Over the years, I’ve heard so much about the Clarins White Plus line and their use of the sea lily to help with skin whitening/brightening. It seemed to have been the core of everything White Plus. Then, this year, I learnt the sea lily is so 2012. No more sea lilies in the Clarins White Plus range. Instead, they have upgraded the formula to not just whiten but to make skin look more luminous with, as they say Total Luminescent properties.
Our environment and lifestyle can cause the “micro mirrors” in our skin to fail so what the White Plus Total Luminescent range is supposed to do is polish up those mirrors so they reflect light better thereby helping skin look more luminous, translucent, fairer, brighter etc. You have to admit, they make it sound quite intriguing 😛
Out of curiousity, have you ever tried anything from the Clarins White Plus range?
The new formula has as its primary ingredients, hyaluronic acid for moisture, sandspurry extract for counteracting melanin production and gingko biloba to promote circulation. All this is supposed to help rebalance your “micro mirrors” so your skin continues to look clear and bright.
I’ve had fair success with the White Plus HP Whitening Velvet Emulsion from last year and it was one of those where I actually finished up the bottle of emulsion because it was alright. It wasn’t drying as whitening skincare tends to be, although I did not notice any marked brightening of my skin. My skin did not quite take to the Clarins White Plus HP formula in general, because I found previous formula too drying for my already dryish skin. Perhaps the inclusion of hyaluronic acid this time around will make it more comfortable too.
The products in the White Plus Total Luminescent range are:-
- White Plus Total Luminescent Pearl-to-Cream Brightening Cleanser (125 ml) – RM115
- White Plus Total Luminescent Brightening Pure Aqua-Lotion (200ml) – RM150
- White Plus Total Luminescent Brightening Soft Aqua-Milk (200ml) – RM150
- White Plus Total Luminescent Intensive Brightening Serum (30ml) – RM295
- White Plus Total Luminescent All Spots Brightening Corrector (7ml) – RM195
- White Plus Total Luminescent Brightening Hydrating Emulsion (75ml) – RM200
Of the lot, I’m most interested in the Brightening Pure Aqua-Lotion and Soft Aqua Milk which are both lotions (toners), but which have a slightly thicker, more silky texture. Ever since I started using lotions and toners on a regular basis, I have found that it benefits my skin a lot so these fascinate me as they claim to be more hydrating. Use them after cleansing, before serum and moisturiser.
The other big news of course coming out of the Clarins stable is the UV Plus HP Multi-Protection BB Cream SPF40 PA+++ The news for Asia is that THIS is the BB Cream we are getting, not the one that comes in a red tube that is available in Europe and North America.
This product slots into the sunscreen category of Clarins so it will be sold alongside the very popular Clarins UV Plus HP Sunscreen. I have used up about 3 bottles of the Clarins UV Plus HP sunscreen before I discovered the Shiseido Perfect UV and the Clarins one is a worthy substitute (even if its SPF40 and not 50)
The question of course is how is this BB Cream different from the tinted UV Plus sunscreen which comes in a beige tint? I tested them side by side and I found that there were some differences:-
- Shade : The beige tinted UV Plus sunscreen is a lighter slightly more yellow beige tint. The UV Plus BB Cream has a stronger tint.
- Texture : The BB Cream feels thicker while the sunscreen feels lighter on skin.
- Opacity: The BB Cream goes on skin more opaque and offers more coverage, while the sunscreen is more translucent and offers less coverage.
I will review the Clarins BB Cream separately but just off hand, I will tell you that the shade (it only comes in 1 shade) maybe a problem for me. It found the swatch a little deep for my skintone and my concern will be that if it develops further on my skin, it may end up being half to a shade too dark for me. For those who have medium skintones, you shouldn’t have a problem.
The other issue many will face is price. At RM158/30ml, it is quite pricey (although not as pricey as some others from the more premium skincare brands) but if it works for you then it’d be worth it because it does have a pretty decent coverage and you only need a little because its quite thick and a little goes a long way.
Have you tried anything from the Clarins White Plus skincare range? Does this new BB Cream grab your fancy?
I’ve only had luck so far with 1 item in the Clarins White Plus range and that’s the Velvet Emulsion. It looks like they’ve reformulated that too into the Brightening Hydrating Emulsion so I don’t know how the new formula will sit with me. As for the BB Cream, it does look to be too dark, but we’ll see if/how it will work. I’ll report back! But if you have tried it, please share your thoughts 😀
Paris B
Clarins White Plus Total Luminescent skincare range and the new Clarins UV Plus HP Multi-Perfection BB Cream is available at all Clarins counters. Prices are as set out above.
I swatched the BB cream at the counter and it’s too matte and silicone-y for my taste. I have yet to find a tinted sunscreen that performs as well as my derm’s (which is horrendously expensive).
Ah, but if it works, it works! 😀 I still haven’t tried the BB Cream yet but I’ll be making a note of the texture. I wasn’t too thrilled with it just based on the swatch on the back of my hand.
hai..been silent reader b4….got tempted from your reviews…
first started when looking for moisturiser couple of years back,
i have combination and dehydrated skin…
juz purchased the ANR serum and clarins brightening emulsion…*pinch myself*–expensive ma…
been using them for 5 days…on 3rd day-one of my fren told me that my skin is glowing(time of the moth juz round the corner)-usually my skin will look dull and all…
i cant tell which product had cause that..hahah..
thx PB for all the good reviews and your nutshell…
Hi Wan, thanks for leaving a comment! 😀 Its always nice to hear from the silent ones 😉 Also, happy to know that the ANR and the Clarins emulsion work so well for you! Glowy skin sounds absolutely wonderful 😀 See you around!
The only 2 products I tried from Clarins are the sunscreen and the White Plus brightening serum. I sometimes don’t understand why companies would still go for the one colour fits all theory. It’s quite obvious there isn’t such a thing >.< That's why I love that Bobbi Brown has a few shades for you to choose, and the texture is just lovely!
I don’t get the one colour thing either, Lily. I mean, BB Creams did start out that way but even then, I thought it a load of crock because back then, my shade was grey 😛 Bobbi Brown definitely did something right and at least Dior has 2 shades even if both are on the lighter end of the spectrum. Smashbox has to be one of the most prolific at about 5 shades!
Was really tempted to try the previous version of the Emulsion but decided to settle for Estee Lauder’s Advanced Time Zone Age Reversing Line/Wrinkle Hydrating Gel Oil-Free as my to-go daily moisturiser instead. I recently traveled overseas and always experience 1-2 pimples during my trips due to a combination of lack of hydration in my skin, drinking less water, hotel room air-conditioner and the sun. Surprisingly this time I did not have any mini-breakouts whatsoever. I also used a combination of EL ANR and Advanced Time Zone Night (both samples) at night before I sleep to retain moisture and it really kept my skin hydrated. Thanks to the blogging world especially to your many posts on the importance of keeping skin hydrated for finally allowing me to understand my skin better 🙂
Sorry for the lengthy comment, got side-tracked a bit. Lol. Could you please do a comparison between the previous and current Emulsion if you have a chance to try out the reformulated version. Thanks in advance PB and keep up the great reviews here!
Don’t be sorry, Victoria! I love reading long comments because it means you must feel really strongly about something! 😀 I have heard that the EL Time Zone moisturiser is nice. It does have different functions of course, being more targeted at anti-aging than whitening as the Clarins White Plus line is but we will have different concerns at different times 🙂 I don’t have the new version of the emulsion so I won’t be able to compare it but if I try it at some point I’ll try to compare. Hard to because I’ve finished up the old one LOL! But we’ll see 😀
Too expensive for me to try @@
Cant wait for your review though
The sunscreen looks interesting actually, I may go out and buy it
=D
The sunscreen is nice and if you get the pink tint one, it gives skin a very nice brightening effect and makes a very good base for powder or foundation so you can skip primer. Still, I do prefer the Shiseido sunscreen which is, I think a bit cheaper with better SPF 😛
I’m using the Clarins UV Plus HP Tinted Sunscreen Beige to school everyday and i love it.
It isn’t oily at all , the coverage is so sheer it blurs out my imperfection and even out my skin tone. The coverage can be build up slowly because it’s oil-free, doesn’t block pores an It can be easily removed with a milk cleanser 😀 I’m not getting tanner .< so i think the SPF40 is high enough for me .
I'm not a big fan of the BB cream though =( It's a little heavy for me. I like to blend it with the serum , it kinda lighten up the texture and it goes on smoother .
For tinted moisturizer i still think Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 Oil Free is the best ( I'm using the nude tone ) =D
Good luck ;D
Ooh lovely! The tinted sunscreen does seem quite nice and I think it looks nice, adding just enough tint to even out skintone but not too much. Like you, I’m not too much into the BB Cream because as you said, it feels thick and for me, the colour match is poor 🙁 I will agree with you on Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturiser! One of the best definitely! 😀
Summer is coming, and it’s time for me to dig up all my whitening products. I’ve never tried anything from the Clarins White Plus line before, but I’m thinking about picking up something to give them a try. I’m going to have to wait until I finish with my bottle of Paul and Joe Whitening Serum.
I’ve heard Paul & Joe does some pretty decent skincare too but Paul & Joe isn’t available here anymore 🙁 Do you get the whitening ranges of skincare in the US too, Angela? I seem to think they are only really popular in Asia!
I haven’t tried this line but I am a huge Clarins fan, tried a lot of their products and loved all of them, some were awesome, some nice but nothing disappointed.
I know what a big Clarins fan you are, Marina! You even have me looking into products that I never think to try! 😀
I tried the US version of the Clarins BB cream (in the red tube). Samples, of course. And thank god I tried samples of it first. The lightest shade they have is so very pink and very dark. It is definitely not “light” at all. It’s a shame though, cause the texture and finish of the product is amazing. 🙁
Can’t wait to hear what you think about the Asian version.
Ugh, sounds like Clarins isn’t getting this spot on! >.< I was quite keen on the US version because it looked lighter in texture than the Asian one we get, but pink and dark isn't a good combination! I'll give the White Plus one a go soon 🙂
I heard a lot of good raves from Clarins previously. Currently I’m still using the Clarins White Plus Brightening Serum (old version). I did try out their White Plus Total Luminescent serum and brightening hydrating emulsion. I do love the emulsion texture as my skin is normal to combination skin. Seemed quite hydrating on my skin. I wish to but the brightening hydrating emulsion but still having a second thought. By the way , mind sharing after trying the White Plus Total Luminescent Pure Aqua lotion? Thanks Paris B!
Hi Michelle, if I try the lotion, I’ll be sure to share 🙂 Still, I do have a bit of a stockpile of lotions so it’ll probably have to wait. The thing I find quite irritating about Clarins is how regularly they revamp their whitening range so by next year, I may have a new formula on hand again! >.<
Damn, they are good at making that sound intriguing. Even though I don’t know what half that stuff is supposed to mean hahhaha. Hope this shade works out for you, and if not you can always save it for summer right? 🙂 I haven’t really jumped on the whole BB cream bandwagon, but Clarins always seems to have some pretty good stuff.
LOL!! I know! Micro Mirrors in your skin, MM Imagine that! 😛 Sadly saving it for summer isn’t an option because its always summer here 😉 I’ll see how it goes but it might have to end up going to a new home 🙂
Darn, only one shade. Sounds like it will be too dark for me too!
I strongly suspect so!
I like their UV 40 Sunscreen Beige for times that I want a natural / no make up look. It’s good to cover my yellowish tone but I find it doesn’t last on my oily skin. The pink one did nothing for me. The BB cream is better in terms of coverage and less oily than the sunscreen. A little dark for my NC25 skin but I can live with that. Still not as matte as I would have liked it to be and will not last all day. I tried adding a light fluff of loose powder over it, initially it looks good but later it looks cakey and dirty. My go to foundation for 20 years now is Estee Lauder’s Double Wear (porcelain finish and long wearing) but now that I’m in my late 30’s it’s not a good look to have a very made up mask like skin in daylight so I’m still searching for the perfect BB/CC cream that works for me. Received quite a few White Plus travel size samples during their last promotion but have not tried them, saving for my next travel. Their therapist recommended I get the spot corrector after a facial and I’ve used it 3 times and can see my scars lighter.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with the Clarins 🙂 I personally like the pink tinted sunscreen because it brightens up my complexion but it may not suit everyone. Am still not quite loving the BB cream although people are already raving about it. I’ll have to try it out a bit more before I decide.
Hi
I just recently bought the Clarins BB Cream and the saleswoman said it’s amazing especially if you pair it with the beauty flash balm. Today’s my second day of using it
So far what i have seen on my face is a radiant look.
I have a blog so I’m gonna update soon and post about this 🙂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this one! Glad it works for you!
My first Clarins experience was about ten years ago when their face sculpting cream thingy was in rage and then I fell out with Clarins because their formula didn’t quite work for me. Then I managed to snag a five pc Intensive Brigtening Serum a few weeks back and I am absolutely loving it! I could see a difference {slight but it’s there!} after a week and the smell is most relaxing. Might be splurging a small fortune soon … again … sigh.