Review: Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm |  50ml  £29.00

Available from Boots, Debenhams, John Lewis, Feel Unique, etc.

Do you want to know a little secret? I didn't buy mine from one of the retailers that I listed above, and I sure as hell didn't pay £29 for it either! I ordered mine online from a site called CheapSmells.com (link) for a fraction of the cost! I've just checked and it currently costs £19.00 from there, and I think it has gone up slightly because it was around £17 when I bought it. Not to worry, the site is completely legitimate - I swear.

I would say that the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm is not unlike the product that I reviewed yesterday; Caudalie Beauty Elixir (link to post), not just because their names both contain the word 'beauty', and not just because both of the names are pretty ambiguous as to what they really do (I mean, what are you supposed to expect from a 'flash balm' and an 'elixir'?!), but because they're both well known, well hyped, highly priced and you'll probably find an equal number of positive and negative reviews of them floating about on the web.

What is it? - Clarins Beauty Flash Balm is a peachy toned, thick and 'sticky' consistency balm/cream that can be used on the face in two ways: as a 'mask', and as a 'primer'. For use as a mask a thick layer is left on the skin for 10-15 minutes and it works as a smoothing, fatigue fighting treatment. At first, I wasn't too sure about using it in this way because I thought that this was just a kind of moisturiser and that it would absorb into the skin, but if a thick enough layer is applied then it won't sink in and it has a tacky and tightening consistency so it's not something that can be left on all day like I thought maybe you would be able to. For use underneath make-up a thinner layer is to be used and then foundation is applied immediately on top and this gives a smooth airbrushed finish to the foundation because it tightens your skin, creating a more flawless base, and it also give a radiant glow to your skin.

What does it do? It creates an instant radiance boost on the skin and is the perfect pick-me-up if your skin is looking tired or dull. The name comes from the way that it works instantly, i.e. it gives you beauty in a flash. It's an all-rounder this product because as well as brightening up the skin with a subtle glow and giving radiance, it also moisturises and makes the skin feel soft, while increasing the longevity of your make-up and acting as a kind of skin 'smoother', with a photoshop effect of blurring away lines, pores and imperfections to create a healthier looking base. Sound too good to be true? Nope, it really does do all of these things! Hence the hype surrounding it.

It's full of all sorts of exciting ingredients too: extracts of olive and witch hazel minimize signs of fatigue and fine lines, plant extracts smooth and tighten the skin, it is also enriched with a marine-based complex and micro-algae smooths to skins surface, while Bisabol (don't ask, it's something natural) regains a silky-smooth and youthful radiance.

Is it worth it? When it comes to the cost I guess it can all depend on how you value money and what aspect of your face it is that you want to splash the cash on. Although a smooth and glowing complexion is something that I dream of having every single day and I adore this product, £29.00 isn't an amount that I can justify throwing about willy nilly on beauty products, no matter how amazing they are! I am a typically skint student, I shouldn't be using the likes of Clarins anyway! However, the CheapSmells pricetag of less than £20 is a little bit more purse friendly and more appealing. I'm not going to say that this is a 'staple' product in my routine, but I have been using it close to everyday recently underneath my make-up and sadly I have a feeling that I might miss it once it's gone, leading to a potential repurchase! If I can find a good cheaper alternative though then I will happily opt for a dupe instead. 

If you've ever used Clarins Beauty Flash Balm before then please leave me comments below with your opinions on it.

Is it worth the hype for you??