Clarins Suction Cleanser! (Clarins Cleansing Milk)

Member Name: AJ26

Product:	Clarins Cleansing Milk
Date:	07/11/05 (677 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lovely smell, gentle on skin.

Disadvantages: Expensive

I do love Clarins products and although I often use cheaper products for soaps and shower gels, I do like to splash out and use Clarins for skin care on my face. One product that I have been using for a while is the Cleansing Milk with Gentian. It claims to gently cleanse without irritating the skin.

Bottle
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The cleanser comes in an opaque plastic bottle with a white and gold trimmed flip open cap. You are able to see how much product is left in the bottle so it won't suddenly run out with no warning. The bottle contains 200ml. The product is made in France and has the product name and instructions in both French and English. It states it is for Combination or Oily skin.

The Cost
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My bottle cost £14 and I bought it in Jenners which is a department store in Edinburgh. Clarins counters are found in most of the main department stores, e.g. John Lewis, House of Fraser and Debenhams. The products are also available in some of the larger Boots Stores. Occasionally some supermarkets have a smaller selection of the products but they do tend to be slightly cheaper. You can also purchase Clarins products from many online beauty product sites. I like to buy mine in Jenners as they do a "Time for me" offer which means you get points for spending money on the products which add up and then you can claim a free treatment such as a facial or massage. Its a lovely treat to have.

Ingredients
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The cleanser is based on plant extracts including Gentian, Hawthorn, Orris Root and Bio-Ecolia. Now you may be saying at this point, "What on earth are they?" I know I was. Bio-Ecolia according to Clarins is a natural product which preserves the hydrolipidic film on the skin leading to healthy looking skin. Gentian is a plant which is useful for toning skin. Hawthorn is from the Hawthorn tree and the flowers have astringent qualities. Finally Orris Root is from the Iris flower and in the past was used for relieving childrens coughs and teething pains but has a astringent effect and helps normalise skin so is used in products for oily skin.

Instructions
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There are some basic instructions on the back of the bottle which tell you to apply morning and evening. Inside the box there are more detailed instructions in 7 different languages. The instructions recommend that you use the "Clarins Exclusive Cleansing Method" to cleanse your skin, this is a kind of suction technique (it's not painful honest!) designed to draw away impurities in your skin. They advise you to first warm a small amount of the lotion in the palm of your hands until it reaches skin temperature. Then you press your hands flat onto your face and lift your hands on and off the face around 5-6 times. It is important that you do not rub, simply press on and off. The lotion will thicken and pull the impurities away from the skin, you should then rinse off with water or using a paper tissue then you can apply your toning lotion. I tend to use a warm facecloth to remove the lotion, ensuring I keep using a clean bit and rinsing it under hot water otherwise it is no better than using the cotton wool technique. The instructions also include a diagram just in case you don't understand my description of the technique.


The Experts Advice
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I always find the Clarins staff at my nearest department store very helpful. When I was there last week I quizzed them on the suction technique and asked if it was really necessary. They said that they would really advise it as if you use some on a piece of cotton wool then although you remove some dirt you then wipe it around the rest of your face. Using the suction technique means you draw the impurities from your skin away from the face then washing it off avoiding spreading the dirt.

The Lotion
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The lotion is a thick white cream. The product smells lovely, it is fresh and luxurious. There is also a slight hint of baby lotion smell.

My Thoughts
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I have to admit that in the past I have nearly always used the cleanser with the cotton wool method and found it worked ok. I still however got occasional spots. In the last few weeks I have started using the suction technique I have not had so many spots, now this could just be coincidence it's a little too early to tell but the theory of the technique makes a lot of sense to avoid wiping dirt around your face. The suction technique seems a bit of a pain at first but once you get used to it, it doesn't really take much longer than using cotton wool. It also saves money as you don't need to buy cotton wool (well ok, you don't save a lot but if it makes you feel less guilty then you can use the excuse to justify your expense!).

I find this a gentle and effective cleanser. My skin feels clean and soft afterwards and doesn't feel tight or dry. I would recommend this cleanser if you have combination or oily skin and would recommend using the suction technique for a more effective cleanse. It does remove make-up although Clarins would recommend you use a separate eye make-up remover especially if you wear waterproof mascara. The cost is a drawback but you only use a small amount and it does last for a long time (I had my last bottle for several months) so it isn't quite as expensive as it may first seem.

Summary: Clarins cleanser, gentle on skin and suitable for combination or oily skin, lovely smell.