Miracle in a tube (Clarins Beauty Flash Balm)

Member Name: sheri3004

Product:	Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
Date:	18/11/05 (1513 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Visible improvement in complexion

Disadvantages: Pricey

To paraphrase the great Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged that the older a woman gets, the more money she feels obliged to spend on ever more expensive skincare products. (Or is that just me?) Anyway, at 37 I'm not quite ready for my bus pass just yet and I like to think that my outer layer is still in relatively good nick, but passing 35 does have a wonderful way of concentrating the mind on the continued deterrence of wrinkles. Goodness knows what I'll do when I hit 40 - look for a higher paid job, I expect.

Well, let's talk about the product. I'd heard about Clarins Beauty Flash Balm, aka Baume Beauté Éclair, in magazines, etc – along with Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream, it seems to be one of those products which celebrities are always rambling on about not being able to live without – but never got round to buying it. It did seem a bit expensive (£22.50 for 50ml from Boots, though it can be found cheaper elsewhere, and it is definitely worth shopping around), and I wasn't altogether clear what it was supposed to do. According to Clarins, it is “ideal for a quick pick me up before an evening out or whenever you want to erase signs of fatigue”. Kind of an emergency repair kit for your face, I suppose. The stated benefits are as follows:

- promotes immediate and long-lasting radiance.
- firms and helps minimise fine lines and wrinkles.
- smoothes and softens skin.
- strengthens and refines the contours of the face; skin regains firmness and suppleness.
- make-up looks exceptionally radiant.

Having discovered all this, I finally decided it was something which a woman of my advanced years should try and what a revelation. My husband actually remarked on how lovely my skin was, and if you knew my husband (not given to flowery compliments at the best of times), no further comment on the matter would be necessary.

The balm comes in a squeezy tube, which in turn comes in a cardboard box (this overpackaging seems to be endemic to almost all of the more expensive skincare products). The information on the tube, box and accompanying leaflet (see what I mean?) is in French and English. The stuff itself is a peachy coloured cream with a pleasant, light fragrance. The instructions advise you to "apply without massaging a very thin layer all over the face, including eye area... apply make-up immediately". It absorbs incredibly well, and leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and generally wonderful. It's great as a make-up base - I did notice that make-up went on more smoothly and seemed to last longer; when not wearing make-up, there was still a visible improvement in the appearance and texture of my skin. It does seem to increase firmness, reduce fine lines and even out skin tone – the latter being something I find particularly important, as my skin is prone to being a bit blotchy at times. The product worked so well in this regard that it was commented on by others (along the lines of "you're looking very healthy today") - and not just my husband, either. (I don't think anyone has actually used the word "radiant" yet, but I'm living in hope.)

I haven't found a 50ml tube lasts particularly long, but that's probably because I use it more than the recommended once or twice a week - I'm afraid I may be addicted to the stuff. I really must try to cut down.

Beauty Flash Balm is available from any retailer who sells Clarins products – department stores, larger chemists and so on. It’s probably cheaper to buy from the internet, though, where significant savings can be had if you shop around. The product contains algae extracts, which are supposed to provide a pick-me-up benefit; olive, which has a toning action; rice and witch hazel, which has astringent and anti-free radical properties.

Obviously no skincare product can substitute for the important stuff - eating plenty of fruit and veg, keeping your body hydrated by drinking lots of water, not smoking, getting plenty of sleep, etc, you know the drill - but as miracle workers in a tube go, this is pretty good.

Summary: Expensive, but worth it