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Clarins Skin Smoothing Eye Mask
by CherryCoke_x
As proven by all many of my previous reviews, I am somewhat of a Clarins addict. I use a lot of their products, and I am (so far) always genuinely excited about how effective they actually are! I have not been let down by any yet, and so keep buying more and more - hence the appearance of Clarins Skin Smoothing Eye Mask in my vanity ... unit!
I bought this product as I work a job in which I get up at 5am. This may not sound too early to some, but I hate early mornings! And my skin and eyes concur. I often find when I wake that even after a good cleanse and tone my skin around my eyes can make me look rather dull and anything but awake or fresh (and that is sometimes even after using the amazing Clarins Eye Contour Gel - shock horror!)
The Skin Smoothing Eye Mask promises to "energise tired eyes--minimising signs of fatigue and stress" Clarins also claim it will "decongest, smooth and tone eye contours for an immediate feeling of well-being". While, certainly, this is not a miracle in a bottle (I do not suddenly have the most sparkling eyes in the world once used) I do notice a very big difference in how awake my eyes actually look. I put on the mask after cleansing, toning, and moisturising my face, I then leave for 10 minutes, and although advised to remove the excess after this time with a wet cotton pad, I do not tend to have any excess there! Still though, I wipe over the area with a wet cotton pad as advised. Then, just to double up the protection and care, I add a small amount of my Clarins Eye Contour Gel. Suddenly, I look far more fresh and ready to take on the day. The skin around my eyes is actually a heck of a lot softer, and I do not have the tight pulling feeling I often had previously. The product also seems to tone the area, and I do feel as though my eyes are "decongested" as Clarins claim they shall. I have also noticed a big difference in the very fine lines around my eyes, and actually, I think my bags may have also reduced (though this could be down to the obsessive use of my contour gel also!)
The cream itself is a dream to apply - a lovely thick consistency, and thanks to the lovely design of the bottle, it is very easy to access every last drop (without wasting any by squirting it all over when you have to squeeze too hard! I haven't once had to do this with my mask) it is also quite cool as you apply, and I have no doubt this helps sooth the area and help fight the look of fatigue.
As said above, the bottle is well designed. It is a good size at 30ml, and for a price tag of £29.50, I really do believe you are getting excellent value as a little goes a long way. There is a simple screw top, and the bottle is in the usual Clarins elegant style of white and red.
I highly recommend everyone to try this product, it is a dream to use, and even if used daily will last a very long time - a little goes a long way.
Another hit Clarins, well done!
**Please note: a similar version of this review has also been posted by my-self on the website I purchased it from. May appear under the same username, or just CherryCoke
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Clarins Eye Contour Gel
by maxwell_star
A few months ago I was lucky enough to receive some Clarins products as a gift. One of the items I received was a tube of Eye Contour Gel. The gel is meant to reduce puffiness and dark circles around the eye. This is not something I would have bought myself as I don't expect products like this to work miracles. To reduce puffiness and ... dark circles I believe you need lots of sleep and a balanced diet without too much alcohol. Having an active toddler I don't get lots of sleep and I definitely need a glass of wine at the end of the day! I tend to rely on face cream and concealer to minimise the visibility of these eye issues. I also had a bad experience with a Soap & Glory eye gel which left my skin with a nasty burning sensation so I wasn't particularly looking forward to trying this product.
- The Packaging -
The 20ml eye gel comes in a white squeezable plastic tube that displays the Clarins logo and information about the product in red writing. You can't see the contents of the tube so it isn't possible to see how much is left. There is a screw on white plastic lid with a gold strip. The lid screws on and off easily without any leaking. The opening of the tube has a small hole to allow a controlled amount of the gel to be dispensed. The tube is functional but also looks rather smart, expensive and classy.
- The Gel -
The tube says to 'apply a very small quantity with gentle tapping motions to eye contours' in the morning. This is very easy to do and fairly mess free. The gel is turquoise in colour and doesn't have a strong smell, just the hint of something chemical but fresh. The gel is quite runny so you only need to lightly squeeze the tube. Once applied to the eye area it feels cold and fresh. It makes the skin feel quite tight but there is no burning sensation with this one. It doesn't leave your fingers sticky which is good and it leaves the eye area feeling soft. A minute or two after application the gel has been absorbed so you are able to apply face cream or make up.
- The Results -
I think that this gel does minimally reduce dark circles and puffiness but the results are too subtle to be sure. Ten minutes after applying the gel I thought there was a slight improvement but certainly nothing miraculous. After using this gel every morning for around two weeks I maintained this initial opinion, perhaps a slight improvement but it was rather too subtle to be certain. Whatever the results I did find this gel pleasant to use. It made my eye area feel a little tighter and fresher and there were no ill effects or reactions.
- Price and Availability -
This eye gel is available from the Clarins website where it is priced at £28.00. There are usually Clarins concessions in department stores where they sometimes have offers such as 10% off. I think £28 is very expensive for a product that at best produces minimal results. This price is fairly competitive compared to other luxury brands but to be honest I doubt any of these products produce amazing results.
- Would I Recommend? -
I can't really recommend this eye gel as I won't be purchasing another when my tube runs out. I will continue to use the one I have simply because it is easy to apply, feels quite refreshing and causes no negative effects. However, the results are so minimal it is certainly not worth £28.
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Clarins Eyebrow Pencil
by rotunda
I have a pretty huge stock of make up from Clarins - my favourite make up brand. When I needed to replace my old eyebrow pencil I immediately went to look at the Clarins counter at my local department store. I decided on this particular eyebrow pencil as it has everything I could possibly want in an eyebrow pencil, at a good price. ... Bear in mind, most products from Clarins do not come cheap, but they are worth it in terms of quality, effectiveness and usually longevity of product.
This pencil cost me £16 and it was available in three different shades to choose from - soft blond, soft brown and dark brown. I have a fairly dusky complexion with very dark hair so the darkest pencil was obviously going to be the best option for me. The assistant in the store gave me a look at all three shades and she tried the darkest two on my own eyebrows, just to ensure I was happy with my choice.
This pencil is approximately five inches in length and comes with a fine comb/brush at one end for smoothing down the hairs both before and after application of the pencil. It's simple and easy to apply (so long as you have fairly steady hand). I simply brush the hairs on my brows in the right direction before application, taking care to brush them ever so slightly upwards as well as away to my hairline, to ensure they look 'just right' once the pencil has been applied. I then very carefully apply light, delicate strokes with the pencil.
It's really important not to just 'draw a line' across the brows, otherwise you'll end up looking like Coco the Clown - there is an art to this, and it does come with practice. From experience of using this pencil, I would say light, quick strokes create the best and most natural effect. I then finish off by again stroking the brush across the eyebrow to create a perfect finish.
This pencil creates a very dark effect with even the lightest hand so care has to be taken to make extremely light strokes, particularly when you first start to use it, otherwise you will be left with a harsh dark line, and that is not a good look. On the positive side though, I have personally found that if I do get a little heavy-handed with the pencil and find I have applied to dark a line, this is easily remedied by gently taking the brush across the brows several times, until the pencil is gradually 'lifted' for a more natural effect.
This pencil also comes with handy little tops for either end - one for the pencil end and the other for the comb/brush end. This protects the ends of the pencil and keeps any dirt and debris out.
The final thing I really like about this pencil is the fact that it does not break when I sharpen it. I have had so many eyebrow pencils in the past which have cost quite a lot of money, only to find that when they have become blunt and when I have attempted to sharpen them, this has resulted in the pencil breaking over and over again until I end up with about two inches of pencil after a fortnight.
The Clarins eyebrow pencil sharpens quickly and effortlessly and has never broken on me once. It is isn't waterproof but I have been on holiday recently and did a lot of swimming and I have to say I have been impressed that it showed no signs of wearing off or smudging in the water.
I have only positive comments to make about this great eyebrow pencil. It a a little on the expensive side but it's good quality and a brand I go back to time and time again and happily recommend it.
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