Classical music manager and violinist. See NEW homepage for details! Have been "away" - w...
Classical music manager and violinist. See NEW homepage for details! Have been "away" - will be back writing soon and try to catch up a bit!!! STILL practising solo Bach.
Member since:15.07.2007
Reviews:43
Members who trust:29
Background:
Since childhood I have always had very sensitive skin - to the extent that even now I still can't wear pure wool directly against it or I'll quickly come out in a ghastly red rash which itches like hell. It really is a pain as it does mean I have to be incredibly careful about what make-up or perfumes I use just in case they make my skin react badly. Sometimes a product which is fragrance free and marketed as "for sensitive skins" will have a bad effect, while another which is perfumed might turn out absolutely fine. As a result I tend to stick to body and face products which I've tried, tested and proven to be reaction-free.
While living in Vienna, I noticed that quite a few of my friends had Clarins products on their bathroom shelves and not having encountered the brand before, I asked them their opinions. One of my best friends has very fair skin, being a red-head and she also has problems with sensitivity - so when she explained how Clarins used high quality ingredients with a more than above average percentage of natural plant extracts and that she'd never had any bad experiences with them - I decided to give the brand a go.
The Beauty Flash Balm was not the first product that I tried, but
having had success with various Clarins cleansers, toners and moisturisers without any bad reactions from my skin, I was looking for something which would brighten up my skin after one too many late nights or lack of sleep. Of course there is no substitute for 8 hours sleep, but sometimes we do need a little help to make up for our excesses! This seemed a good option to try.
The Product and its claims:
The main statement made by Clarins is that this is "the ideal beauty pick-me-up to erase signs of fatigue and/or stress". Phew, it is going to have a lot to work on with me... The info goes on to say that it will tighten facial features and give a more radiant complexion as well as minimise fine lines and wrinkles. The balm is described as being rich, non-oily and lightweight.
Whilst some information is given on the leaflet with the balm, you can get more details about the active ingredients from their wbsite at http://uk.clarins.com
Ingredients: Algae extract is used to promote a "pick me up" effect and deal with the wrinkles. Olive extract provides a moisturising function and apparently also has healing and toning benefits on skin, I was quite surprised to see rice mentioned as an ingredient, and to learn that rice starch is used to assist with absorption and coverage of products as well as providing a matte skin finish. Bisabolol is an anti-irritant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial The final main ingredient is witch hazel which is a classic astringent and good for strengthening the veins underneath the skin.
Packaging and Use:
I've always been a fan of Clarins' distinctive red and white packaging with discreet gold detail. It is simple, neat to look at in the bathroom/on the dressing table and there's no "fussiness" about it. This product comes in a small cardboard box (recycling no problem) containing the tube of cream as well as the helpful leaflet mentioned above with more details on the cream and its contents and application instructions. There is also another leaflet containing a questionnaire from Clarins so you can provide them with feedback on your opinion of the product - something which I think is a great idea.
The tube itself is fairly small - since it only contains 50ml or 1.7ounces of cream. Given Clarins' continental base it isn't surprising that the name of the cream appears in French larger than it does in English - I rather like this as it just feels a bit more cosmopolitan than your average everyday British or American stuff!
Instructions for use are on the tube and quite specific that you only need to apply a thin layer and that you shouldn't rub the product in (that will reduce the effect it has...) but instead use gentle sweeping movements. You should then add make up immediately. However, on the leaflet there is MORE info, which would have been helpful to have on the tube, saying that if you've got dry skin, you can apply your moisturizer before using the balm...
Alternatively, if you want a more intensive treatment, you can use the balm as a facemask for "energising and soothing" - just apply a thick layer after cleansing and leave for 10-15 minutes, then remove any excess with a tissue. Once again the specific instructions are split between the leaflet and the tube, which is a bit annoying because it is easy to lose the leaflet or not bother to read it thinking all the details are on the tube.
Impressions on the product:
The first thing that struck me is the luxurious rich feel of the balm on my fingertips and the absolutely gorgeous fragrance. I've been battling to describe it - I think it is sort of like camelias or magnolias, quite a rich scent, but it disappears pretty quickly and doesn't clash with any perfume you might wear. The balm is a light cream colour and I soon developed my own application technique of dotting a little here and there over my face and then sweeping it overquickly with my fingertips to ensure coverage without rubbing in! A little goes a long way.
Immediate impressions after application were that my skin looked fresh and rosy-cheeked, and definitely had a peachy radiance to it without appearing greasy. i felt a distinct tautening feeling all over my face, not unpleasant and my skin felt tingly like when you splash cold water over it, but there was no irritation or redness, in fact it seemed to reduce some red blemishes. However, I didn't notice any reduction in wrinkle appearance. The big difference from using this balm came when I applied my nomal Maybelline foundation. The coverage was much better than normal, and my complexion just looked so much fresher, livelier and even all over. I was really impressed with how the radiance produced by the balm was still obvious after applying my foundation.
I've done a bit of experimentation and found that if I'm applying the balm first thing in the morning, I definitely DO need to apply moisturizer first or my skin tends to dry out a lot by the end of the day and the balm doesn't contain any sun protection either. But if I'm going out in the evening and wanting a boost to my face, then a shower followed by applying the balm and then my foundation works really well - especially as the balm helps my foundation stay matte for longer, another big advantage.
One disadvantage I noticed is that if you don't apply your make up straight away after applying the balm, it seems to dry up and crumble leaving bits all over your skin. It doesn't mention this potential problem anywhere on the info apart from saying to apply make up immediately...
Conclusions:
I really was impressed with the results of this product. It does make my complexion look more radiant and really works a treat in combination with my foundation. I like the tightening sensation it gives but apart from maybe a smoother more even feel to my skin, I can't honestly say that I've noticed any reduction in lines or wrinkles. Having used the product as a mask, I also have to say that I didn't really see any difference afterwards than from using it as normal... though it felt very relaxing and soothing. But the overall freshening and pick-me-up effects are obvious and I'll definitely keep using this product for specific occasions when I want that radiant effect. Unfortunately due to the price (I paid around £20 at Duty Free in Heathrow,) it will have to be used sparingly, though you don't need much at a time so a tube should last a while.
I do recommend keeping an eye out on Clarins beauty counters as they have frequent special offers where you can get testers, or buy 2 products at full price and get a selection of smaller sized items free.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Spend over £25 and get a free £25 cosmetics pack and free delivery. Clarins top seller! ... more
Look no further if you want to give your appearance an instant boost. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm has become a bestseller purely on this basis and it's a well-earned...
Postage & Packaging: £1.95 Availability: 5 - 14 working days
Advantages: Achieves a healthy glow. Disadvantages: Not a significant healthy glow.
L0BSTER_QUADRILLE 01.10.2005 (01.10.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
Advantages: An instant 'pick-me-up and refresher for fatigued skin. Disadvantages: There is a real knack to applying this.
Morning_Becomes_Electra 30.01.2008 (30.01.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
Advantages: Keeps make-up looking fresh all day or night, perfect for brightening up tired skin. Disadvantages: Quite pricey at £18, not for everyday use.
SAMELLIS21 14.04.2002 (05.11.2002)
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Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
Advantages: Keeps make-up looking fresh all day or night, perfect for brightening up tired skin. Disadvantages: Quite pricey at £18, not for everyday use.
SAMELLIS21 14.04.2002 (05.11.2002)
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Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
Advantages: It has a great consistency that should suit anyone and takes years off your face. Disadvantages: some people hate the smell - but I love it!
Feb 14th, 2008
exceptional by (25%):
very helpful by (75%):
