Review: Clarins Extra-Comfort Foundation

I didn’t particularly like this foundation the first time I tried it. There, I’ve said it. I had high expectations after seeing quite a few bloggers raving about the coverage and finish. Naturally anything concerning base products gets me all a flutter because I’m a firm believer that a good, reliable base is the key aspect that helps everything else on your face fall into place (hey, that rhymes!).

Lets start off with the blurb on the product, I’ll discuss the pros and cons and then let you in on a secret which unlocked the door to making this work for me.

“Its exclusive anti-ageing formula plumps, moisturises and nourishes the skin deep down with a combination of organic Argan oil and the Global Age-Defying Complex. The skin instantly feels suppler and more comfortable. Wrinkles and fine lines are smoothed. The complexion is left glowing with youth”.

This foundation is medium-full/full coverage that has a slightly dewy finish on the skin. The consistency is much like a nourishing night time moisturiser and I would put that down to the Argan Oil listed in the ingredients. I generally always apply foundation with my fingers and especially if the product is nearing the full coverage category. Applying a full coverage foundation with a brush is sort of like applying paint to a wall with a trowel. You end up using way too much product and the result is less than natural. I find that the warmth of my fingertips works as the best tool to blend the foundation into my skin.

Now lets discuss my first impressions of this foundation, starting with the packaging. A jar of foundation is never really a good idea because:

a) The product gets under your fingernails and it all gets a bit messy
b) It’s not very hygienic to be dipping your fingers into a product continuously
c) It’s cumbersome and not very travel-friendly

Above: I have the ‘Sand’ shade.

The consistency of the foundation bothered me slightly at first because it had a slightly slippery feel on the skin. It’s hard to describe but it’s like a serum within a foundation which sets to a slightly silky powdery finish. This is all well and good but I’m used to foundations that sink into my skin leaving behind no trace. When I run my fingers across my skin, it just feels like skin. Whereas with this foundation, I could feel a slight powdery finish. It didn’t LOOK powdery on the skin though. A strange thing indeed.

The coverage is really good, evening out my skin tone and camouflaging any blemishes – so much so that there was no need to use concealer anywhere else but my under eye area. We like this…this is good. This foundation also lasts all day long and I mean ALL day long.

When something has been so keenly raved about, I feel it’s my duty to explore all of it’s merits and give it a good chance. Despite my previous misgivings, the next day I persevered and decided to adopt the same routine I have with my other foundations. Lately I have been obsessed with mixing all of my foundation with a liquid illuminator – the Nars Copacabana Illuminator to be exact. That product transforms any medium to full coverage foundation into something more glowy, more natural and just more downright dreamy.

So I set about doing my usual routine, adding a small blob of the illuminator to the Clarins foundation and what do you know, it just…worked. It brought the foundation to a whole new level for me and took away that slippery feeling that had bothered me previously. It just seemed to sit so much better on my skin and really gave that flawless appearance which, lets face it, we ALL love!

I’m glad that I gave this foundation another chance. It’s actually a really good foundation for people with dry skin – although I’d say it wouldn’t be very suitable for anyone with really oily skin due to the Argan Oil and the finish. In my opinion, it’s a foundation that would be better suited to the Autumnal/Winter months due to the moisturising properties and the fact that I don’t seem to need as much coverage in the summer months when I’m rocking a bit of a tan. It would also be a great foundation for a night out or special occasion due to the great coverage and lasting power.

If you’re curious how this foundation rates in my current top 5, it would go a little bit like this:

1) Guerlain Lingerie De Peau (medium coverage)

2) Nars Sheer Glow (medium-full coverage)

3) Estee Lauder Double Wear Light (medium coverage)

4) Rimmel Wake Me Up (medium coverage)

5) Clarins Extra-Comfort (medium-full coverage)

You can buy the Clarins Extra-Comfort foundation here for £36.00 (30ml jar).