Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil


You know you are getting on a bit when your skin doesn't bounce back from a long haul flight quite like it used to. I kid I'm in my mid-twenties but my last flight really zapped my skin of moisture and took its toll, combine that with two weeks of constant icy cold air conditioning and my skin was the driest state it has ever been. As someone with a normally oily complexion I will hold my hands up and admit that I wasn't all that sure how to restore my skin. After little research it was suggested that I treat my skin as dehydrated rather than dry and treat it accordingly. 

I'm a huge advocate of facial oils, yes it took me an age to warm to them but once you find one that you can work with I'm afraid there is no turning back! A good starting place and firm favourite of mine is the Clarins Face Treatment Oil line - I regularly use the Lotus version when my skin is in it's regular state. Sadly there is no oil for normal skin as the collective has been formulated to re-balance skin but oily, dry and dehydrated skin types can find a perfect match amongst the trio. For the last three weeks or so I have been relying on Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil to amp up my moisture levels and I have to say so far so good.

I love that I can slap it on without worrying about the ingredients as it is constructed from 100% pure plant extracts which includes Rosewood (antibacterial, soothing as well as promoting elasticity), Patchouli (Anti-inflammatory, strengthens and enlivens skin cells) as well as the addition of Blue Orchid to tone the skin in a firmness sense, revitalise and restore radiance to moisture-depleted skin. The ingredient line up also includes Hazelnut Oil to help prevent moisture loss and the formation of fine lines. A pretty impressive line up non?

More importantly it actually works, this light oily pretty much restored my skin within a week ridding it of both excess oil and dryness as well as oddly making my pores seem less noticeable. I have no idea how or why this happened but hey I'm not complaining! Despite being an oil this does not feel heavy at all on the skin and as the skin type that should be using this treatment is lacking moisture it will absorb at lightening speed leaving behind no residue or tacky sensation. I used this after thoroughly cleansing my skin before bed time just after my eye cream but before applying a night cream. One dropper full of the oil was more than suffice for both my face and neck so you will get a good couple of months out of each bottle.

Anyone with dehydrated skin may confuse it with being regular oily skin when really it is just that the skin is so depleted of moisture that it is producing excess sebum to hydrate the skin. Once you restore the balance the excess oil will subside. Basically dehydrated skin in my experience (I'm no expert and I guess everyone's symptoms could well be different) is dry to the touch yet oily at the same time. Where as my typically oily skin is pretty soft generally speaking so if that sounds familiar this little bottle of Blue Orchid Face Oil may just have to sneak onto your shopping list!

Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil* £30/30ml via Clarins - link
* PR Sample sent for consideration of review.

Random Fact - Orchids are currently the most popular houseplant in the UK.