Review: Clarins Cleansing Milk and Toning Lotion

Clarins is one of the leading skin care brands but I think it is often forgotten amongst the buzz for the likes of Liz Earle, Ren (of which I am a massive fan!) or other HG products. A few years ago I enjoyed used the cleansing milk and toner for normal to oily skin, however my skin changed and I moved on to other products. On a recent holiday, I was in a pharmacy that had amazing deals on lots of beauty products, including salon sized Clarins products. I was running out of my Cleanse and Polish and decided I would give the normal to dry range a go, the offer was incredible, 400ml for 19 Euros, unfortunately it is a little pricier in the UK, 200ml for £17.50 (double the price) but still cheaper than a lot of high end skin care.

The Cleansing Milk  with alpine herbs is a beautiful lotion which is best applied directly to dry skin. I usually massage it into the skin and then follow the Clarins suction technique, which involves placing the hands flat on the face and pulling away quickly to create a suction effect, this is meant to pull the grime and toxins out of your skin, I then use a warm muslin cloth to buff the lotion off my face. I find it is very effective at giving a glowing, soft finish to my skin and is perfect for my normal to dry skin. The original is also very good but more for combination skin.

The Toning Lotion with camomile is also for normal to dry skin. The pump action of this bottle is not ideal as I end up wasting a lot on a cotton pad, so I have decanted this into a small spray bottle and I spritz my face after I have removed the cleanser. I am not entirely sure if I believe toner works, but this has a beautiful, natural smell and I am sure it has a small moisturising effect so I am happy to keep using it!

All in all, I would highly recommend these products to anyone who wants some luxury skin care, perfectly suited to normal/dry skin. They keep my skin clear and glowing and I can tell they will last for ages, even with my morning cleanse and double evening cleanse routine!

Have you tried these products? Or have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments below!

CLARINS 'Eclat du Jour' - Daily Energiser

I was recently at my local Clarins counter buying my mum some of her Multi Active cream which she has used religiously, along with other Clarins products, since her twenties. I have always loved pinching some of her night cream or cleansing milk as their products are gorgeous! So when the lady offered to throw in a few freebies for me to try I was actually quite excited!

The 'Eclat Du Jour' or Daily Energiser range is designed for young skin that has to battle with late nights, partying and the stresses of work or studying amongst other things! It is supposed to be suitable for all skin types and claims to brighten and hydrate your skin whilst leaving a matte finish. (You can read the blurb-y bit on their website if you click above)

I was given the 'Wake-Up Booster' toning lotion (£15.50) and the Daily Energiser Lotion (£20) which is a moisturiser. 

  

First off I'm going to start by pointing out the products are all fragranced with a lovely fresh apricot scent, which for me is fine, lovely in fact, however if you have super sensitive skin I don't know if this is the best range for you. Anyway, that was the first thing that hit me, so I'll move on.

The toner has a beautiful, velvety texture and is best applied with a cotton pad all over your face, after cleansing. I have to say I'm never sure if there is actually a point to using toner, I can't say I noticed it did anything major for my skin, but it felt a bit moisturising and left my skin smooth and matte. It smells amazing so I would use it for that alone, however for the price, I could skip it.

The moisturiser has a very light, gel-like texture which feels lovely when applied. However as I have dry skin I felt like it absorbed very quickly and didn't quite quench my skin's thirst! I think this would be lovely for anyone with oily skin as it's still very important to moisturise. The range does offer a richer cream moisturiser which I think would be far better for normal-dry skin if their multi active creams are anything to go by.

For young, yet-to-be-damaged skin, that is not too sensitive, I think this range would be a wonderful introduction to the Clarins range as it is not hideously expensive. Although I feel personally, despite my age (19) it's not quite enough for me, I do believe my skin may just be a little haggard from everything I put it through so personally I would go for the Multi Active range, which for anyone over 25, I would highly recommend, even if it is almost double the price.

Any more questions? Pop them in the comments below :)