Clarins Face Cleansing & Exfoliating Care Gentle Refiner

...is 'doux Gommage Polissant', aka Clarins Paris Gentle Exfoliating Refiner', or translated loosely, this means 'soft polisher'! In reality it is a facial exfoliator.

~~Price, Brand
I was lulled into buying a tube after a promotional offer, which included a facial massage in a Clarins salon. The women's glossies sometimes offer a deal, where you can redeem the £15 price of a facial against the purchase of any of their products. ...
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Clarins now have branches or franchises in several department chain stores, including John Lewis and Debenhams. I went to the John Lewis flag store branch in Sloane Square, London (not as posh as it sounds) but there are outlets across the UK.

The white plastic tube holds 50 ml (1.7 oz), and looks quite distinctive with Clarins' trademarke redlettering and gilt trim around the lid.

~~ Is it Any Good?
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The full name (in french) of this product is 'doux Gommage Polissant', aka Clarins Paris Gentle Exfoliating Refiner', or translated loosely, this means 'soft polisher'! In reality it is a facial exfoliator.

~~Price, Brand
I was lulled into buying a tube after a promotional offer, which included a facial massage in a Clarins salon. The women's glossies sometimes offer a deal, where you can redeem the £15 price of a facial against the purchase of any of their products. Since Clarins manufacture a wide range of products, including this exfoliating 'refiner' and face creams, it can be good value.

Clarins now have branches or franchises in several department chain stores, including John Lewis and Debenhams. I went to the John Lewis flag store branch in Sloane Square, London (not as posh as it sounds) but there are outlets across the UK.

The white plastic tube holds 50 ml (1.7 oz), and looks quite distinctive with Clarins' trademarke redlettering and gilt trim around the lid.

~~ Is it Any Good?
Up until I went for the facial I had not been using an exfoliator on a regular basis (tut tut). The wonderfully gentle and very knowledgeable lady beautician explained to me the golden rule of cleansing, toning and moisturising. She recommended I exfoliate at least once a week. This is to get rid of dead skin cells and, especially in the winter, allow the moisturiser to work more effectively.

~~ Instructions
I always thought that exfoliating would be harsh on starting-to-age skin, but the lady at Clarins assured me this one would be suitable. As I still get the odd spot and live in a city, it's nice to have a feeling of deep cleansing.

The closest I can get to describing the texture is a cream with very fine ground rice in it. It is a pale colour and even smells expensive, with a hint of something astringent about it.

The instructions state that you should apply it to damp skin, avoiding the eye contour area. Remove without rubbing and rinse in warm water.

As instructed, I did not rub it into the skin, and took care to remove it gently afterwards. I just spread it over the chin, nose and forehead in particular, then wash it off. Neither did I leave it on for long, as you would a face pack. Afterwards, I definitely noticed a difference, which lasted for about 5 days.

~~Verdict
I am still not exactly sure what a 'refiner' is, although it was vrey luxuriant to sample. Although it is quite expensive, you do not have to use much of it each time - a few tiny blobs are all you need. For this reason, I am rating it as 'Good' value for money, because although expensive,it does last a long time. I have been using mine for over a year.

As long as I stuck to the instructions, it was a lovely experience. One time, I left it on for too long, and it made my skin quite dry. It works best after a shower, when the pores are already open. It definitely left my skin smoother, and more glowing!

The main drawback is the price, so I regard it as a treat, not for everyday use.
 

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