A combination of being in Florida with the extreme heat (in comparison to Scotland), air conditioning and two long haul flights my normally oily skin has become dehydrated and dry to the touch. Normally I would bemoan such situation but in this instance it is almost (and I say almost as no-one really wants dried out skin) a blessing in disguise as it has allowed me to trial Clairns newest foundation and give results for both oily and dry skin!
The newest offering from Clarins is part of the Extra Comfort range and is best described as an anti-ageing product that aims to replenish and illuminate the skin in one quick step. The packaging is more luxe than your typical Clarins foundation and comes presented within a frosted glass screw top jar which is rather bulky and not at all ideal for traveling or lugging around on a daily basis. Should you fall in love with this formula I suggest purchasing a small plastic jar and de-potting a little product for on the go usage. Having said that at least with it being a jar you can reach in and scrape out every little morsel of product and you also have more control over the amount of product you use daily.
I have used my mole as a reference to show how well the foundation covers - the above image is one light layer.
Clarins Extra Comfort Foundation will be available in nine shades ranging from very light to deep so there should be a fitting colour choice for most. For reference I wear NC35/37 in MAC foundation and find that when it comes to Clarins foundation 109 Wheat suits my skin tone best. This time around I was gifted the shade 108 Sand which is a smidgen too light for my complexion but from what I can gauge would suit light medium skin tones with a yellow undertone, basically anyone around an NC30 in MAC products may find this to be a good match. I would deem this foundation to have a medium coverage level, it will level out the skin tone, cover small imperfections such as light scarring, blemishes and redness without feeling heavy on the skin. However you can build the coverage level up should you wish without it turning cakey. The finish of Clarins Extra Comfort Foundation is dewy with a slight glow that gives the impression of light within skin - much like a skin illuminator without any traces of glitter or shimmer, it really is a beautiful healthy finish.
If like myself you are over the BB/CC Cream craze but do wish more skin bases offered both coverage and skin care elements within the product your wishes may just have been answered. The Extra Comfort Foundation offers up to 14 hours of hydration due to the addition of Brown Algae extract and Acacia gum which not locks in moisture but acts as a reservoir ensuring doses of hydration is releases throughout the course of wear at a steady pace. Combine those ingredients with Organic Argan Oil and you have one truly nourishing formula that even the driest of skins can enjoy free from worry of foundation caking or gathering into dry areas. Adding to the skin care benefits of this base is the fact that it contains 100% natural mineral filters to shield the skin from UV rays complete with an SPF 15. White Tea extract and Succory-dock have also been added to the mix to provide natural and effect daily protection from both environmental damage and pollution. Dare I say suck on that BB Creams?
Now for how it preforms! My oily skin didn't seem to enjoy this formula quite as much as how I had hoped, it tended to slide a little and due to all the extra hydration thanks to the likes of Argan Oil my skin did get greasy rather quickly. It terms of wear even when combined with a primer and set with a powder my oily skin had pretty much destroyed the overall effect four hours in and signs of excess sebum creeped in around the 3 hour mark. Summed up it overwhelmed my oily skin which is a shame as it does give beautiful coverage that looks entirely natural and didn't sink into my enlarged pores. However ever cloud has its silver lining and in this case it turns out to be the perfect base for drier skin types. Not only will this formula add a much needed boost of moisture to such complexions but it doesn't cling to any dry areas and help soothe the often tight sensation that dry skin can go hand in hand with. Recently I have noticed that my dehydrated skin looked dull and this foundation does also resolve that in one quick step. This time around the base stayed in place (again primed and set) for 8 hours with potential to last longer making it the perfect base for such skin types.
Clarins Extra Comfort Foundation* £35/30ml via Clarins which will launch on August the 5th.
* PR sample sent for consideration of review.
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I think this would work amazingly well on my dry skin, it looks really lovely and healthy!x
ReplyDeleteToo bad is it not the best option for my oily skin. xx
ReplyDelete// Inês Paúl //
oh dear this looks gorgeous. i have such a soft spot for clarins! thank you for the post! :)
ReplyDeletex mai-anne
http://maiannenotebook.blogspot.com.au
Such a shame that doesn't work well on oily skins.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope they'll launch and line for oily to combination skins soon because this seems a great foundation to use during the winter time :)
xx
http://analeote.blogspot.pt/