The Clarins Hydra-Essentiel skincare collection is a fantastic line of products that really fill a gap in the market, as the whole range is designed to treat dehydrated skin. With that in mind, the serum helps aid general hydration for every skin type, which you then follow with one of the Hydra-Essentiel moisturisers that’s designed for your particular skin type and needs. With that in mind, there are five moisturisers that work in harmony with the serum, each of which provides a different level of hydration and will meet the needs of every skin type running from combination right through to the very dry. I’m not sure why the oily skin type hasn’t been included since this is one type that often struggles with dehydration, but I would presume that the Cooling Gel is the one best suited to oily skin.
The Hydra-Essentiel Cooling Gel is a very lightweight gel that feels cooling and soothing on the skin, hence the name. I’ll say straight away that this didn’t really work for me at all, mostly because my skin is such a blimin’ nightmare to balance and hydrate, and this gel would be much better suited to those who are very oily and aren’t prone to skin that feels very dry. Having said that, I think this will really come into its own during the Summer months, so I’m holding on to it with that in mind. It’s £36 here – link.
Whilst the Cooling Gel was a bit of a bust for me, the Hydra-Essentiel Bi-Phase Serum was a whole other story, having quickly jumped into my everyday use kit thanks to it’s ability to hydrate in an extremely lightweight formula. As someone with a multitude of issues, I need products that can layer well so I can treat the various problems without worry of too much interaction or build-up with each additional layer, and the Bi-Phase Serum feels like it was born to be layered – I actually use it as a buffer underneath some pretty powerful spot-treatments and it does a great job at holding its own and adding just enough hydration without leaving my skin feeling flooded. This is almost water-like in consistency, so it feels a bit like an essence more than a serum, which is just another plus on the long list. It isn’t the cheapest at £44, but a couple of pumps are all you need and having used it twice a day for quite some time, I’m only about a third into it. Find it here – link.
*PR Samples
