Clarins Spring 2014 Collection
The long, cold winter months can be brutal on the complexion. Although I’m mentally ready for spring, my winter pallor and generally dull skin could really use a little help. As luck would have it, I recently attended a Clarins event at which Clarins’ celebrity skin care specialist Jean Fayard shared the latest in radiance-boosting skin care and makeup.
At the Clarins counter at Bloomingdales, Tysons Corner last Wednesday, Fayard introduced some of Clarins’ latest and greatest products for achieving flawless, glowing skin — just in time for the spring season.
One of the most impressive products was Clarins Double Serum, which is currently Clarins’ best-selling product. This doesn’t surprise me in the least, as this light, silky smooth serum is infused with 20 anti-aging plant extracts that, according to Clarins, reactivate the five vital functions of youthful skin. There’s nothing I like better than an ancient Chinese secret (I know lots of them), so I was intrigued to learn that this serum contains cangzhu extract, a plant known for centuries in Chinese pharmacopoeia. It stimulates G protein, a key component in cell membranes, thereby boosting cell communication and rejuvenation. It also amplifies the effects of the other active ingredients. The serum has a light natural scent, which I like; I abhor strong, artificially scented skin care products.
The outstanding new product in Clarins’ spring line-up is their Golden Glow Booster, a self-tanner that you add to your daily moisturizer to give your complexion a hint of subtle color to counter that winter pastiness. I’ve always been a fan of Clarins self-tanners; I find them to be easy to apply and give excellent, natural-looking results, so I’m eager to give this product a try. Fayard informed us that its ingredients are an impressive 99.8 percent natural. I plan on adding three drops to my evening moisturizer and look forward to awakening to “sun-kissed” complexion.
To maintain a dewy, radiant look all day, Fayard recommended the new Instant Light Radiance Boosting Complexion Base, which comes in two shades: champagne (a yellow tone that counters redness) and rose (a soft pink that brightens all complexions). This primer moisturizes and protects the skin while blurring imperfections and softly illuminating the skin. It can be used alone or under foundation. Finish your look by dusting your cheeks with the new Opalescence Face and Blush Powder, a multi-colored powder that enlivens your skin with shades of peach, coral and tan to banish any last traces of winter pallor.
A native Washingtonian, Beauty Blogger Lia Phipps is an interior designer with an irrepressible, life-long fascination with health and beauty. When she is not selecting fabrics and paint colors for clients, she occupies herself with trying new products and dispensing beauty advice to friends, acquaintances and anyone who is willing to listen to “Tips from Phipps”.