[CLARINS/ MY CLARINS] - RE-BOOST Refreshing Moisturizing Cream

Hi everyone, I hope you are doing well! Happy 2020~!!!

Today, I am going to continue to review the Clarins/My Clarins products I received from Chickadvisor in 2019.  It was provided complimentary in exchange for my honest opinion. So anything stated in this review is 100% my own opinion. If you would like to read the review on the RE-FRESH Hydrating Beauty Mist, you can read it here. 

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Source: https://www.clarins.ca/en/my-clarins/

Clarins was founded by Jacques Courtin-Clarins in 1954, in response to his customers requests to sell a massage oil that he has developed. The brand has since then become a high-end brand with offerings ranging from cosmetics and makeup to body care products to perfumes. It is widely seen at high-end department store counters in Canada, and selected pharmacies.

The brand continues the founder's motto of "Do more, do better, and enjoy doing so", in which led them to become world leader in cosmetics, skincare, make-up and fragrance. The Clarins group has its own Research and Development laboratories, and it takes roughly three years before a new product is developed.

You can read more about the brand's history and their values here and here.

FUNCTION

Source: https://www.clarins.ca/en/my-clarins/philosophy/

The My Clarins line is their newest line, which are targeted towards the 18-30 year olds, with more focus on being vegan friendly and consisting primarily of natural ingredients.

The RE-BOOST Refreshing Moisturizing cream is designed to be used as a morning cream, where it will give you a rosy glow all day long. It is to protect your skin from the external stressors and smooth out the skin textures by boosting the skin's hydration level.

I don't know. Maybe it's just me but I think that's asking a lot out of a moisturizing cream. It is also supposed to visibly tighten the pores, so how does it do it when its main purpose is to moisturize and hydrate the skin. I am just a bit confused about how much this cream is supposed to do.

PACKAGING 

The cream comes in a white glass jar with a red top. It has similar minimalist design as the beauty mist and I am okay with it since it fits the aesthetics of the age group they are targeting.

I don't believe it comes with a spatula, which I don't mind as I have no problem with digging my finger in there. I just recall what someone told me, unless you are doing something in between the steps, what makes your finger so dirty that it can't touch a cream that's going on your face, when you are going from one step to another. When we normally cleanse our hands when applying skincare anyways. It's just.. too much extra work for me personally. I always lose those spatulas and then have to wash them and put them away in a clean place so they don't get contaminated. Just too much work.

INGREDIENTS 

Ingredients List (IL): AQUA/WATER/EAU.GLYCERIN.CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE.BUTYLENE GLYCOL.HYDROXYETHYL ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE COPOLYMER.MICA.PRUNUS ARMENIACA (APRICOT) KERNEL OIL.COCOS NUCIFERA (COCONUT) FRUIT JUICE.PHENOXYETHANOL.DIMETHICONE.PROPYLENE GLYCOL.XYLITYLGLUCOSIDE.ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER.ANHYDROXYLITOL.ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN.PARFUM/FRAGRANCE.XYLITOL.SODIUM HYDROXIDE.TARTARIC ACID.DISODIUM EDTA.GLUCOSE.TAMARINDUS INDICA EXTRACT.MARRUBIUM VULGARE EXTRACT.LYCIUM BARBARUM FRUIT...

CosDNA

This was taken from the Clarins website here, as I didn't feel like typing out the one from the box. The box IL slightly differs from the online IL, but their website does have a disclaimer saying that the box IL is the most accurate IL related to the product. The CosDNA link calls it by a different name, but I searched it up by the full ingredients list, so it is the same cream.

The biggest problem I have with this cream is that it has mica in it. It's pretty high in concentration too. If you recall from the mist post, phenoxyethanol represents 1% or less in concentration in an ingredients list. So anything below it normally indicates less than 1% in concentration, and anything above is higher than 1%. Mica is a pigment that is normally used in cosmetics such as eye shadows and highlighters. It's just weird to me that they have mica in there to provide pigment to the cream.

Source: https://www.clarins.ca/en/my-clarins/philosophy/

Why? It's unnecessary, especially when the IL I had showed there's also red pigments present. But who needs pigment in their cream? Is that how the cream provides rosy glow? Also, there's been some controversy regarding mica and the use of child labour. Does their commitment claim include the traceabilitty of the sourcing for mica?

The cream has a bit more botanical extracts, and I was happy to see that apricot kernel oil is higher than coconut water. This tells me that the cream is going to be moisturizing. However, it is just before phenoxyethanol so it's not high in the concentration. It's not a big deal, but seeing how the whole line's selling point is it being vegan friendly and being plant derived and natural. I do feel like it is a bit deceiving.

SCENT

The cream is a pink loose gel cream, hence the inclusion of mica. It is a cross between a gel and a cream because it has the gel texture but the opacity of a cream.

It has a very fruity scent to it. It is light and refreshing, and I actually kind of enjoy it, especially on a hot summer day. Even when I am using it during winter, it just brings me back to the hot summer days for a few minutes and I do enjoy it.

PERFORMANCE

The gel cream feels light and sinks in quite lovely. It feels hydrating and moisturizing. However, I do think it is on the light side for my dehydrated skin. It is quite good and feels more than enough for those hot summers. However, in the cooler weather, it just doesn't feel like it's enough.

I was using it as part of my nightly routine during the summer, but switched it to my gym bag during the fall. I managed to almost finish it so you know I don't mind it at all. I don't love it but I think it does its job. It keeps my skin moisturizing, especially when mixed with a hydrating serum. It leaves my skin hydrated and moisturized without looking super shiny.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

Overall, I don't mind it. It smells good, it is light and sinks in quickly. It leaves my skin feeling hydrated and plump without looking shiny. I don't think it's enough for my dehydrated skin during the cooler weather but is good for the hotter months.

I am not a fan of the inclusion of mica in the ingredients list. I feel like the advertisement about being primarily plant derived is a bit misleading. I think the price tag of CAD $27 a jar is not super bad for Clarins, as they tend to be higher priced due to being a high end department store brand. The price tag makes it more friendly toward its target audience of 18 to 30 years old.

It's not bad, but I just don't love it. I enjoy using it but I don't think I'll miss it once it's completely gone. I personally wouldn't repurchase as I have other creams with similar price tag that interests me more.

RELATED PRODUCTS

RE-CHARGE Relaxing Night Mask  - Clarins / Shoppers
RE-FRESH Hydrating Beauty Mist - Carlins / Shoppers
RE-BOOST Matifying Moisturizing Cream  - Clarins / Shoppers
RE-BOOST Comforting Moisturizing Cream  - Clarins / Shoppers
PORE-LESS Mattifying Pore Eraser  - Clarins / Shoppers
CLEAR-OUT Targeted Blemish  - Clarins / Shoppers
RE-MOVE Micellar Cleansing Milk   - Clarins / Shoppers
RE-MOVE Purifying Cleansing Gel  - Clarins / Shoppers