By Katrina Deisler
It’s no secret that hydrated skin is happy skin. One thing you might not be aware of is the way constant changes in temperature throughout the day can dehydrate your skin. The team at Clarins calls these changes “thermal shocks” and they happen more frequently than you’d think. They occur whenever there is an immediate, drastic change in temperature (all the time during the winter). Think about how many times you come indoors or head outdoors, ride the tube, get sweaty, and go from one place to another. The changes in temperature and humidity dehydrate the skin so it lacks radiance and feels dull and tired (you know how your skin feels rough and appears red after one of these shocks? Yeah, that).
The way to combat the effects of these thermal shocks? Clarins new Hydra-Essentiel line is formulated with the “Organic Leaf of Life,” native to Madagascar. The leaf is able to thrive and maintain its health and hydration despite the varying humidity, temperatures, and amounts of rainfall in its island home. These properties will work for your skin as well, boosting its natural ability to product “sponge-molecules” that retain water in the skin. It protects skin by helping minimise water loss due to thermal shocks. The properties from leaf’s cuticle protect the inner layers of skin from dehydration.
But keeping skin hydrated is only half of the secret to healthy, happy skin, according to Clarins. Living in London subjects skin to pollution every day. Everyday encounters like exhaust fumes and cigarette smoke can hurt your skin, too. Prolonged exposure to pollution can also make skin look dull, tired and actually make skin even more dehydrated. Clarins Hydra- Essentiel line’s formula also includes an anti-pollution complex that protects skin from these pollutive factors.
Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Line includes 5 products to protect skin, available from March 2017:
Bi-phase serum
This serum is invisible and comfortable to wear. The serum nourishes dehydrated skin and leaves it soft, plump, and radiant. £44.
Silky cream (and silky cream with SPF 15)
This cream comes in two versions (with and without SPF), and feels smooth and silky on skin. Best suited for normal to dry skin £36 each.
Cooling gel
Cooling gel is best suited for normal to combination skin and is instantly refreshing. The lightweight gel won’t make skin shiny, but leaves you with a matte, radiant look.
Milky lotion SPF 15
This lotion is comfortable to wear and instantly absorbs into skin. It keeps skin feeling nourishes and protects it from sun damage with SPF 15. £36