Review: Clarins Instant Definition Mascara!

Clarins Instant Definition Mascara

This month Clarins launched a few new products, one of them being the Instant Definition Mascara to add to their permanent line of mascaras. Clarins may not be a brand you'd naturally think of when it comes to mascara, as they only have a few to choose from - all of which, don't have too many reviews. But, this mascara is definitely worth mentioning.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Naturally volumise and thicken your lashes with the Clarins Instant Definition Mascara, a nourishing formulation with an innovative brush. The creamy texture creates a highly resistant film along each and every lash for day-long wear that doesn't flake or smudge. The barrel shape of the brush ensures completely even coverage from root to tip, and densely packed bristles of the nylon fibre brush ensure glossy volume every time. The added bonus? An elastomer bristle tip that works to separate and define the tinier lashes for perfect lash precision. Lashes are thickened and restructured, with enviable body and shine thanks to an intense concentration of colour-rich pigments. The repairing formulation strengthens the lashes as it colours them, with mineral-rich red and brown algae extracts as well as glycoproteins to keep lashes in great shape. Opthamologist and dermatologist tested. Suitable for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.

Directions for use: Apply mascara along the whole length of lashes, from root to tip, with the fibre brush. With the elastomer brush, make up the smallest, shortest lashes at the inner and outer corner of eyes, including the bottom lashes. Separate lashes one by one and optimize distribution of the mascara.

On the US site, this mascara is available in one shade; 01 Intense Black. *EDIT: It's actually available in three (3) shades. Intensive Black, Intensive Brown and Intensive Blue.

The star of this mascara is the design of the brush. If you all liked the wand of Benefit's They're Real Mascara because of the little bristles at the tip of the wand, you'll really like this wand. It's your standard bristle wand, not too large, not too small and towards the end of the wand, the bristles are very short. The design makes it a synch to get to those smaller lashes, especially in the corners of your eye and bottom lashes.

The packaging is also very nice. It's a pale gold, squared tube with a little groove on the handle of the wand, which makes a nice little grip for your thumb while applying the mascara. (seen in the first photo) It's also reflective, so if you happened to forget a mirror, you can use the tube. (BTW, Do any of you have a mirror app on your phone? I tried using my boyfriends and I just had to laugh. I think if the creators can't figure out how to somehow "morph" the phone into a real mirror, I don't think they should have a mirror app, period. I cannot see a dang thing in a face-forward, crappy pixelated camera.) I'm always a fan of pretty packaging (as long as the actual product delivers), especially gold packaging or detailing, so for all of you make-up snobs, it's something chic to have in your cosmetic bag. ;)

The mascara has a bit of a wet formula, so when I apply it after I've curled my lashes, I usually manage to get mascara on my eyelids. It is of course avoidable if you apply it with your head slightly tiled back, rather than applying it straight-on in the mirror. Usually when I apply the mascara, I rarely have to dip my brush back in for one eye. The end of the wand picks up enough product to evenly distribute across the lashes. Aside from the brush easily reaching the corners, I love that I can get real precise and apply the mascara directly to the base of my lashes. It's a great mascara for length and volume. It's easily buildable with the constant brushing of the lashes. It also doesn't clump my lashes together, which is always a plus. It also keeps my lashes nice and pliable (not crispy), so I can easily add another coat or comb through them later in the day.

Here are my lashes with one good coat.

Lastly, it doesn't flake throughout the day, and I've only noticed a teeny bit of transfer (smudges) under my eyes after several hours of wearing it. It only happened a couple of times though, and I think it was probably from not having my concealer properly set with powder. So I always make sure I set my under-eyes with a good amount of powder, and it doesn't transfer.

Overall, I really like this mascara and I'm going to continue using it on a daily basis. It's a little expensive at $24 a tube, so I'm not sure if I'd re-purchase it, but I'm happy with it's performance. 

Disclaimer: The product mentioned was sent to me for consideration. The opinions expressed in this post are all my own, from my personal experience with using this product.

Clarins Auto Bronzant Intense Self Bronzing Tint Review!

Clarins Auto Bronzant Intense Self Bronzing Tint

Ever since I started paying very close attention to the products I put on my face, and recognizing which products irritate my skin, I noticed that the SUN Labs Spray I was using, breaks me out. I've been using SUN Labs for the past 5 years with no problems, but when I used it recently and woke up to a few blemishes, I went on the search for a tanning product that won't irritate my face. I'm not sure if the current bottle I have of SUN Labs is a different formulation (or if it's old), because my bottle is paraben free, and when I search for SUN Labs, I'm finding bottles that contain parabens. There are also formulations that don't contain fragrance, and mine does. I'm going to have to look further into it. In the mean time, I came across Clarins self tanning products, which have very positive reviews.

I took a look at the ingredient list, and it's quite short in comparison to other brands of tanning products. A shorter list, is always a good thing (less chance of irritations).

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Alcohol, Dihydroxyacetone, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butylene Glycol PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Erythrulose, Fragrance, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, CI 15985/Yellow 6, CI 19140/Yellow 5, CI 17200/Red 33, CI 42090/Blue 1.

 Active Ingredients:

-Improved duo of DHA (now at 8%) and Erythrulose: Promotes a rich, tropical color.

-Vitamin E: Protects against harmful free radicals.

-Aloe Vera: Keeps skin soft and hydrated.

-Cocoa: Maintains radiance.

There are some ingredients that may be problematic to some, If you are sensitive to Fragrance in products on your face, this can possibly cause irritations, as Fragrance is listed pretty early on in the list. Castor Oil may bother some & it also contains Alcohol early on as well, some of you with dry skin may find it drying. So, moisturizing is key.

I was really excited to try this stuff out, and I tried it the same night I purchased it. The directions are to apply with a cotton pad over your regular moisturizer, avoiding your hair line. So, I went on with my regular skincare routine (cleanse, bha, moisturizer) and I put a little bit into my palm and smoothed it over my face. Then of course, washed my hands very well. The self tanner itself, is a golden brown liquid. It absorbs quickly with a light golden color guide. Nothing greasy, nothing frightening, so you can most likely get away with it during the day with a light coat. I love that this doesn't have the typical self tanner smell. It doesn't have a chemical scent, nor does it have the "cherry almond" scent of other popular self tanners. It's a very fresh scent, kind of hard to describe. I would describe it as the way my hair would smell after I left a salon that deep conditioned my hair. haha, that "salon product" scent.

The following morning after I've applied this, my face is tinted a light golden brown, with no irritations. In fact, I've been using it all week and haven't had one pimple. I've only used it over moisturizer, so I can't say how it works when it is absorbed into dry skin. I'm sure the tan would be deeper on dry skin, but you can also build the color within a few days. Color generally doesn't last long on my face. I would say this has average lasting power.. around 2-3 days. I do though, wash my face 2-3 times a day, which makes it fade faster.

I usually apply it, like mentioned, with my hands after I apply a moisturizer. I have also applied it with a clean, synthetic blush brush (natural bristles will stain) & a self tanning mitt. They all work fine. I haven't used a cotton pad, because I don't own them, but I prefer other methods, as cotton tends to soak up product and get on your fingers anyway - so why not just use your fingers to save product.

What I really love other than what I've mentioned is that you only need a very small amount of product. I literally put 3-4 drops in my palm and it gives me good color. For a deeper tan, I could of course use more, but I've been going a little but lighter lately (as some of you have noticed) with my self tan.

The price is $33 for 4.2oz, which some of you may find very expensive. Yes, it is expensive, but it is comparable to other higher end self tanners. For example, St Tropez Mousse is $30 for 4 oz. SUN Labs differs because you can find it all over the net for cheaper, but at ULTA an 8 oz bottle is around $37. So, SUN may be half the price.. but I think Clarins is a good investment (for me at least) and I believe it will last me a while. It's meant for your face and decollete (neckline), so it may not be something you'll use every day, and when you do use it, you'll be using small amounts.

Overall, very happy with this, and I'm very pleased to have found a product that will keep me golden, without the breakouts.

Have you tried this or other Clarins self tanning products? The only other Clarins self tanning product I've tried in the past was the Auto-Bronzant Special Visage Tinted Self Tanning Face Cream spf 15, which I didn't care for at all.