Clarins Eau Ressourcante Moisturizing Body Lotion

...said, wafting a bottle of Clarins Eau Ressourcante shower milk under my nose. I was shocked. Gym? Clearly she did not know me very well! However, the smell of Eau Ressourcante made quite an impression on me and I thought that once my finances were healthier I would like to try out something from this Clarins range.

I had used a Clarins face moisturiser in the past and found the quality to be very good. But then the price seemed to ...
...every time I passed a Clarins counter. And finally, after a very busy spell at work, I felt justified in splashing out. We all need pampering sometimes don't we? Also I had some vouchers for Boots to put towards my purchase and when I'm spending vouchers it doesn't feel quite so bad as spending cash. What I decided to treat myself to was the Eau Ressourcante body lotion. The cost was £23.50 for 250ml. So, having spent over twenty quid on a body lotion ... more

Last December I was out Christmas shopping with a friend. As we wandered around the beauty counters in Debenhams we tried out perfumes and face creams as one does when on a girly shopping trip. "This is nice when you've been to the gym," my friend said, wafting a bottle of Clarins Eau Ressourcante shower milk under my nose. I was shocked. Gym? Clearly she did not know me very well! However, the smell of Eau Ressourcante made quite an impression on me and I thought that once my finances were healthier I would like to try out something from this Clarins range.

I had used a Clarins face moisturiser in the past and found the quality to be very good. But then the price seemed to rocket, I walked out of my job and any hope of affording premium skin-care products disappeared along with my career prospects! I managed to find cheaper brands that suited me just as well and I didn't miss my Clarins. But oh, that Eau Ressourcante. After that whiff of it in Debenhams, I couldn't forget the smell. For months I kept having a sneaky sniff every time I passed a Clarins counter. And finally, after a very busy spell at work, I felt justified in splashing out. We all need pampering sometimes don't we? Also I had some vouchers for Boots to put towards my purchase and when I'm spending vouchers it doesn't feel quite so bad as spending cash. What I decided to treat myself to was the Eau Ressourcante body lotion. The cost was £23.50 for 250ml. So, having spent over twenty quid on a body lotion for the first time in my life, was it worth it?

'Packaging'
With a premium product, you also get premium packaging. The bottle of body lotion comes inside a box. The box is nicely designed in turquoise and white. It has a simple, classic appearance with information in French and English. Delving into the box we find the white plastic bottle with turquoise writing, also very simple in design. There is a small leaflet included, containing details of other items in the Eau Ressourcante range and there is a customer questionnaire if you wish to complete it.

I like the packaging as I think it is attractive and stylish. However nowadays we are more conscious of how much packaging waste goes into landfill. As consumers I do think we should be asking why things are over-packaged and I wonder if it is really necessary for Clarins to put this bottle of body lotion inside a box. The leaflet and questionnaire are not vital as the details on them could appear elsewhere on the box or on the website. Of course you can put the box into the cardboard recycling bank if you have one locally, and eventually the plastic bottle can go into the one for plastic containers. But for the sake of the planet wouldn't it be better if we did not produce this excess box in the first place? This small quibble aside, I'll move onto what you really want to know about...

'The body lotion'
I unscrewed the top from the bottle and inhaled deeply. Aah! It was bliss. Even more heavenly than I remembered. It is a light, floral fragrance but not overly sweet. The Clarins website describes it as a 'woody floral'. Cedar is one of the essential oils used in this lotion which must be where that woodiness comes from. This smell of wood reminds me of being a child, opening a new tin of pencils and being excited about the possibility of creating fantastic pictures! But, back to the body lotion. Basil is another ingredient used in this. Apart from its culinary uses, basil is supposed to be useful for combatting mental fatigue and for toning the skin. Also present are extracts of iris, sarsparilla, hibiscus, robinia and longan. These are intended to soften the skin and replenish moisture, while the fragrant oils restore mental harmony and promote tranquility. I don't know whether it's a genuine result of this wonderful aroma, or whether it's the power of suggestion, but whenever I smell this lotion it does seem to have a relaxing effect on me.

The lotion is milky white and has quite a runny consistency so you don't need to squeeze the bottle hard to get the lotion out. The instructions say to apply the lotion 'with light, sweeping movements'. I found it went on very easily and was rapidly absorbed by the skin. There were no problems with any oily or greasy residues such as you get with some other products. As with all Clarins lotions and potions that I've tried, a little goes a long way. After using this particular product my skin has a noticeably silky texture and the fragrance lingers for hours. With some skin creams or lotions, a lingering scent can be annoying if it is too sickly. However that is definitely not the case with this one. When the lotion has been on the skin for a while the 'woody floral' scent becomes less obvious and a more musky scent takes over. It is quite a subtle smell and not at all overpowering or irritating. Another thing that I have observed is that the lotion appears to have a calming effect on my skin. When I first bought it I had a prickly heat rash on the inside of my arms which had persisted for some weeks. I used this Clarins lotion before I went to bed for a few nights, and the rash faded very quickly. It could be a coincidence, but personally I do think that the soothing properties of the ingredients had something to do with the improvement in my skin.

'Value For Money?'
At £23.50 I would need to have a major win on the Premium Bonds to afford this lotion for everyday use. If money were no object I would have no hesitation in making this lotion part of my daily routine as it is such a pleasure to use. I know that many people swear by the Clarins brand, and not without good reason. But for me, on my present budget, Clarins represents a bit of luxury. I want to make this bottle of lotion last as long as possible, so I save it as a treat at the end of a long day, or for when I am getting ready for a special occasion. For everyday use I have to look at cheaper ranges such as Nivea, Body Shop, Lush or Boots own make. I have found all of those brands of body moisturisers to be effective and economical.

What makes this Clarins one so special is the beautiful and lasting fragrance. If you like the smell of Eau Ressourcante I am sure you will love this. You have the benefit of the distinctive scent, but in a less intense way than with the perfume. You also get a lotion which really does smooth and calm the skin. Whether it is worth the money is really a subjective opinion, based on how much you like using the product. Despite the cost I think it is highly likely that I will buy this again. Also, to be fair, Clarins often have special offers on their counters and I have always found their staff to be helpful. When I bought this body lotion I was given free samples of three other Clarins items.

Yes, it's expensive. But I love it so much that I can only give it five stars.

For fans of Eau Ressourcante, the range includes:-

Fragrance 100ml £24.50
Bath and Shower Milk 150ml £15.50
Silky-smooth Body Cream 200ml £24.50
Deoderant 100ml £15

All prices are quoted from the Clarins website. For further information see:-

http://uk.clarins.com 

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