Clarins: The Gentle Brightening Toner etc.

OK, well, I am the first to admit that Clarins as a brand has never particularly appealed to me.

1/ As a contemporary brand selling their products to the 'modern' women, I find their approach quite non-descript. I find their red typeface and very red blazers (I'm sure they still wear these in my local department store) dated.

2/ As a higher end brand, I just don't find Clarins particularly engaging or inviting. As far as I know there aren't any gimmicks to reel me in (and if there is then Clarins haven't been shouting loudly enough above the Benefit Maker Uppers and Chanel Ombre hype for me to hear) apart from maybe the odd multi-buy (and multi-buys, come on, how dated is that?!! We want advent calendars and miniature goodies galore please). We don't just want that 'something more' when we're paying higher end prices, we also want that something 'extra special more'. We're looking for products that wow and anything less is unacceptable.

3/ This is where Clarins' straight-forward and no-fuss approach to the market seems to work. When a blogger or vlogger mentions or raves about Clarins, I do take note as their products are not particularly trendy or hyped with claims everywhere. If somebody is taking the time to purchase a Clarins product and then taking the time to tell you it works then in my opinion, it probably does. In my experience, of four Clarins products, they have always done what they were destined to do, well!

Clarins are one of the only brands that offer me a self tanning option for my face that looks natural, sun-kissed and appropriate for my skin tone. The Liquid Bronze Self Tanning is magic and if only I did not break out every time, I used it then I would probably have made their sun-kissed look my 'signature' by now. Unfortunately though, the tanner does always break me out around the chin and neck area and that kind of ruins the overall effect so back to pale, I go which actually is not so bad since I started using two of the Clarins base products, the Extra-comfort foundation and the Instant Light Brush On Perfector (both mentioned here). I was colour matched for both products at the Clarins counter and think I've been matched perfectly. They are both very lightweight and discreet. I think, an outsider would be hard done by to pinpoint 'foundation' on the skin. For me, the Extra Comfort was definitely lighter in coverage then Revlon, Colour stay and slightly thicker then Rimmel, Wake Me Up. Once blended (easily!) both of my base products seem to sit seamlessly on my skin. In the past, sometimes my ghostly white skin dressed in foundation can look cold and harsh but both of these products add a certain glow and softness to my face as if I'm under the most flattering light and I'd imagine, given a little longer to test, I could grow to worship these two products in spite of the price.

The one Clarins product this post was meant to focus on (three or four paragraphs ago. . .) is the Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner which I purchased after numerous mentions and praise from Caroline and others on her blog. Caroline claims that it is a beautiful, softening, exfoliating, brightening, hydrating toner that should be in everybody's arsenal (she also talks about the more technical stuff better then I would if you are interested).

I have been using this 'gentle'(!) toner since the middle of September and on finishing my first bottle I realise that I have grown to like it.

A lot! 

The little milia around my eye area have disappeared since I started using this. Indeed, my skin too feels very smooth and I've noticed, I'm not catching myself on my little bumps as much as I used when I use my fingers to apply foundation. Note: Having ran of my favourite Botanics Microdermabrasion Polish (mentioned here) I have not physically exfoliated my face for a long while yet it is still smooth.

Smoootherr, in fact! 

I'm putting that down to this gorgeous skin care goodie. I would say my skin looks healthier and a bit more alive since I started to use the Clarins toner so we can tick off the brightening box too. The only two boxes I'm unsure about is firstly the hydrating one, this toner does not feel particularly hydrating and when I first used it I was getting over a reaction from another product and to be honest, using this twice a day
did seem to heighten my discomfort and dry areas out as they healed. I would not recommend using this product twice a day until you have been using it for a while. I stopped using it twice a day about a week in and now I use it once a day at the most and that honestly seems to be enough and the optimum for me. I'm also not sure how softening this product is, I have not noticed any extreme difference.

Though, I think this Clarins toner is a decent skincare product, I do recognise how hard it is to say how good a skin product is as it forms just one step of an entire skincare routine. However, I would say that allowing for the routines I was using at the relevant times, I am much more impressed by the Clarins toner then I was by the Alpha H, Liquid Gold and that I'm hoping another bottle of the Clarins might be in my stocking (hint hint)

The Clarins Toner is widely available from pharmacies and department stores.

What toner do you use? How do you exfoliate? Have you used this Clarins Toner? What Clarins' products do you recommend? I hope you're all having a good week, almost halfway through it now. Ooh and we can almost say the same for #bigblogmasproject too!

Sunday bargains!

So I just had to share with you my bargain of the week, year so far!

I brought this little Miss Harvey number in Beales, a local department store for just five pounds reduced from twenty (oh yes!) and I think, I'm going to get more then my money's worth.

As simple as this number appears, there are a number of things that have caught my eye and most are positive.

I love . . .

* . . . that this number is asymmetrical. This somewhat 'lopsided' look has always appealed to me. The flash of shoulder can be quite alluring yet as the other shoulder is clothed (and in this case, with a full sleeve), the number could never be dismissed as too tarty.

* . . . the fact that the one sleeve is sheer. This is both "on trend" and again, a little teasing.

* . . . that indeed, it is designed as a dress but looks very cute over a pair of dark blue jeans. Yep, I'm more likely to wear this one in the more casual manner. I'm thinking of chucking in the Primark nude heels (that I'm currently obsessed with. I featured them in the last post here and will probably continue to mention them in every post until they are scuffed and I start to sulk!) and Viva Glam Cyndi as I've been looking for an excuse to crack the ole red lipstick out again and this dress/top could just be it. I think, the white will work well with strong, defined colours.

*. . . the simple, stark white that this number is, a colour that I lack in my wardrobe. Yes, I like neutrals but those that I do have, of the lighter hue, tend not to be white-white but instead to be slightly off, heading in the cream and ivory direction. Aside from Tee-shirts, actual plain white garments are quite a rarity on the high street but with spring coming, I'm keen to introduce this colour in to my wardrobe. There is something fresh and new about daisy white garments plus it makes me look quite innocent which more often then not, is no bad thing! ; )

So far, only good, good points and to be honest, my only worry with this number is that it is indeed, white and I am me, a sum that doesn't really add up. I'm so clumsy that yes, indeed this dress/top is not likely to last more then an outing before a very messy encounter with red wine or spaghetti (if you squint, you may spot some make up marks already!) and then of course, thinking about it some more, there is that delicate sleeve and my habit to fall off my heels (especially when they are as high as the Primark nudes!) but you know at £5, I still maintain that this little number is an absolute bargain and I can't wait to wear it!

And to Bargain No. 2 . . !

That's right, there was not just one bargain today but two. I popped in to Boots to repurchase my staple foundation, the Revlon Colorstay in Ivory for Dry/Normal skin.

Tangent time: Colorstay was one of the first foundations I tried when I began blogging a couple of years ago and initially, I was very disappointed (and was quite harsh in reviews) but four or five colorstay bottles later and I'm honestly not tempted by anything else. The only foundation that impresses me anywhere near as much (and still, not as much) is L'oreal True Match. I find that the Colorstay blends seamlessly if you get the right colour, lasts most of the day, gives fantastic coverage while allowing the skin to still look like human skin plus the bottle seems to last two to three months with daily use. 

Anyway back to the bargain which was a free Revlon Lip product of choice when buying the Colorstay.

After a good ten minutes of swatching and changing my mind between this gloss and that lippie, I opted for the Revlon Colorburst Gloss in Crystal Lilac (002) worth £7.99. I only have three or four glosses and gloss is a certainly a make up product that has grown on me over recent months. It's unusual for me to leave the house now without a little Underage slicked over that day's lippie. Yep, today that was Creme Cup. Still, my lippie of the moment!

Crystal Lilac looks to me quite a dusty pink colour with some shimmer. I will let you know how we get on. Online reviews seem promising!

Now, I was going to ramble on about books here but this post is just getting a little too long (again!) so I think, I will cut out and save the book ramble for maybe, a quick post tomorrow.

Have you picked up any bargains recently? What is your go to foundation? Any Revlon Lip product recommendations?

Anyways, I hope you had a fabulous weekend. Don't forget my MAC giveaway closes soon! Read this post if you haven't entered yet. I hope anybody in the UK (or anywhere else) who does get snow (if it comes) doesn't get stuck. Take care!

X