Clarins have a wide range of beauty products, this one comes from their range of bath and shower concentrates. They have 3 different products in this category, Tonic, Relax and Contour, each with their own unique properties. This review is on the Relax Bath and Shower Concentrate.

The product is said to relieve stress and fatigue and to aid relaxation after exercising. It has unique triple action properties. These are aromatic, treatment and foaming. When the product is added to warm water the aroma from the essential oils will fill the room and help general well-being. In addition to the aromatic benefits the essential oils give treatment benefits to the skin and make bathing more enjoyable. Finally the product has good bubbling/lathering properties which gently cleanse (it also neutralises the drying effects of hard water if you live in an area where this is a problem).

Instructions.
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When using the product as a shower gel Clarins recommends adding some on to a damp sponge. They recommend that the water in the bath or shower should be 37oC as "water which is too hot promotes skin slackening", then they advise you to finish with a short cool shower to tone the skin. Personally I don't fancy a cold shower but each to their own.

Clarins products traditionally have lots of plant extracts and their Aroma-Phyto-Beauty range are no exception. They have lots of lovely smelling plant essential oils, I will try and summarise them and their properties.

Bitter orange - Also known as petit grain has a wonderful fragrance but also has revitalising and antiseptic properties.

Geranium - This common garden flower has essential oils which have been often used for their soothing and astringent properties.

Horse Chestnut tree - Parts of the tree have been used for treating blood circulation disorders whilst other parts have been found to give the skin extra radiance.

St John's Wort - Recent studies have shown that this plant has anti-depressant properties however the oil is also known to have moisturizing effects.

This product has a very unique smell. Its really quite hard to describe, it's a combination of all of the above ingredients, its quite strong but I really like it. I think scents have such a strong effect on emotions and bringing back memories. For example there is a really unique smell in x-ray departments if you have never had an x-ray you won't know what I mean but recently I was in the x-ray department of the hospital I work in and the smell took me back to when I was younger and was ill and had to have several x-rays. Just one single smell reminded me of that. Well thankfully this product does not remind me of hospitals but it does remind me of the Clarins studio where I have had the pleasure of having several massages and facials and so when I smell this product I have happy memories of the massages and how relaxed I felt afterwards. Its a scent that is suitable for both male and female (my husband likes to use this too, unfortunately that means less for me!). I am sure not everyone would like the smell of this product so I think you would need to smell it before you bought it.

Well this as with all Clarins products is the downside. The bottle I have is 200ml and cost £13.50 from my department store although is slightly cheaper on the internet. Considering I usually buy my bubble baths and shower gels on a BOGOF offer and usually work out around £1-£2 a bottle then this is very expensive. In its defensive though it does mean only one bottle if you go on holiday rather than separate bubble bath and shower gel. Also you only need a small amount so it does last a long time.

I do love this product. The smell and the bubbles just help me relax and unwind after a long day. I know it is expensive and that's why I don't use it everyday. I save money on my usual bubble baths and shower gels by buying them on offer so then I don't feel so bad in treating myself to this Clarins bath and shower concentrate once in a while. It leaves your skin feeling clean, soft and even after you have dried you can still smell the wonderful scent.