What Clarins products would you recommend?

[meltedmonterayjack]

I have been given a £60 gift voucher for a local beauty salon. They stock Clarins skin care products and make up. I'd rather get products than a facial or massage etc that will be over in an hour and I do need cleanser/toner/moisturiser etc as mine are a bit random and hit and miss.

I have combination skin with an oily t zone. Also sensitive skin. I'm 54 so skin has been round the block a few times, but is pretty smooth and only a few lines. I've been given samples of an extra comfort cleanser (which seems ok ), gentle eye makeup remover (also ok), beauty flash balm (think I like this so far) and a day time moisturiser. I had a foaming cleanser sample too but didn't like it at all.

What are your favourites esp, if you have sensitive combination skin? Thanks in advance.

I came on here to say beauty flash balm. I love it. Also, water purify 1 step cleanser is nice. Enjoy! I love Clarins, I have sensitive skin and it's one of the only brands I use.

I use their super restorative moisturiser..£££ but good. I'm 54 too.
Don't use any other face care as I use Dermalogica.
Love their yellow shower gel and body lotion.

Lucky you

I love their facial oils as a night cream. Don't be put off - oil does not equal oily and there is one for your skin type I believe. £32 and gorgeous. I always bang in about them.

I also use one of their cleansing lotions with a warm flannel and find them very effective.

What about make up? They do the best range of 'your lips but better' shades of lipstick I've seen if that's something you'd be into.

They do a lovely Marula Gel Cleanser which is great for combi skin. You massage it on to dry face and the gel thins out into an oil, then splash face to emulsify to a cream and massage in again, then take off with wet cotton pads. It leaves my skin lovely and soft and even.
Then their HydraMatte moisturiser is also lovely, moisturises without greasy feeling

Their wonderperfect mascara is excellent ditto their concealer
I think all the rest, especially skincare, is very meh

Oooh didn't expects replies this fast. Thank you. I'm so pleased with my present :) Just want to make sure I get things I'm happy with as I've not used Clarins before. Will definitely try the 'your lips but better' too. I am really struggling to find lipsticks I'm happy with at the moment.

Too much choice !!!! :)

Their Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner is brilliant. I use it instead of a grainy exfoliator/scrub and leaves my skin really soft and glowing. Not an everyday toner, just to use once or twice a week so lasts for ages.

One of their lipsticks is great afaik
Jolie Rouge is what my mum wears, she loves it and has moved completely from Chanel

I use the Extra Firming Range which I think it the category that you would fall into age wise.

It seems I have the same skin type as you, combination but also sensitive. I also suffer with eczema so I cannot just use any products as usually I flare up. I have never had a flare up with Clarins, so I just stick with it. I have noticed a difference.

I have quite a lot of their products, lots of them as samples (as I know the Clarins lady really well now, she give me full size products as samples).

I use the green toner for combination/oily skin in summer, with the day cream and neck cream. Winter I use the yellow toner as my skin is a little drier then. I use the foaming facewash, again its one of the few that I like that foams well but also doesn't flare me up.

I have the double serum, but since getting a sample of Estee Lauders Night Repair, I don't honestly think I prefer that. Beauty flash balm is ok, again only ever had samples of this, but I don't like it enough to buy a full size one.

I also use the exfoliating toner from time to time, I didn't think this was something that you should use daily, so I use it weekly or when I remember

I really love the shower gels and body lotions. The scent stays with you all day, you wouldn't even need to wear the perfume as well. And I don't know if its just me, but it gives me a clear head in the morning..

You can buy gift sets, that work out more economical. So there would be a day moisturizer and night cream and then a bigger sample of something else, with a bag (although this is just a bonus really) but then as well as that you would get a handful of other samples too. And with Christmas coming up now, there are sure to be some nice sets available.

After you have bought from the salon, it is a good idea to shop around, as they are expensive, but it there is quite a big price difference from place to place. I now buy mine from a chemist who you would never have though stocked the range, and they are so much cheaper than the big stores with the fancy counters.

If you start with a cleanser (face wash type or cream cleanser), toner, day cream and night cream, that is really all you need. The other products are nice, but not really needed for essential day to day skin care.

sorry, DO prefer Estee Lauder night repair...

Another vote for the facial oils. I've used the Santal Oil every night for the last decade - absolutely gorgeous stuff, smells amazing and leaves my skin looking great.

Their Orange cleanser (sort of oily) in a bottle is gorgeous. Also their serum is nice too - I think it's blue.

I don't rate Beauty Flash Balm. Nor much of their makeup (tried quite a few items). And their moisturisers are very meh to me.

Their bronzing stuff is quite nice (there was a sell out serum or something that you added to moisturiser).

Yes to the facial oils. Complete eye-opener....

Yes just looked - Joli Rouge range like RonaldMcDonald said. You will almost certainly find the shade you want.

Thanks so much everyone. Loads of great ideas to try. Will ask for some samples and then choose.

Clarins Lotus Oil is great for oily complexions.

I'm obsessed with facial oils these days.

I don't think anyone has mentioned it yet but their Pure Melt Cleansing Gel is ace.

Yes the Lotus oil is brilliant for combination skin. I used it as a teen then it was discontinued, I was so happy when they brought it back.

There is a new product I'm going to try, it's a self tan that you add to your moisturiser so you can adjust the strength of the tan

Milk - I got the self tan to add to moisturiser - I think it's in a small bottle - it is quite nice... not necessarily worth the £££ but nice nonetheless.

Eau dynamisante, love it.

I don't think much of their makeup. And facial oils you can get anywhere.

I would go for Beauty Flash Balm and Eau Dynamisante personally.

I love Clarins as a brand but their Beauty Flash Balm is my most hated beauty product of all time.

Eu dynasimante

Squoosh what do you hate about the Beauty Flash Balm?

To everyone who has just mentioned Eau Dynamisante... I am now going to have to go and buy a bottle.

DP will just have to eat beans for the rest of the month!