Shortly after the 14 days challenge to flawless skin with Lancôme Visionnaire skincare range, I hopped over to an entirely different routine with a brand we are all familiar with — Clarins.

Beginning of the year, Clarins introduced their newly revamped whitening skincare range. The former White Plus | HP range is now known as White Plus Total Luminescent which comprehends lighter texture for humid climates and more powerful ingredients.

Fast forward to end of August, Clarins launched two new Extra-Firming Day and Night Creamswhich helps to reinforce and bond the key elements of the skin’s structure to firm up our skin in just 4 weeks.

I haven’t been on a strict Clarins skincare regime for a long time and I am very excited about it because this brand is still one of my favourite.

In this post, I am hoping to share my Day Routine, Night Routine and inspired by Chanel Resynchronizing Skincare: Le Jour, La Nuit and Le Weekend, I came up with my own Weekend Routine. I have also linked each of the product mentioned below to their individual product page so you can find out more about them.

DAY ROUTINE

As always, I like to keep my day routine as simple as possible with minimum products.

I have been using the same cleanser, Clarins White Plus Total Luminescent Pearl-to-Cream Brightening Cleanser for the past 28 days. Although it cleanses well, I find it a little too drying for my skin type. If you have oily skin, you may like it. If it wasn’t for this post, I think I may have stopped using and switched to the brand’s regular cleanser which I adore.

Nothing drastically negative about it but the feeling of tightness after each time I cleanse doesn’t quite impress me.

The brand released two types of toner for this range — a Brightening Pure Aqua-Lotion for combination skin in hot climates and Brightening Soft Aqua-Milk for dry skin in cold climates.

The former seems to better suit my skin type and Singapore’s climate but I opted for the latter which is definitely more moisturizing and pampering; considering I am constantly in air-conditioned environments and due to the dryness from the cleanser, a moisturizing toner balances and evens up my skin’s hydration level (that’s my theory, might not be right at all).

The “old” version of White Plus | HP Whitening Velvet Emulsion without SPF is my favourite and I have finished it. The new White Plus Total Luminescent Brightening Hydrating Emulsion is not only lighter in texture but the scent ain’t as strong too. For those who finds the scent of their previous version overpowering, you may enjoy this.

This emulsion is hydrating enough for day but unlike their “older” version, this doesn’t have a velvety finish.

• Step 1: Cleanse – White Plus Total Luminescent Pearl-to-Cream Brightening Cleanser
• Step 2: Tone – White Plus Total Luminescent Brightening Soft Aqua-Milk
• Step 3: Moisturize – White Plus Total Luminescent Brightening Hydrating Emulsion
• Step 4: Protect – White Plus | HP Day Screen High Protection (Tinted)
• Step 5: Enhance – Skin Illusion Natural Radiance Foundation & Skin Illusion Loose Powder

After moisturizing my face with the emulsion, I move on to apply my sun screen. During this period of time, I having been using the White Plus | HP Day Screen High Protection (Tinted). I like the brightening and radiant touch it adds to my complexion.

The sun screen also acts as a primer during the day under my foundation.

NIGHT ROUTINE

I enjoy a good 10-15 minutes skin pampering session after my shower at night. I don’t mind giving my face a little massage while watching Andrew Zimmern! I usually have more time at night and that’s one of the reasons why I pile on more products.

After removing my makeup, I cleanse and tone as per my day routine.

I added in the White Plus Total Luminescent Intensive Brightening Serum at night which acts like a treatment to brighter and clearer skin.

In the picture above, I compared it with the “older” version of White Plus | HP Intensive Whitening Smoothing Serum. As you can see, the newer version is more fluid, clear in appearance and visibly more lightweight. It’s in a somewhat liquid-gel form if you know what I mean whereas the former is in a creamy-jelly form.

The new serum comes in a glass bottle with pump which I think looks more presentable as compared to their earlier release which comes in a plastic bottle. The serum gets absorbed into the skin very quickly and it doesn’t leave a sticky feeling. If you like, incorporate this serum in your day regime to speed up the brightening process. This serum is light enough and perfect for layering — even during the day.

Because of the serum’s quick absorption rate, I tend to use more (about 3-4 pumps) for my face and neck.

Now comes the star product of this regime, the Extra-Firming Night (All Skin Types).

This is the first time I am trying the brand’s firming cream. Let’s start with Extra-Firming Day (All Skin Types). You are probably wondering why I didn’t include it in my day routine — the texture is fantastically smooth when I tried on my hand but it felt heavy on the face, especially on my T-zone.

I concluded, I am not a cream sort of person during the day. I prefer a more fluid and lighter alternative, such as an emulsion.

When it comes to Extra-Firming Night (All Skin Types), I must say, I am absolutely in love. I adore the smooth and silky texture, the scent and what it does to my skin. The formula kept my skin supple throughout the night and provide visible lifting results from the 3rd day onwards.

Many Asian women have problems with dark spots and I noticed a few peeping through my cheek bones (especially after my trip to Maldives). I have been very hardworking, using all sorts of whitening/brightening masks and by adding the White Plus Total Luminescent All Spots Brightening Corrector into my nightly regime for the past 28 days.

This corrector comes in a small, palm size glass tube with a metal roller ball dispenser. At the press event, the brand recommends dispensing onto the back of our hand and then gently pat onto areas of concern — this will avoid “blocking” the dispenser with product and it’s a more hygienic option.

Formula of this corrector is much like water, weightless, colourless and almost scentless. If dark spots is your main concern, you may also want to add this into your day regime (after moisturizer, before foundation).

• Step 1: Cleanse – White Plus Total Luminescent Pearl-to-Cream Brightening Cleanser
• Step 2: Tone – White Plus Total Luminescent Brightening Soft Aqua-Milk
• Step 3: Treat – White Plus Total Luminescent Intensive Brightening Serum
• Step 4: Moisturize – Extra-Firming Night (All Skin Types)
• Step 5: Target – White Plus Total Luminescent All Spots Brightening Corrector

WEEKEND ROUTINE

Most weekends, I wear very minimal makeup if I makeup at all. Unless I am going out for brunch or dinner — I am usually in my own skin. I wouldn’t say I am 100% confident without makeup (I mean with a bit of foundation, blush and brows, I feel a lot better) but I am very comfortable without.

I get very lazy over the weekend. All I want to do is chill, sit back, relax and be on the computer or watch a DVD with Mak. And so, for the first time, in a long time — I am trying out a simple and super quick regime.

The star of this weekend regime is the Double Serum Complete Age Control Concentrate.

Let’s briefly recap what this product does;-

• Double Serum® boosts hydration by +75% up to 4 hours after application
  • Delays the appearance of wrinkles
  • Maintains skin’s softness and comfort
• Double Serum® increases the speed at which nutrients penetrate the skin cells
  • Skin’s suppleness is restored
• Double Serum® improves cell oxygenation
  • Skin regains its radiance
• Double Serum® stimulates the activity of 2 genes involved in skin protection
  • Protects against premature skin aging
• Double Serum® boosts production of collagen and glycosaminoglycans, which are responsible for skin firmness and density
  • Maintains skin’s firm, smooth and dense appearance

All the goodness in one bottle of serum it seems. I have tried this serum before many months back. I am happy to revisit and include it in this weekend regime because it’s a hardworking all-in-one product for me.

My husband loves its smell and it works so well on him. In fact, I think it works better on him than me because he has dry skin and the results are so much more visible.

For me, if I am using this serum, I do not need to moisturize because it just gets too much. One pump is sufficient for me and I start applying from center of my face and spread outwards and then downwards to my neck.

Out of the 5 benefits this product provides, I spotted a good few results — my skin’s hydration level went up, suppleness restored, more radiant and my skin appears firm and smooth. As for the protection against premature skin aging, I guess it’s hard to judge right away because it takes a lot longer to tell and the results also depend on how consistent I am with using this serum.

Looking at how often I change my skincare routine in recent months, I doubt I will be able to stick to using this serum for the next 6 months.

• Step 1: Cleanse – White Plus Total Luminescent Pearl-to-Cream Brightening Cleanser
• Step 2: Tone – White Plus Total Luminescent Brightening Soft Aqua-Milk
• Step 3: Treat – Double Serum Complete Age Control Concentrate

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During the transition from my previous skincare routine to this one, I experience some break out over a 3 days period. This is something quite common for myself — it happens sometimes to some brands and some ranges. The break out was nothing scary, just a few popping out at random spots, am curious, does this happen to you when you change your skincare routine?

Overall, I enjoyed this entire regime.

But I am not sure if this entire brightening line is meant for my skin type and concerns as it didn’t show sufficient convincing results for me to continue. Personally, I am still very much in love with their White Plus | HP Whitening Velvet Emulsion (discontinued). Sadly, the new version didn’t steal my heart away like the former.

My favourites from this routine has got to be the White Plus | HP Day Screen High Protection (Tinted), White Plus Total Luminescent Intensive Brightening Serum, Extra-Firming Night (All Skin Types) and Double Serum Complete Age Control Concentrate.

Have you tried any of the products mentioned above before? What are your thoughts about them? What’s your routine like and do you think a weekend routine is useful?

Thank you for reading.