Clarins face care products: opinions and analysis of beauty formulas
Skincare enthusiasts will already have been impressed by Clarins face care products. From consumer reviews to the red and white colors of their packaging, the brand doesn't go unnoticed on the shelves of Nocibé or Séphora.
Founded in 1954, this family-run company extracts the finest active ingredients from nature, putting them to work for your skin. Iconic products such as Clarins Double Serum reflect their effective formulas, developed with respect for health and the planet. So, is it a good brand? So far, their claims seem promising. But let's dig a little deeper, and compare their claims with the contents of their cosmetics. Stories, analysis of their care products, eco-responsible approach, here's my opinion on Clarins products.
My opinion on Clarins products: variable effectiveness
Negative points of the Clarins brand
When I analyze the formulas of some Clarins face care products, my opinion is rather mixed, especially when it comes to the anti-aging lines. The concentration of anti-aging botanicals is not high enough for the product to be effective. What's more, the claim of proven results is often the fruit of a simple satisfaction survey. In other words, there is no measurement or evaluation of improvements in skin appearance. Finally, the high cost of their beauty products is not in favor of a good price/effectiveness ratio.
Let's take a concrete example. According to the brand, the Double Serum acts on the origin of signs of aging by restarting the proper functioning of dermal cells.
Stemming from Clarins research, the formula combines 21 plant extracts (turmeric, goji, edelweiss, oats...) to reinforce your tissues' natural defenses and physiological regeneration capacities. Their teams also highlight the results scientifically proven on a panel of 326 women.
My opinion on Clarins Double Serum: their results are based on a simple satisfaction survey and not on visual tests of skin rejuvenation. I also note that the concentration of most active plant ingredients remains below 1 %. Despite an appreciable sensoriality and an interesting choice of ingredients, I'm perplexed by the efficacy of this iconic product, especially at the price of 126 euros for 50 ml.
At the same time, practically all their formulas contain fragrance, except for those dedicated to sensitive skin. These molecules, used over the long term, can be allergenic, irritating and photosensitizing for some people.
When it comes to sunscreens, they often use hom*osalate, a filter that may be an endocrine disruptor. Several of their face care products claim an SPF 15. However, this level of protection is still low, and I recommend that you opt for higher SPF 30 to 50.
My opinion on the best Clarins products
Their skincare products offer creamy, fresh, flowery fragrances in eco-responsible packaging that is stylish, elegant and sometimes innovative, like the double pump bottle.
In terms of beauty rituals, the Calm essentiel range offers 4 products in line with the group's claims. The formulas are well-developed and clinically tested for efficacy. They contain a minimum of 95 % ingredients of natural origin. Affordable prices range from 30 to 50 euros.
Their collections of facial oils are also well worth a visit. Beautifully sensorial, plant-based and minimalist formulas to accompany your natural beauty routines.
Clarins Facial Cleanser has also developed gentle, fabric-friendly cleansing products. Formulated with non-aggressive surfactants and soothing, enveloping active ingredients, their formulas effectively remove impurities and traces of make-up.
Clarins face care range review and consumer opinions
Hydra essentiel and My Clarins
These skin care products for young skin treat blemishes, fatigue, dehydration, tightness and blotchiness by correcting the moisture imbalance of the skin barrier.
Clarins Hydra essentiel offers a treatment based on the plant extracts kalanchoe and callicarpa. This duo stimulates the production of hyaluronic acid to boost the skin's natural moisturizing functions. These two ranges include skincare products for normal, combination and very dry skin in a variety of formulations (mists, toners, creams, serums, masks), priced from 18 to 65 euros.
4 anti-aging ranges
Their skincare products adapt to the skin's physiological changes, depending on your age.
Multi active is a line created for thirty-somethings with stressed, tired skin. Their products target and prevent the first wrinkles thanks to wild carder extracts, hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid and vitamin C.
The Extra Firming range is designed for forty-somethings who want to combat loss of firmness, wrinkles and skin tone imbalances. The 5 Clarins products take care of the face, neck, décolleté and lips with active plant ingredients such as desert date palm, goji berry, acerola and kalanchoe.
For example, Extra Firming, a rich day cream for dry skin, revitalizes your epidermis with shea butter and oat oil. It redefines facial contours while protecting your skin from pollution. This formula awakens and evens your complexion for 84 euros per 50 ml.
Multi-intensive is a collection designed for people in their fifties. Organic harungana is the star ingredient, which Clarins research teams claim is as effective as retinol. The formula also contains a vitamin C derivative and glycerin.
The Nutri Lumière anti-aging line nourishes, revitalizes and densifies mature skin with the
horse chestnut, harungana and oats.
Essential calm
Four Clarins products dedicated to sensitive skin. Their galenic formulas calm the reactivity of fragile skin, preventing and correcting redness, while providing optimal hydration and nutrition. Gels, face oils, balms and creams are made with a minimum of 95 % ingredients of natural origin. Results are proven by clinical tests. Prices range from 33 to 50 euros.
Calm-essentiel restructuring oil is 98 % plant-based raw materials. Its minimalist formula (8 ingredients) includes organic camellia oil and organic apricot oil. Its oily texture cuddles all skin types, soothing tightness and nourishing and moisturizing your tissues.
Aromasoin
This collection of natural oils for the face is available in four treatments:
lotus flower oil (to rebalance combination to oily skin);
orchid and hazelnut oil (to treat skin dehydration);
Sandalwood oil (repairs and replenishes dry skin).
As a day or night treatment, these plant elixirs are rapidly absorbed by your tissues.
Plant gold-l'or des plantes is the latest product in this range. The result of Clarins innovation, this concentrate, packaged in a double bottle, combines a dual texture:
Clarins Blue Orchid Oil;
an airy, non-greasy emulsion.
The two formulas merge right out of the bottle, offering you a unique sensoriality inspired by Clarins spas. Plant Gold revitalizes, moisturizes and replenishes your tissues, while boosting the radiance of your complexion.
Clarins history and eco-responsible formulation
Clarins history and philosophy
Jacques Courtin opens his first beauty salon in Paris, with the philosophy of making women's rituals more natural. Their treatments are inspired by nature and the feminine. From these two parameters, they develop delicate, sensorial formulas adapted to all skin problems, while preserving the planet from intensive agriculture and polluting productivity. Consumers' enthusiasm elevated the brand to the international stage. In 1974, Clarins beauty products were sold in over 130 countries. Since 2007, the adventure has been part of an eco-responsible approach.
Today, the company offers an extensive catalog of face and body care products for men and women, as well as a make-up line.
Clarins' expertise and innovation are at the service of its consumers, offering them effective, sensorial skincare with perfect tolerance.
Formulation and sourcing of plant ingredients
The Clarins Group follows a strict charter of ingredients and formulation rules:
80 % of the active ingredients in their skincare products come from plants;
in their own phytochemistry laboratory, substances derived from nature are produced using green chemistry;
54 % of the plants used in their cosmetics are organic.
In 2016, Clarins acquired an Alpine estate, reserved exclusively for organic farming. Currently 6 organic extracts from this farm have been incorporated into their formulas. You can find them in Clarins Doux Nettoyant Moussant Apaisant products. The laboratory uses more than 200 plants to extract the active ingredients in their skincare products, including :
macadamia ;
red ginseng ;
HARUNGANA;
l'épi d'or ;
field mint ;
the violet orchid.
Ecodesign of packaging and containers
The Clarins group aims to reduce its global carbon footprint by 30 % by 2025, and to continue its eco-responsible approach. To this end, for several years now, the company has been adhering to certain principles, such as :
all the paper and cardboard used comes from sustainably managed forests;
Removal of paper inserts from secondary packaging;
optimizing packaging weight and volume to avoid over-consumption of plastic or glass;
the use of recycled or recyclable materials;
the partnership with Hipli, to send their products in packages that can be reused up to 100 times.
Are Clarins products effective?
The brand offers facial oils, cleansers and soothing skincare products with excellent properties for pampering dry, sensitive skin.
Satisfaction tests and reviews of Clarins products are overwhelmingly positive, and understandably so. Their marketing communications and the visuals of their cosmetics emphasize naturalness and the beneficial properties of active plant ingredients. However, I recommend taking a step back and paying close attention to the correlation between their claims and the composition of their formulas, which sometimes fail to live up to their promise.
