydrate the skin you've just polished. I found it very effective and pleasant to use. 

 

What I Love

- Easy to use

- Works really well

- Cream base is really hydrating

- Smells and feels lovely

 

 

What I Don't Love

- Approx. $47 (I can't find it full size online in New Zealand stores)

 

Clarins Tonic Body Treatent Oil (100% pure plant extracts, Firming, toning)

CLARINS’ #1 selling body oil — with 100% pure plant extracts including Rosemary, Geranium and Mint — helps firm, tone and improve elasticity, smoothing the appearance of stretch marks. Hazelnut Oil locks in moisture to leave body skin soft and satiny-smooth. Aromatic natural botanicals promote an overall feeling of well-being. Preservative-free. 

Apply a small amount to damp skin, over the whole body or concentrating on problem areas. Lightly massage and follow with a cool shower if possible. For even greater effectiveness, use a CLARINS exfoliator once a week. Particularly recommended during pregnancy.

BENEFITS
Essential Oils of Rosemary, Geranium, Mint: fragrance and promote a feeling of well-being, tone and energize.
·Hazelnut oil: nourishes, maintains skin's moisture level.

This oil has a very interesting smell of minty herbs and is more than a little irritating to apply since it doesn't have a dropper or anything, just a very large hole at the top! I like to apply mine freshly out of the shower (even better when I've just exfoliated) to damp skin and massage in. I don't rinse it off because I find that it takes a while to absorb, but if you're a night shower-er like I am you probably won't find it too irritating! I don't have coloured stretch marks (they're super old and silver) so I didn't find that it helped or hindered my stretch marks at all, but it did make my skin super hydrated which I loved!

What I Love

- Incredibly hydrating

- Made my skin feel very very smooth

- Easy to apply to damp skin

What I Don't Love

- I don't think it's worth $79

- Takes a little while to absorb

 

Clarins Extra-Firming Body Lotion (Lifts, tones, smoothes)

Firming every body will love! Refreshing lotion — with an anti-wrinkle blend of Lemon Thyme, Centella and Bocoa extracts — helps improve skin’s natural elasticity for a sleeker, chicer silhouette. Firms, tones and helps restore youthful-looking contours to body skin effected by ageing, weight fluctuations and pregnancy. 

Apply morning and/or evening, concentrating on thighs, abdomen, bust and inner arms.
BENEFITS 
·Lemon Thyme extract – encourages the body to produce elastin. 
·Shea Butter – moisturizes and nourishes skin. 
·Centella and Bocoa Extracts – help skin look firm and refreshed.

I really enjoyed this lotion! It has a lovely sweet, yet neutral smell, (so you don't smell like candy) with a moderately thin and easily spreadable texture. The main upside for me personally is that the lotion sinks in very fast and doesn't leave a weird oily residue on my skin that causes me to stick to chairs. If definitely smooths my skin and makes it feel incredibly moisturized, but even though I've used 100mL of the lotion, I can't really agree that it lifts or tones my skin at all. Although, I wouldn't consider my skin saggy, so perhaps it's not a fair test.

What I Love

- Beautiful scent

- Light texture

- Easy to spread

- Fast to absorb

What I Don't Love

- I consider $87 to be too much for body lotion 

Final Thoughts

I absolutely loved trialling these products from Clarins, but I don't think I could bring myself to purchase them as they are incredibly expensive for what they are. My favourite of the three products was the Tonic Body Treatment Oil, which made my skin feel and look incredibly smooth and hydrated, but for the money I think I could find better products for the exfoliant and lotion. ^.^

 

Happy New Years everyone! ^.^