THE CLARINS JOURNEY

Words by Lucinda Dordley| Images: Supplied/Clarins

Jacques Courtin-Clarins approached beauty in the ‘50s by doing something few others were at the time - infusing it with plant-derived extracts. Clarins started as a Parisian beauty institute, and this allowed the company to learn not only about beauty techniques and application but also about who they were catering to: women.

His approach to understanding the needs of women was empathising. He listened and understood. Instead of telling women what to do, he understood that there was always more to learn. He brought his formulas to life through plants, shirking artificial ingredients.

Jacques understood that beauty, happiness and well-being are eternally inextricably tied. He began building Clarins on the principles of transparency and accountability, creating one of the most highly-regarded beauty brands for the past 70 years.

For the past 70 years, Clarins has worked to create stand-out products using plant extracts. The company has been adding to its herbarium since 1954, studying more than 400 different extracts.

Clarins’ Super Restorative line is an example of how natural ingredients are prioritised. It makes use of harungana extract, which works similarly to retinol. The company has always strived to stay ahead of the beauty industry. For example, 2015 was the year of lipstick. Clarins decided to launch its lip oil instead and watched the rest of the industry scramble to keep up.

We’ll take a look back at some of Clarins’ most beloved products, including:

Clarins’ lip oils have quickly become a global favourite. Making use of a trio of plant oils including Sweetbriar Rose, Jojoba oil and Hazelnut oil to help bring lips back to life while providing visible plumping and hydration. Not just that, the formulation ensures lips are nourished throughout the day as well.

The oil glides smoothly when applied to lips and has a hint of sheer colour as well has a brilliant mirror-like shine.

The Clarins lip oil range is 93% natural ingredients to provide hydration and comfortable wear.

Clarins’ Double Serum has been around since 1985. This product is a hydrating anti-ageing facial serum and has undergone many iterations through the years.

Double Serum was born through Jacques’ desire to launch a product that would be an essential skincare powerhouse. The original formula contained 18 active ingredients, but as some of the ingredients were oil and some water soluble, they could not be held in the same bottle.

This is how the name Double Serum came about, as the elixir was sold as two separate bottles which had to be mixed.

The first non-mixing Double Serum was launched more than a decade later, in 1996. The bottle housed two chambers and a single pump.

When a new Double Serum was launched in 2012, the formula had changed so wholly that only one of the original ingredients remained - maritime pine bark extract.

This easy-to-apply body balm is formulated with organic Geranium, Rosemary, Field Mint, aloe vera, and organic shea butter. The body balm melts into a massage oil that intensely hydrates yet is non-greasy. The tonic absorbs easily, ensuring there is no wait time between application, absorption and dressing. It is made of 95% natural ingredients and its packaging is completely recyclable.

This iconic Clarins Treatment Fragrance is made of 95% natural ingredients and is designed to perfume and energise the body and mind. If you are in a bad mood or feeling a bout of fatigue, this is the fragrance for you.

Known as a chypre fragrance - fragrances that are based around a mossy accord such as bergamot, patchouli, oakmoss, etc. - this fragrance is bound to lift your spirits.

It has sweet top notes of sweet and bitter orange, mandarin and petitgrain. It has heart notes of lavender, tarragon, eucalyptus and nutmeg combined with patchouli. Red ginseng extract stimulates the skin’s firmness as the fragrance is applied.