Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream - review

Ed's note:
Yes, you read correctly :-)
I know it's not Friday - but since I came back from holidays things have been a bit kaplooey!  So Emer's usual Friday post is today, Wednesday - to give me a chance to catch up and get organised with posts for the remainder of the week... I will also be announcing a bunch of giveaway winners on Saturday next - so please go and enter if you haven't already!
Enough from me.  Back to Emer's words of wisdom :-)

---

I've noticed that since the birth of my second daughter eleven months ago, my previously fresh looking skin has become a little duller, a little saggier and fine lines have cropped up here and there.  Of course it doesn't help that the fact of this matter is making me frown, exacerbating the problem.  As dubious as I am about all these miracle creams, I'm still a sucker and I'm still going to try them out. This is where the Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream comes in...

So, I have been using a 30ml squeezy tube from a Clarins set but it is usually sold individually in a 50ml tub.  I cannot tell you how much I abide the use of tubs as packaging for beauty products, particularly high-end brands.  Not only is it utterly unhygienic but also exposure to the air and to the oils in your manky paws cause any active ingredients to denature rapidly.  Wow I'm feeling a little bit ranty, no doubt due to the recent realisation that I no longer have the skin of a 21 year old (I'm 32, so really this revelation was a long time coming!)

Le swatch

This product is quite scented, but it is at least a relatively fresh clean smell so it doesn't bother me (but I thought it would be worth mentioning as I know that some readers dislike scented moisturisers).  The formulation is quite thick and buttery, but despite the heavy texture it spreads and blends quite well into the skin.  I felt that with my oily-combo skin it was just a little too heavy for me (my makeup looked shiny on top) so I'm pretty sure it wouldn't therefore suit anyone with oily or sensitive skin, despite it's "one size fits all" tag (this is true of all moisturisers though).  It did feel nice but old memories of my mother smothered in cold cream kept popping into my head.  Forgive my slight exaggeration :)  A little of this goes a long way so it does last absolutely ages.  I've been using it every morning now for about a month, if not longer, and there's still a lorra lot left to go.

The cream contains active ingredients from plant extracts that protect the skin from fatigue and dullness associated with pollution and the stresses of everyday life (and we all have plenty of those!), thereby correcting the early signs of wrinkles.  After using this my skin certainly looked perkier, tighter and brighter.  It's a good moisturiser from that perspective.  As far as wrinkle correcting goes, however, my fine lines are exactly where and how they were before, as I suspected they would be.  I'm a huge Clarins fan but don't make promises that you can't keep people!  It doesn't appear to have an SPF.  An additional (and very small) complaint, but a valid one nonetheless, is that I did get the occasional spot during the trial, which is relatively unusual for me.

The cream retails at €55 which I think is a lot for something that doesn't quite live up to its claims.  I did enjoy the fresh-faced glow it brought to my skin but if it (1) doesn't correct wrinkles, (2) doesn't contain SPF and (3) gives me (personally) the odd spot, so I personally won't be re-purchasing.  If you'd like to check it out on the Clarins website click here.  As for me, I have sworn off anti-wrinkle creams, until, well, maybe, the next one I try ;-)

Until next time, perhaps we should all just embrace the stripes we've earned?
Emer (theartymama) x