Clarins Colour Definition Fall 2011 Collection is all about the eyes, with new palettes, a black liquid eyeliner and mascara to create smokey and sultry looks. The rest of the face is kept soft and natural. Here are more details:

EYE QUARTET MINERAL PALETTES ($40.00)
Nudes: a mix of sophisticated cream and woods paired with shimmering coral.
Rosewoods: sheer chocolates and pinks for a casual chic looks.
Pastels: a palette of delicate neutrals, with a hint of cool mint, for a flirty eye.
Indigo: cool, smoky blues
Violet: a jewel-tone palette of shimmering lilac, plum and amethyst with a touch of pearly white.
Graphite: soft pink, silver, grey and charcoal shades to create the perfect smoky eye.

COLOR DEFINITION 3D RADIANCE FACE POWDER ($35.00)
The star of the collection, this gorgeous palette has a lightweight texture that melts into the skin for a naturally radiant complexion. The colour combination of beige, pink and peach gives the face a radiant boost.

INSTANT LIQUID EYELINER ($26.00)
An easy to apply liquid eyeliner that provides a longlasting line of color.

INSTANT DEFINITION MASCARA ($24.00)
This mascara promises to thicken lashes and last long. The revolutionary patented brush with elastomer bristles is said to reach even the shortest lashes.

JOLI ROUGE COLOR DEFINITION LIPSTICK ($24.00)
Available in Fig Brown and Grenadine.

ROUGE PRODIGE COLOR DEFINITION LIPSTICK ($24.00)
Available in Tender Rose, Subtle Rose, Natural Rose, Paradise Pink and Miami Pink.

What do you think of this collection?

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Name: Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover Lotion
Brand: Clarins
Size: 4.32 fl oz
Price: $26.00

From Clarins’ website:
Gently and thoroughly removes light to normal eye make-up. Does not sting even the most sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers. Revitalizes and refreshes eyelids and strengthens lashes.

What I liked:
- very gentle, doesn’t irritate nor sting eyes
- doesn’t leave an oily residue behind
- the packaging

What I didn’t like:
- takes a lot of effort to remove even normal, not-waterproof, not-longlasting makeup
- expensive

Maybe I’m asking too much, but if I have to fork out $26.00 for an eye makeup remover then I expect it to remove all traces of makeup (including waterproof mascara) in a pinch without irritating nor stinging my eyes, while leaving my skin soft and perhaps make me coffee too. Ok, maybe the coffee bit is asking too much, but a good makeup remover definitely has to remove makeup and Clarins Gentle Eye Make-Up remover Lotion, well… doesn’t.

Which makes me happy that I only purchased this product as part of a set at a discount price. But I’m disgressing. Clarins didn’t lie when they said this makeup remover is really gentle. Too gentle in fact, just as water. While I like that it doesn’t irritate nor sting eyes, it’s just too gentle to remove makeup. Now, if you are wearing natural eyeshadows without primer, this will probably work well.

But if you’re wearing eyeshadow on top of primer, regular mascara or any type of eyeliner, then it’ll take some time and a lot of effort to wipe everything off your eyes. The remover may not irritate your eyes, but all that wiping and tugging certainly isn’t good for the delicate eye area. And don’t even attempt to use it with longlasting cream eyeshadows or waterproof mascara. It just won’t work. At all.

All in all, I think this is a pretty useless makeup remover. I’m not too disappointed that it doesn’t remove waterproof makeup as it never promised to do that, but it doesn’t really work that much better with regular makeup either. It works only for those that wear eyeshadows without primers, mascara or eyeliners (and I don’t know anyone that does that) and even then, you can find much better options at a much cheaper price.

Available at: Clarins counters

Summary
Clarins Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover Lotion is the most gentle eye makeup remover I’ve ever come across. So gentle that it takes a lot of tugging and effort just to remove eyeshadow on top of primer, eyeliner and regular makeup. With longlasting and waterproof makeup it doesn’t work at all. It doesn’t irritate eyes nor leaves an oily residue behind, but what’s the point when the remover simply doesn’t work? And it is very expensive too!

Rating: 2/5

Ladies, I’m in love with Clarins Barocco collection for holiday 2010. Even though I don’t think any of the products are must-have I still want them all. Just look at the the stunning gold and black packaging. Doesn’t it look elegant and stylish? I can’t help but think how good the product would look on my vanity.

Let’s start with the eyes: the Eye Colour Trio ($40.00) features three sheer shades of gold, bronze and black shades to create beautiful holiday looks. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed after I saw swatches of the colors as I was hoping they would be more intense. But those that love just a wash of colors on the lids would appreciate this palette a lot more than me.

On your face, use the Face Palette ($55.00). It is a lightweight powder that contains two complementary shades (beige and pinky peach). If you like deep and rich colors, you’ll love Rouge Prodige Lipstick ($24.00). It’s a deep purple velvet with a shiny finish that lasts for hours. To complete the look, swipe the Gold Shimmer Powder for Face & Decollete ($35.00) on your body for a soft but sparkly gold glow.

What do you think of this collection?

Name: Toning Lotion with Iris
Brand: Clarins
Size: 200ml
Price: $20.00

From Clarins’s website:
A refreshing alcohol-free floral distillation in apple green which cleanses, purifies, moisturises and softens.

What I liked:
- keeps my oily t-zone shine-free for a few hours
- removes any traces of makeup left by your cleanser

What I didn’t like:
- I didn’t find it very soothing
- works just like any regular toner
- strong scent
- the price

Regular readers of my blog know that I don’t user toner. My skin seems to consider it an unnecessary step in my routine and doesn’t look any worse nor better if I don’t use it. But a while ago, Clarins released some kits containing a few of their most popular products at a bargain price and the one I chose had a travel-size bottle of the Toning Lotion with Iris, designed for Combination/oily skin, so I gave it a go.

The toner, packaged in a see-through bottle which is very handy as you can see how much product is left in it, is green in color. Yes, green. I had never seen a green toner before, but I think it looks cool. The scent, not so much. It’s kinda pleasant but unfortunately overpowering too which I dislike. But how does it perform?

Well, my skin is combination with an oily t-zone and I find that the toner keeps the shine at bay for a few hours, before those ugly shiny patches start appearing again. And if your cleanser doesn’t remove all traces of dirt and makeup from your face, this will finish the job off nicely. I found the toner gentle but not particularly soothing and does nothing that any other toner on the market won’t do for much less money.

The toner is alcohol-free (which simply means that it doesn’t contain Alcohol Denat), but it includes witch hazel which contains high levels of alcohol and tanning, which can both be very irritating. However, its concentration is not that high and it didn’t irritate my skin. But if yours is sensitive, this is something to take into consideration before purchasing. It also contains Retinyl Palmitate, a form of Vitamin A that has powerful antioxidant properties. Unfortunately its concentration in this toner is too small to provide any anti-aging benefit to the skin.

Overall, this is an average toner with a very expensive price tag. It works and does what it is supposed to do but so do lots of other toners that cost much less. I’d only recommend it to those with oily skin that need a toner with astringent properties and don’t mind splurging. And at least, there is enough in the bottle to last you a few months.

Available at: amazon.com and feelunique.com

Summary
Overall, Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris is an average but expensive toner. It keeps shine at bay for a few hours and removes all traces of makeup that may be left on your skin by your cleanser but don’t expect anything more than that. The scent is quite strong too.

Rating: 3/5

Name: Cleansing Milk with Gentian
Brand: Clarins
Size: 200ml
Price: €19,00

From Clarins’ website:
Natural Plant Extracts help to maintain the skin’s natural pH balance and protective cutaneous flora. Plus a combination of Gentian, Sage, Iris, Hawthorn, Guava and Vitamin E cleanse, decongest, reduce redness and oiliness and soothe.

What I liked:
- leaves skin soft
- cleanses skin well and removes most of the makeup
- doesn’t leave an oily residue behind
- doesn’t dry skin
- soft scent
- the packaging

What I didn’t like:
- doesn’t remove all makeup
- may be too rich for those with oily skin
- contains some ingredients that can be irritating
- pricey

I don’t really like spending lots of money for a cleanser and to be honest I’m not a big fan of Clarins skincare either (love their makeup range though), but lately the brand has released a travel size set containing a toner, an eye makeup remover and this Cleansing Milk with Gentian at a bargain price. So, I thought I’d give Clarings skincare another try and after a few weeks of use, here are my thoughts about this cleansing milk.

Texture and scent
Clarins Cleansing Milk with Gentian, targeted to those with combination to oily skin, is white in color and has a subtle scent that I find very pleasant. Its consistency is creamy and rich and I find the cleanser leaves my skin soft and smooth after I rinse the product off. However, I also feel that it is a tad too rich for my oily t-zone while on my dry cheeks, it worked very well.

Does it cleanse and remove makeup well?
Well, that depends. If you’re the type of girl that wears very minimal or mineral makeup, then this cleanser does a great job at removing everything quickly and efficiently while leaving your skin soft and smooth. But if you wear liquid foundation or heavy makeup, this alone won’t be enough. I had to use quite a lot of product to remove my foundation (YSL Teint Singulier Sheer Powdercreme Veil Foundation in case you’re wondering) and then I applied toner with a cotton pad to see if any traces of makeup were still on my skin.

And yes, the cotton pad got dirty as some of my foundation was still on! I’ve since stopped using this to remove makeup as it I’d have to use too much of it so that it would run out quickly. So now I’m only using it in the morning to cleanse my face when I get up and that it does well. It is also easy to rinse off, doesn’t leave a residue behind and doesn’t dry skin either.

Let’s talk about the ingredients
Clarins claims this Cleansing Milk contains the finest natural ingredients to benefit skin but most of the ingredients in this are synthetic and the natural ones aren’t as good as Clarins claims. The cleanser contains Gentian, which has anti-inflammatory properties, but in very small quantities so it won’t do much. What is present in high quantities instead is Sage, which has antioxidant properties. However, Sage alss contains camphor and phenol, which can both be irritating for the skin.

I was also surprised to see that Fragrance is listed quite high on the ingredient list which means there probably is too much of it and that could cause irritations as well. Of course just because a product contain ingredients that can cause irritation, it doesn’t mean they will. My skin for example doesn’t get irritated easily so I didn’t experience this side effect but if yours is sensitive then I wouldn’t recommend this to you.

But overall, I think this cleanser is poorly formulated. I mean, there are lots of other ingredients out there that offer the same antioxidants properties of Sage but without the potential side effects, and as for the fragrance, well, there really is no need for such a high amount in any skincare product. If the cleanser works for you and doesn’t irritate your skin, there’s no reason not to use it, but for the price and from a brand famous for its skincare products, I was expecting a better formula to be honest.

Available at: Clarins.com, Feelunique.com, Amazon.com

Summary
Overall, Clarins Cleansing Milk with Gentian is an average cleanser with a high price tag. If you have normal or combination skin that isn’t too oily, don’t mind the price tag and wear minimal makeup, I think you will like this as it will clean your skin well while leaving it soft. It doesn’t leave a residue behind and it doesn’t dry skin either. However, if you wear heavier makeup this cleanser won’t remove it all and it may also be too rich for those with oily skin. In addition, it contains some ingredients that could potentially irritate your skin, especially if it sensitive.

Rating: 3.5/5

Hello everyone,

TGIF! I don’t know about you, but it’s been a tiring week here and I can’t wait to relax and have some fun this weekend! In other news, the look I’m showing you today is simple and bright. I hadn’t used blues in a while, so I thought it was about time to play with them again and decided to pair them with a beautiful and bright yellow. I think the result is very summery, and you?

Products used:
– Senna Totally Transforming Eyeshadow Primer
– Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy
– Sleek Curious eyeshadow palette (light blue, aqua and white)
– BFTE eyeshadow in Blueberry
– BFTE eyeshadow in Lemon
– Sleek I-Divine Original Eyeshadow Palette
– Clarins Crayon Yeux in Silver Flash
– Collistar Infinito mascara
– YSL Teint Singulier Sheer Powdercreme Veil Foundation
– Max Factor Erace Concealer
– Formula D The Ultimate Powder vegan face powder and primer
– Formula D blush in Flushed
– Senna Spot Lites Highlighting Pencil
– Barry M Lip Gloss Wands in Bubblegum Pink

Directions:
– Apply an eyeshadow primer (I used Senna Totally Transforming Eyeshadow Primer) all over the lid to create a base for the shades to adhere to and last longer.
– Apply Fyrinnae’s Pixie Epoxy (if you don’t have, you can skip this step) on the lid to make the colors brighter.
– Apply a light but bright blue shade (I used the one in the Sleek Curious palette) on the lid, but avoid the inner part (nearest the nose). We’re going to use another shade there.
– Sweep an aqua shade (I used the one in the Sleek Curious palette) on the outer V.
– Sweep a medium bright blue shade (I used Beauty From The Earth eyeshadow in Blueberry) on the crease and blend.
– Apply a white shade (I used the one in the Sleek Curious palette) on the browbone to highlight.
– Apply a bright yellow shade (I used Lemon from Beauty From The Earth) in the inner corner on the eye and blend it where it meets with the blue.
– Sweep a dark blue shade (I used the one in the Sleek Original palette) on the lower lashline.
– Line your upper lid with a soft silver pencil eyeliner (I used Clarins Crayon Yeux in Silver Flash) and finish off with mascara.
– On your face, apply concealer (I used Max Factor Erace Concealer) to cover dark circles and any other imperfection you may have, and then your usual foundation (I used YSL Teint Singulier Sheer Powdercreme Veil Foundation in no.5).
– Sweep a pinkish apricot blush (I used Formula D mineral blush in Flushed) on the cheeks and and highlight the cheekbones, middle of the nose and chin with a subtle white highlighter (I used Senna Spot Lites Highlighting Pencil). Set everything with powder (I used Formula D The Ultimate Powder vegan face powder and primer).
– Apply a bright, semi-opaque pink gloss on your lips (I used Barry M Lip Gloss Wands in Bubblegum Pink).

If you like summer collections, with their brown, bronze and copper shades for a natural and glowing look that will enhance your tan, then you’re gonna love Clarins Instant Sun Light. The star of this collection is, undoubtedly, the eyeshadow palette and even though I’m not into neutral shade, I still find the design and pattern very pretty. What do you think about this collection? Here’s more details:

INSTANT SUN LIGHT PALETTE YEUX 4 OMBRES & LINER (€ 39,25)
Decorated with a gold star anise flower, the palette contains four eyeshadow shades (pearly ginger, iridescent cinnamon, matte cocoa and sparkling paprika) and one eyeliner (metallic nutmeg) to create some wearable, summery looks. Also included are an eyeliner brush and a double-ended eyeshadow brush.

CRAYON YEUX WATERPROOF PENCIL (€ 14,75)
This soft, waterproof pencil deliver intense color and long-lasting staying power. Available in 4 shades: black, bronze, violet and turquoise.

WONDER WATERPROOF MASCARA (€ 23,75)
Available in violet.

LISSE MINUTE ENLUMINEUR COMPACT (€33,00)
This silky and lightweight, this highlighter evens out the skin tone, making it glow too. Available in 01 Natural and 02 Bronze.

INSTANT SUN LIGHT CLICK & GLOSS SPF6 (€18,00)
Available in 01 Vanilla, 02 Coral, 03 Cinnamon.

LISSE MINUTE CRISTAL LIP BALM(€ 20,75)
Available in 01 Crystal Coral, 02 Crystal, 03 Crystal Red. Definitely pricey, but aren’t they cute?

FIX’ MAKE-UP (€ 26,00)
This refreshing mists sets makeup and helps it last longer, but giving your skin a feeling of freshness.

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Hello everyone,

I hope you are all having a very nice Wednesday. Today I wanted to show you a look I did a couple of weeks ago (I’ve only just got round to cropping the pix, I’m so lazy, I know!) with colors that reminded me of the winter season.

The look turned out to be slightly colorful and soft. I’m not sure what I think about it. I don’t love it but I don’t hate it either. I think it’s time to start using my beloved bright shades again but in the meantime, here’s the look:

Products used:
– Urban Decay Primer Potion
– Pupa Beauty Bijou Palette (pale pink, dark lilac)
– Barry M Dazzle Dust #15 Aqua
– Sleek Original palette (bright purple + dark blue)
– Clarins Crayon Yeux in Silver Flash
– L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion mascara
– Max Factor Masterpiece Max Mascara

Directions:
– Apply UDPP all over lid as a base.
– Sweep a pale pink shade (I used the one in Pupa Beauty Bijou palette) on the browbone to highlight.
– Apply a dark lilac shade (I used the one in Pupa Beauty Bijou palette) on the inner lid and inner crease of the eye. With MAC 219 pencil brush, I applied some on the inner lower lashline too.
– Apply a aqua shade (I used Barry M Dazzle Dust #15 in Aqua) on the outer lid and crease and blend where it meets with the lilac. With MAC 219 pencil brush, I applied some on the outer lowerlashline too. Blend again where it meets with the lilac.
– Apply a bright purple shade (I used the one in the Sleek Original palette) on the crease just right above the aqua shade and blend well.
– Darken the outer corner with a dark blue shade (I used the one in the Sleek Original palette). Apply some on the very outer corner of the lower lashline too and blend.
– Apply a silver pencil eyeliner (I used Clarins Crayon Yeux in Silver Flesh) on the upper lid.
– Finish off with mascara.