‘Shoulda trust my gut and not the sugary-sweet sales talk. I was looking for a pore reducer/filler to replace Clinique. If you don’t know yet, I have open pores, no thanks to genetically-linked greasy face and acne scarring which date back to jurassic years. I have read good reviews about Clarins Lisse Minute Smoothing Base (sold in red jar) so that’s what I have in mind when I visited my local Nordy’s. Long story short, I was swayed to try this because “it’s better than the one sold in jar because it has more skin benefits” as advised by the lady in red (Clarins associate).
What is Clarins Instant Smooth Line Correcting Concentrate ($32.50)? it’s a “magic makeup base” (as printed in the box) which is rich in dermaxyl, a line-correcting peptide that can be applied directly onto lines, wrinkles and enlarged pores throughout the day. It’s non-comedogenic and allergy-tested.
Ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Dimethycone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, hydrogenated oil, Vinyl dimethicone/methicone silsesquioxane crosspolymer, Silica, C12-15 Alkyl benzoate, Pentaerythrityl tetraisoearate, Distear-dimonium hectorite, Tribehenin, Tocopheryl acetate, Ceramide 2, Silica dimethyl silylate, Acacia senegal gum, Butylene glycol, Caprylyl glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene glycol, Triethoxycaprylysilane, palmitoyl oligopeptide, Cl 77891/ titanium dioxide, Cl 77019/mica, Cl 77491/ iron oxides.
Why a fail then?
Clarins is known for using plant extracts in most of its products. In fact, that’s their niche in the cosmetics industry. If you look at the ingredients above, I’ve only spotted one: acacia senegal gum, which is no.13 on the list (oh Mr Researcher, we forgot the plant so let’s add one! *smh*).
Reading further, there is nothing unique in the ingredients that makes it the “magic” corrector. Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene glycol, Dimethicone crosspolymer are common concoctions in a makeup primer- they blur pores and lines.
Finally, it didn’t really do much to my pores. I tried both ways- under and over makeup and it just didn’t blur or fill in the pores. I had wayyy better results with MDSolarSciences, a tinted gel sunscreen that works like a primer (and it has dimethicone too). I can’t evaluate it in the wrinkle category as I don’t have serious issues with it yet (whoa! oily skin delays wrinkles, the only thing I lurve with this nasty grease!)
So the moral of the story was…. when it sounds too good, it probably isn’t. I know I can return it but that means driving all the way to downtown, get mighty pissed with Hawaii traffic, and go on an unplanned shopping splurge. Oh well charge it to experience then.
Have you tried this yet?
Kathryne
Oh my gosh I love it when products say "magic" on the packaging, too funny! Have you seen the new L'Oreal Miracle Blur? I was looking at it at Walmart today. They are calling it the 30 second miracle. It sounds an awful lot like the MST Vanish that I love so much!
proof that even if we blog about beauty-stuff and should've known better, we still fall for "magic" promise LOL
Thanks for your honesty sweetie!! I've heard more cons(literally)than pros with this product
you're very much welcome. yeah skip this product. thanks for stopping by.xo
Hey, the pot is SOOOOO much better! I don't understand why the lady switched you onto the pen, because it is a lot more emollient, which means it will slick a lot more. not good for people who want to cover enlarged pores. I have large pore central around my nose area and cheeks, I use the pot version because it's thicker right before i put on Foundation. Hides those suckers all day. Perhaps you should get a sample of that? I don't know. I love my Clarins Instant Smooth in a pot.