Product Review: Clarins' Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil

The most gooey, lovely oil that your lips will feel. I believe Clarins has mastered something that I have yet to come across in this big, beauty world of ours and have executed their first try spot on perfect with their Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil ($24).

From the formulation, to the cushiony dow-foot applicator, to the way it makes my lips look and feel, I fell in love with this product from the first nights use. I woke up the next morning to see my lips plump, full, as well as looking and feeling hydrated, soft, and smooth.

The texture is that of a lip gloss, though a bit more oily (duh), on the thicker side, with a slight tacky feeling after application; the intensity of the fades after sometime. For someone who loves lip gloss (not me), you will LOVE this on top of a matte lip to add that extra bit of unf, or for those who aren't much of a fan of lip gloss (over here!), this won't feel like a lip gloss at all, in fact you don't even have to wear out and about as a lip gloss, but as a nighttime treatment for your bedtime routine like I do.

I only wear/use this as a nighttime lip treatment within my skincare routine, and my lips are all the ever grateful for it. I don't own any lip glosses, I hate them rather, because of the gooey, sticky, tacky textures they leave behind...not to mention when half my head of hair gets glued to my lips, doesn't make a great look, personally.

At the end of the day, anyone that picks this up will love it! Whether you use it with your makeup look or throw into your skincare routine to pamper them lips up a bit, this is an all around winner for lips.

They come in 2 'shades'; I emphasize shades because the colors are very faint; you're not going to get a bold, glossy lip of color with these guys. I own just one of the shades, 'Honey' and the other shade from this collection is 'Raspberry' which is a nice berry-pink shade.

I'm absolutely thrilled that Clarins' decided to bring these babies back, hopefully permanently, since the praise of them are through the roof! It would be a smart move on their part I think ;)

You can find both shades still available on the Clarins US online store here!

Cleanser Review: Clarins Extra-Comfort Cleansing Cream vs Extra-Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream

photo credit: amazon.com

When a brand discontinues your favorite product, the usual follows: crying, screaming, pulling your hair,  giving the company nasty looks through your computer screen...listen, we have all been there. I know I have, hence why I'm making this post about Clarins' Extra-Comfort Cleansing Cream. The Goddess of Skincare herself, Mrs. Caroline Hirons, got pretty much everyone on this planet in love with this jar of goo, even me. You can read her quick little review on the original here, and her thoughts about the new reformulation here.

Its a thick, rich, cleansing cream with that dynamite smell that Clarins is known for and that all fans of the brand absolutely adore. Its such an experience on the skin with using this cleanser, that I couldn't really remember loving a cleanser as much as this one prior. It makes you forget about every other cleanser that you've ever used (a bit of a stretch, maybe?) , because you never want to use anything else...except on the day that you found out it's no longer going to be sold, and that they are coming out with a reformulation of the product... whilst throwing in the verbage 'anti-pollution' in the middle of it.  ?!?!!? If you're feeling a bitch-face through your screens, its because I'm making a hard one. 

Listen: Clarins, next to La Roche Posay, are two brands that I hold very dear to my beauty heart, they were the first brands that I got into when I started my beauty adventure. I'm their ride or die chick so-to-speak, but sometimes you need to take a step back and literally be like, 'WTF BUT WHY?!' Even to your favorite brands.

At the same rate, I can't knock the new one till I try it, right? So, thats what I decided to do, I took the plunge once my Extra-Comfort ran (almost) dry (I left just a bit in the jar...no matter how much I got the urge to scoop it all out and slather it all over my body...just so I can compare the 2 for this post. The sacrifices that were made...). Long story short, I ended up loving the Anti-Pollution version as well, thus I deserved a swift kick in the arse for giving this one the cold, hard shoulder in the beginning. 

photo credit: clarins.co.uk

Its in no way shape or form like the original,  nothing beats it, nothing tops that luscious, glorious cream in jar. I still find it a shame that Clarins decided to do away with it, truly. But honestly, this new formulation isn't all that bad, really. YET, it fails to replace it.   

Differences: The obvious packaging change, from tub to tube. The color of the cream is also slightly different; the original was cream in color, while the reformulation has a very slight pink tone to it. And the consistency is quite different; the original being just a bit thicker and I feel a bit more easier to work with. 

With all that being said, I can't say anything negative about the reformulation itself, if anything, it gets the job done just as well as the original, and my face is just as happy with it. It still works well for dry, sensitive, normal and even combo skins types; oily and acne skins, you may need to step back from this one, it may be a bit much.

For now, I'm throughly enjoying the Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream, regardless of all the gripe and fuss I keep making about Clarins discontinuing the original one, and will probably end up repurchasing it again once I run out. This cleanser is more on the expensive side, in most places I've checked, it ranges but usually goes up to being about $44 for the 200ml tube; though I purchased mine here for over $10 less than that; and I found another online beauty shop that has it for even less than that price, at $26, here, which seems to be the best price I've found thats available to ship to the US. 

If you tried both cleansers, how did one over the other fair for you?

Makeup Stash: Foundations

The main makeup product that I'm most picky about are foundations. Either I can never find one exactly my shade, it oxidizes too much, its too oily, matte, heavy...I seem to find more cons than pros with foundations & I don't know if its because I'm too damn picky or what but, foundation is kind of a big deal when it comes to makeup (& mascara, but thats for another post, another day) & so I think for me, that justifies me being so picky about them. I do heavy research before I go out & commit to buying any one foundation, because 1. they are expensive, usually & 2. for reasons stated above. The research I do means reading reviews, watch YouTube videos, the like.

Its also rare that I ever finish one up completely; the last one I did was Dior's 'Diorskin Nude BB Creme', which since I have repurchased but, I've also noticed that it oxidizes awfully pink on my skin now, & I don't know why. I've come to put that on the back shelf, sadly. I will tell you why I loved it though: it never felt heavy, it gave light coverage (BB creme after all) but it didn't separate, never irritated, & lasted for a good part of the day (with work thrown in between). Its sad that I can't use it anymore, I may try again during the fall/winter months, but thats a debate I need to take on myself.

Another BB Creme, which was a bit of a surprise to me on how much I ended up loving it, is the Physicians Formula 'Argan Wear Renew BB Cream'. Its this thick, hydrating & softening foundation that just sits on my combo skin lovely. Even though its a bit thicker in consistency than I'd normally like, in no way does it feel that way. There is a bit of a fragrance to this, but it fades away. Like Dior, I've never run into any issues on this one, & the fact that its super affordable, it will be a constant repurchase again & again & again...

Moving away from BB Cream's now...

The next 2 may not surprise many and I won't make this too lengthy due to the fact that you can find so many reviews & videos on these products. Chanel's 'Vitalumière Aqua Foundation' & Giorgio Armani's 'Luminous Silk Foundation': Both are standout foundations. If you want more of a medium-to buildable-full coverage, Chanel's your best bet out of the two. They both settle on the skin very smooth. Armani is less watery of the two; you really got to shake up the Chanel one before use or it will get slippery. I do notice that Armani clings to dry parts of my face at times, just a note for more drier skins. Also, these two give a more 'dewy' look to the skin so, if you're on the oily side, these probably shouldn't be your top picks but, maybe a matte primer or moisturizer before applying may help subdue that part. I will say that I do love the Armani one just a bit more, only because I was able to find practically my exact skin color in a bottle, which is like HOW WOW FANTASTIC THANK YOU. A lot of positive feelings here.

Clarins' 'Skin Illusion Natural Radiance Foundation': Its about medium, buildable coverage & consistency, probably almost or just as thick as the PF's 'Argan Wear'. Like the 'Argan Wear', the bit of thickness doesn't feel heavy on the skin. I found that a light moisturizer/primer works best underneath this foundation for best longevity & less of a chance of it breaking apart on. I noticed the first few times using it, it had the tendency to do this, mostly in my more oily areas & cling to drier patches, but hasn't since I started incorporating a lighter moisturizer (currently like to use Diptyque's 'Protective Moisturizing Lotion' underneath). I also like applying this with a particular makeup brush, Lancome's 'Foundation brush #2'; this flatter type of brush really helps this foundation disperse evenly and smoothly onto the skin for a marvelous application and look.

A little side-note, like most Clarins products, this does have a fragrance to it. Its not overly strong and  doesn't stay on the skin for very long...yet, if you are very sensitive to fragrances, I may read the ingrediegents list first and/or stay a way from this one, just to be safe. With that said though, I do really love using this and I have been picking this up more lately because it's been outstanding in Florida's summer heat and humidity. It gives such a nice, subtle, radiant look. Its not overly dewy or luminous (which can look more oily than luminous for those prone to oiliness). I'm rarely ever disappointed with Clarins, & this is no exception.

Getting Ready for Summer series, Part I: A Very Clarins Summer

If you have been following my instagram for a while, you know I am a Clarins girl through and through. From their skincare, bodycare and makeup, they always (for the most part) get the nail on the head. And when it comes to sun protection & enhancement, its no different.

With summer comes the dreadful rays & heat, we need to protect our skin from that (everyday though folks, not just during the summer!). With my Getting Ready for Summer series, this first part is going to get into what I use to stay protected from the sun, getting that summer glow,  and ending with 2 little figure-boosting lotions to help define and contour the silhouette for the bikini season ahead. 

The most important step to prep for summer is some good SPF protection. Clarins has a different variety of ways to protect yourself this summer, depending on your own personal preference, with a lotion or oil; and they are known and widely popular for having some of the best suncare products out on the market today. In lotion form, I love to use their Sunscreen Care Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($36) option. It smells lovely and doesn't leave any greasy or oily residue; it dries into the skin nicely. What I really love about this, its targeted and recommended for sensitive skin types, so even the most sensitive will stay protected with no irritations whilst promoting a more evened tan, on top of being water resistant. Another option if you're not a fan of lotions, they have a sunscreen oil spray, with the Sunscreen Care Oil Spray SPF 30 ($36). This is great for both body and hair, while not making you an oil-slick on either areas. This also helps get an even tan, while being water and sweat resistant. Also, don't forget that you always have to reapply sunscreen (after 80 minutes for the lotion and 40 minutes for the spray, respectfully).

*Non-Clarins sun-protection notable mentions: I have loved the Korres Red Vine Year-Round Hair Sun Protection for a few years now & it continues to be my staple year-round when it comes to hair sun-protection. This is strictly for use on the hair only, wet or dry, and can be used everyday if desired. It doesn't weight the hair down and smells divine. This one is a bit harder to find in the states; I managed to find one from feelunique.com for $16 here. NOTE: UK shipping to the US takes longer and times vary from state to state. Another notable mention is by La Roche-Posay with their Anthelios 60 Ultra-Light Sunscreen Fluid. Another brand for having top-notch suncare, this sunscreen for the face is absolutely outstanding. I am on my second bottle of the stuff; with its slight-matte, non-oily finish...on-top of having an SPF of 60 thats works great for sensitive skins, its worth the $29.99 tag. The packaging and size is also so convenient for travel. You can find LPR and their sun-range numerous places in the states, such as Ulta, CVS, and Walgreens to name a few.

If you're not a big fan of messy spray tans or laying out for time on end to get that natural, tanned glow to the skin, than you're in luck!! The Golden Glow Booster's for face ($30) & body ($45) are probably the most easiest way to get that 'natural', sun-kissed glow to the skin that I've found on the market. All you need to do is take a few drops (number of drops vary for face & body) of the glow booster and mix it into your moisturizer(s) (it doesn't have to be Clarins-brand) and apply as you normally would with your day cream and/or body cream. NOTE: you can not use this alone. you must use a moisturizer with this; they advise this on the packaging and online. After one use of this, my skin has this 'natural', light glow to it; you can also build it up with everyday use to your desired tan-level, the more you use, the more glow & tan you get. I like to use it about 2 days straight, just to add a slight touch of color to my skin, and I absolutely love how it comes out. No streaking, no funny smells, no orange-skin, and you really can't mess up with this one. You can't get much easier when it comes to self-tanning! The sizes are small & great for travel as well.

SPF? Check! 
Tan? Check! 
Now, just a little lift and contouring of the figure...

With continued use, the Super Restorative Redefining Body Care ($94) & Body Lift Cellulite Control ($70-$99) will help redefine your 'silhouette' as well as help correct and prevent cellulite in troubled spots. Whether these actually do their full purpose, I can't say 100% that I have seen turnaround results, yet these feel great on the skin nonetheless. I feel more of a difference with continued use of the Redefining lotion, but love the consistency of the Cellulite Control; at the end of the day I do love both, and it doesn't hurt to apply a little extra help where needed (it gives me that little extra boost of confidence, don't judge!). 

I'm all set and ready for summer! 

What are some of your favorite, summer-time must-have products that weren't mentioned? Or any of these that you tried and loved as well? Share your products and experiences below in the comments!

***disclaimer: i was not sponsored or paid for by Clarins (though would love to be :x) or any other brands mentioned in this post. i bought all of these products on my own.***

Skincare Routine: Night

Sorry for the delay on this post, finally found the time to sit down & type this baby up.

Get your tea ready folks, this will be lengthy one…

Pre-Cleanse: Again, with the pre-cleansing. Like I said in the last post, for my pre-cleansing I stick to micellar waters because more times than not, they are gentle enough for all skin types, even sensitive. My choice of micellar waters change now & again, but for nighttime use I love using Bioderma at the end of the day because it removes EVERYTHING, & isn’t that the point? ;)

Cleanse: I have been loving cleansing balms. I was late to the game of balms, but its better late than never, right? Best switch I ever made to be honest. My favorite cleanser of all time (too bold?!) is the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm. I can literally just go on about how much I love this cleanser but, I’ll save that for another day with another post (& also because I just ran out & am going to try something new…I will switch back to it in time…). 

At the moment I am using the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. I am still trying to get used to the non-lux feel of this particular one; & unlike the Emma Hardie one, there is no fragrance (which is great for a lot of sensitive skin types). I can’t give a good review of this particular one just yet, considering I just starting breaking this in less than a week ago but, fingers crossed this can be a cheaper & viable replacement of my beloved moringa one.

Toner: Again, I go back to using the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Hydrating Toner.

Treatment (if needed): If I need to put a halt on a breakout(s), my current treatment that I reach for is Dermalogica’s  Clear Start Breakout Clearing Overnight Treatment. Now, from my personal use of this product (it has been some months now), the title is misleading. For me, this doesn’t help clear my spots overnight but, it does help clear my spots in a few days time. I don’t get severe acne, more times than any it’s always hormonal, regardless this still does the trick. There is no burning or redness either, which I have experienced with almost all other acne treatments. And, it’s also quite affordable at $19, with a little going a long way so this will last those people who have the occasional breakout a very long time.

Eyecare: Like the morning, I use two different eye creams at night. One that you read in my morning skincare routine, the Boots Hydrating Eye Cream, I use the same way as I do in the morning, around the contours of my eye. For under eye treatment, I am currently using the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Eye Cream. It claims to help reduce the appearance of dark circles, fine lines, puffiness, etc. NOTE: I do not have heavy dark circles or puffiness so, I am unsure how this would work on those that do. For me, it shows with time but, I haven’t seen a complete disappearing act of the dark circles just yet. Though in the morning, my under eye area is so soft, hydrated, & smooth. The price point on this is pretty good as well; a plus is that there are usually great sales always happening either on The Body Shop’s website (& in-store) or Ulta’s website (& in-store) so always look out for those if you can.

Serum: Serums have been tricky with me; I can never tell if its actually helping or doing nothing to my skin, all I know is that I love Vichy’s Idéalia Life Serum. It’s supposed to improve skin pigmentation & give a more youthful appearance. Now, at 26 years old, I don’t know if I actually need to be looking more youthful than I already do, yet, in some way, over time (on my third bottle of this stuff) it has shown to improve my skin discolorations due to old acne scars. It has taken a lot longer than 8 days (another claim by Vichy) to see any kind of dramatic difference, so that claim also tends to be a bit misleading (personal opinion). Patience is a necessity when it comes to noticing a difference when using any kind of skincare product, & my patience is slowly starting to show and pay off, which makes me appreciate this product even more.

Oil: Oil is another new thing that I have let sneak into my skincare routine. With my combination skin, I never thought oil can help oil but, apparently it does just that. By the recommendation of another beauty blogger, Jess [who runs the amazing blog called Making It Up, check it out here], I decided to pick up & try my first oil by Clarins, with their Lotus Face Treatment Oil. Like the Clinique balm, I have not been using this for a long time so I can not say much about this yet; patience & time shall only tell. I love mixing this & my nighttime moisturizer together & have high hopes of letting more oils into my skincare routines in the future.

Moisturizer: I surprised myself at how much I actually really love this particular moisturizer but, than again, it is by my beloved Clarins. I use their Multi-Active Night Youth Recovery Cream for Normal to Combination Skin. This is yet another anti-aging product, though these have seemed to work best for my skin. It has medium consistency, & even when mixed with the oil, my face never looks or feels like an oily mess. It takes a few minutes to sink in, & when it does, my skin feels hydrated, comforted, & soft. When I wake up in the morning, my skin does look more radiant & awake like I got a good 8 hours of sleep in (even on those days where I don’t!). I am on my second pot of this baby, & this is a moisturizer that I will always have on hand.

I also exfoliate usually about twice a week, where I switch up products and/or the order that I use these products above in. I will make a separate post coming next with all that info.

Where to Purchase Products Mentioned In This Post...

• Bioderma Crealine Micellar Water , $35 (500ml) or $28 (250ml)
• Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm , $55 (100ml)
• Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm , $28.50
• The Body Shop's Vitamin E Hydrating Toner , $13
• Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Overnight Treatment , $19
• The Body Shop's Vitamin E Eye Cream , $18
• Boots Beautiful Skin Rich Hydrating Eye Cream , $14.99 (currently on-sale at ULTA for $12.74)
• Vichy Idéalia Life Serum , $39
• Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil , $52
• Clarins Multi-Active Youth Recovery Cream , $62

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