I'm just about back, although very very sketchily...
I'm just about back, although very very sketchily...
Member since:12.01.2004
Reviews:52
Members who trust:49
Following in the vein of Stevielad123, I approached Ciao to see if they would include the Clarins range of mens grooming products. They did, and this is the first review (Of probably a few) about the range of products they have for the modern, metrosexual male.
We all know that in the old days, men never used skin care products. They were far too manly for that, they were all about football and drinking beer and discussing how to fix cars. That's all changed now that we have hit the new Millenium. Advertising has led us to the idea that no one will sleep with
you, you won't be successful and you'll have no friends if you don't use our product. It has had such an effect that even The Pa, a coming up 60 year old Yorkshireman now discusses the merits of using the King Of Shavesshaving oil over his previous foam based product and then the nivea product he uses afterwards. These, my readers, are bloody scary times.
According to Wikipedia, and British Journalist Mark Simpson, "Metrosexuality is the trait of an urban man of any sexual orientation (usually heterosexual) who has a strong aesthetic sense and spends a great amount of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle."
Anyhow, I suppose that I have always been seen as a bit metrosexual; I love clothes shopping, utilise skin care products and can cook pretty well. The Blonde has done little to discourage me from this trait, and apparently sees it as "Cute". Oh well, it should come as no surprise that when trawling round the duty free shops at Gatwick airport on the way to Mexico in September that I should come across this product as part of a travel set comprising Shaving Gel, Moisturiser, De-Fatiguer, Eye Serum and this Active Face Wash. Priced at £44 it wasn't cheap, but this was a 20% saving and the products would last me a good 4 or 5 months. It was barely justifiable *grin*
The tube is simply designed, and fits in with the Clarins range of male products well. Simple plastic, tapered tube in white, with nice clear lettering, and a dark blue click close cap. The cap is sturdy (Nothing irritates me more when the cap breaks and you have to rely on the little plug to keep the lid on) and easy to open, even when wet. It's moved away nicely from the breed where you lose half a fingernail trying to open the damn thing because it is so tightly wedged on.
Onto the product... I was using this as part of a morning routine that involves exfoliating every 3rd day, shaving every other day and moisturising only after shaving (I find my skin goes greasy and feels very odd if I moisturise everyday). This product I used everyday however to keep my skin beautifully soft and taut.
I put literally 3 drops onto the palm of my hand and after pressing them together once to distribute the product onto both palms, lathered directly onto my face. This method was recommended to me by a female friend who told me that the active ingredients were wasted if you lathered the product on your hands and the action of you lathering the product on your face helps the skin stay firm and regenerated. I'm usually sceptical, but since she is very attractive, with great looking skin, I decided just to take her word for it. Plus, she spends about an hour each morning on her skincare routine, so she probably knows far better than I do!
The product lathered beautifully over my face, feeling gentle and smelling very pleasant. I would advise, however, that you do heed the warning not to get the product in your eyes, because it does sting like hell. Washing it off, my skin felt instantly more taut, almost like when you apply one of those firming creams, but since it tells you that the product is designed to do that, I can only be impressed that it does it instantly.
The tube lasted me an almighty 8 weeks of everyday use, so as part of the set (Of which I still haven't finished any of the other products, although the moisturiser is starting to run down a little) it lasted fantastically. I haven't got round to buying any more, and Christmas, not yielding this, but several others (Stevielad123 seems to have beaten me to most of them though!) I haven't needed to buy it. But I will be, most definitely.
I'm not going to bother listing the ingredients on here, they don't really mean anything, although I wouldn't be convinced of this for someone with sensitive skin, it does seem to have quite a chemical effect on the face in it's tightening action.
Overall, a great product. Does what it is meant to do. Is a little pricey, but I feel that it is well worth it for todays metrosexual male.
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