My Clarins Skincare Collection - it's growing and growing!

Since I started paying more attention to skincare last year, it transpires that Clarins is actually my favourite, go-to skincare brand. I don't know why, I just love it. I feel like they are a top quality, luxurious product with a fairly reasonable price.

It seems that lately, between sale purchases and duty-free splurges that I noticed I have amassed quite a collection!

What I use every night without fail are the Instant Eye Make Up Remover, Cleansing Milk and Toning Lotion, and the Eye Contour Balm. These are must-have items for me! I am on my 4th bottle of the eye make up remover (I had to use a sample size bottle in the photo but don't worry I ran out and purchased the full size soon after, because I can't live without it!)

For moisturisers I am using a sample of the Hydraquench but I really do love the Daily Energiser Cream also!

The rest of my collection are (very generous) sample sized items which came as part of skincare sets. I have the One Step Cleanser (which i actually did use up a full sized bottle of and loved it!), Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream, Moisture Rich Body Lotion and a teeny tiny Eye Contour Gel!

There is a great selection of products here, I have tried each and every one and have fallen in love with them all! There is nothing here that I don't like, they are staple products in my skincare routine and I love trying out new things. I am constantly adding Clarins skincare to my never-ending wish list!

My Current Skincare Products Feat. Clarins, Lancome & Nuxe

I never used to pay much attention to my skincare routine until the end of last summer. Before, I would use make up wipes (shudder) and I tried a couple of drugstore brand cleansers too. I thought I was getting to an age where perhaps I ought to pay a bit more attention to my skin. I know you don't necessarily have to spend huge amounts on your skincare, but I have been trying a few different brands and I think Clarins is my favourite. Some of their products are rather expensive, but in my opinion worth every penny!

Clarins Instant Eye Make Up Remover - In short, the best product ever. It removes all traces of eye make up within seconds. This is my third bottle of this, and at £17.00 a go it is certainly not cheap, I have found that a bottle is lasting me just over three months. I adore using this because I do not like to pull at the skin around my eyes, and before I discovered this I found it really difficult to remove eye make up, particularly certain mascaras etc. I only use a small amount on a cotton pad, give it a swipe across my eye and the job is done!

Clarins Cleansing Milk - I got a couple of samples of this before I took the plunge and bought the full size. I think it cost around £22.00. It has the nicest, creamiest consistency while still being light. It has a nice but not overpowering scent, kind of smells like Johnstons baby shampoo! I have used other cleansers before but never one as nice as this. I hate using a cleanser and it "disappears" into your skin, I like giving it a good old massage over my face and being able to wipe it all off with a cotton pad.

Lancome Tonique Douceur - I am not really into toners to be honest, I don't particularly think they are of much benefit but what do I know! I got this little one as a sample and have been using it after cleansing since Christmas. It is quite nice to use for removing any excess makeup left after cleansing, and your skin does feel energised and fresh afterwards. But I could take or leave this step to be honest.

Lancome Advanced Genefique - Another one that I could take or leave. I have been using this little sample just for the sake of using it! It is a very nice serum to use, but I don't think it's doing anything for me. Perhaps I am not quite the age for using serums like this, but I might as well give it a try!

Clarins Eye Contour Balm - I have been using this religiously every night since I got it at Christmas! I got a little freaked out about getting wrinkles around my eyes so went straight out and bought this. I figured that Clarins wouldn't let me down, since I love other skincare products of theirs. It comes in a tube with a little nozzle, and you only need a tiny dot of the product for both eyes. It does come in gel form too but I went for the balm as it is more like a moisturiser. I haven't really noticed a major difference, though my underyes do look a little brighter than before.

Nuxe Creme Fraiche Moisturiser - This I have just fallen in love with. I have tried a couple of Clarins moisturisers but none that I would really write home about. I chose this one by Nuxe and oh my goodness, it is so good! It is kind of thick and creamy but not greasy. It feels (and smells) so luxurious and it feels absolutely amazing on your skin! This would be very good if you had dry skin. My skin is kind of normal, but I love using it and without a doubt, it's the best moisturiser I've ever tried!


After a good few months of upping my skincare routine, I have to say I am happier than I have ever been with myself and I would be confident enough to go make-up free. I cannot believe the difference it has made. No more make up wipes for me!

My New Skincare Routine - featuring Clarins

I am a low maintenance kind of girl. Truth be told, I didn't have much of a skincare routine before. So long as my make up was taken off and some kind of moisturiser was applied! But lately, I don't know if it is because I will soon turn the big quarter-century in a couple of weeks, but I have noticed my skin starting to not look in very good shape and I have been feeling completely paranoid about it. I especially hate my under-eye area.

Anyways, a quick trip to the Clarins counter and this is what I came out with....

I wanted the Clarins eye make up remover as I really need something gentle to remove eye make up so as I'm not rubbing the skin around there too much. I got a sample of the Lancome eye make up remover which is more or less the same as this. In fact I'd say the Clarins one is nicer. Just give it a little shake so the oil and water layers mix together, put a small amount on a cotton pad, and literally one swipe and your eye make up is gone. It is brilliant!

I asked the lady at the Clarins counter what would be the best cleanser for me. My skin is neither dry nor oily, but it is just kind of dull and lifeless. She recommended this One Step Cleanser with orange extract. Now I was a little apprehensive as I thought a water type cleanser would be drying on the skin, but she assured me it wouldn't. Similar to the eye make up remover, it has an oil and water layer so you give it a good shake and use it on cotton pads to remove your make up. The idea is that you don't have to do anything else, which is brilliant for me as I really can't be bothered with anything else! I soak a cotton pad with this, and go over my entire face until all my make up is gone. I will then dispense a tiny amount onto a second cotton pad just to go over my face again "just incase".

It does leave a kind of oily residue on your face, which I think is quite nice although I think some people would dislike it. It says on the bottle that there is no need to rinse this cleanser off, though. My skin honestly has never looked or felt better since I started using this cleanser!

So I needed a moisturiser and I already knew I wanted the Daily Energiser Cream! I really liked the sound of it! You can get this in a gel form too, but I thought the cream would be better for me. It's quite a luxurious cream, lovely citrusy scent and a great accompaniment to the One Step Cleanser. I really only use a tiny amount of this and massage it well into the skin.

So I have been using these products every night for two weeks. I have never spent this much money on skincare before! I really cannot get over the quality of them. I think Clarins may be my new favourite brand! So far so good, my skin is looking a little more radiant and regenerated - which is exactly what I wanted! The only thing I need now is the ultimate eye cream to tackle my eye bags!!

I also got a lovely Clarins bag with some samples in them - including the above skincare products so I now have a great range of stuff to try! Maybe I'll become addicted to skincare instead of make up! ha!