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Review: Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch
Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008
As I was doing my Christmas shopping yesterday, I decided to stop at a makeup counter I had never tried before. When I came up to the Clarins counter, I asked the makeup artist what products she would recommend and she showed me this cream.
- Product: 5 out of 5
- Packaging: 5 out of 5
- Quality: 5 out of 5
- Overall: 5 out of 5
- Would I buy again? Yes
- Price: $29 (or less on eBay)
Where To Buy Online:
They describe it as…
- The perfect marriage of make-up and skin care for a spectacular beauty effect.
- A magical melting, invisible texture perfectly smooths the skin by leaving an imperceptible veil over its surface.
- Wrinkles and fine lines are visually minimized to guarantee a flawless complexion.
- Awarded ‘Best Make-Up Primer’ from ‘Health’ 2007.
Advantages
- Goes on smoothly
- Container is easy to access
- Makes the skin flawless and smooth
- Makes for a great face primer
Disadvantages
- The price is a bit more than I’d like, but it should last for several months
Overall Opinion
I am incredibly impressed with how well this product works in smoothing out my face! I applied under my foundation, and it smoothed out my pores and made my skin feel ultra smooth.
MUG Seal of Approval: (5 out of 5)
49 readers have shared their thoughts on this article
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Oohh, this sounds like a really good product
I have a full size bottle of Smashbox primer and haven’t been liking it for the past couple of days. Maybe it’s the weather messing with my skin :/
I really want to try this! Hmm, maybe I could get a sample at the Clarins counter..
Have you ever used the Smashbox PhotoFinish Primer?… I would be interested on a comparison of those 2 Foundation Primers.
The best thing about these products are, that they are supposed to be based on nothing but natual remedies – so no bad additives
I use their eyeshadow base and it’s fabulous! Cost me less than 20€ and I go with a pencil tube almost 1 year using it daily!!
In my opinion much much better than UDPP, and can also be used alone to brighten the lid.
So this one is something I am gonna look into, I think!
Hi Marlena,
Would you recommend this product to someone like me with oily skin?
I’m still searching for the perfect primer. I have the Clinique pore minimizer and it contains oil well but I can’t put it on my whole face, it’s too expensive to do that.
Have you tried the MAC Prep & Prime? I’d like to know how these two compare.
I love this stuff too! I got a sample of it with my Sephora order a while ago and use it daily…I still haven’t put a dent in my sample though lol It’s awesome!
I live in venezuela and i can´t find this line of products.
Just picked one up to try today. If you are in the UK and want to get this, House Of Fraser have it for £21.04, but they have an offer on right now and you get 10% off with the friends and family discount voucher. You can use these vouchers more than once so you can stock up on other things as well. Even managed to bag some free samples! Can’t wait to try it!
I love love love this product. I have been a faithful user of Clarins for about 10 years now…that is what I started with as a teenager. I am so glad to see someone else uses it too. Everyone always talks about MAC and Clinique (don’t get me wrong I love and use them too) but Clarins has some great products.
Hi ! So glad to hear you talk about Clarins !! Here in France it’s a very famous brand, quite expensive but with high quality products. Girls here love there make-up and skincare products !
Thank goodness for this fantastic product review! Thank you Marlena!! I purchased this product today, used it and LOVE IT, it’s a keeper. Thank you !!
I just wanted to let you all know that I purchased this product from Sephora and it is AMAZING!! It makes your skin really smooth which helps for your foundation to go on smooth as well! Definitely a must have
xoxo
Clarins is a great line. Im a flight attendant and you would be hard pressed to find a flight attendant that dosent carry Clarins Expertise 3p Screen Mist. In the high altitude pressuized environment your skin dries out like a aligators and a quick mist in the middle of your day, hydrates and gives you back that dewy glow…love it. Thank you Marlena
Hi Marlena –
Can you please clarify a bit exactly what basic function you think this product serves? I tried it at the Clarins counter last night and admit it was a lovely feel, but ended up uncertain whether it was primarily a product intended to facilitate the application of foundation thereafter, or whether it was primarily a product to reduce the visibility of surface “concave imperfections” (for lack of a better description!), i.e. large pores or wrinkles. If it’s the former, why is it more beneficial than a good moisturizer? If it’s the latter, do you feel it really ‘does the trick’?
Would greatly appreciate your second take on this before I buy as for me as well, the price is a bit on the high side.
Thanks!
Lol, i just bought this today and am so glad to see a 5/5 on your review x3
I got a sample at Sephora because lately I’ve been buying everything (almost) I’ve seen at Makeup geek and OMG! It is AWESOME!!!! I suggest to get a sample at Sephora and try it before you use it. I actually look forward to putting this stuff on! It feels like silk on your face! Simply amazing!
I work at a Clarins counter..this is a great product…but not one I would recommend for oily skin. (I know…that’s NOT what Clarins says…). The fourth ingredient is hydrogenated vegetable oil…great for dry to normal skin and FAB in the winter to seal in the moisturizer/serum you are currently using. The finish is great and this product really does deliver…I’ve just seen clients with oilier to oily skin be not quite so happy with it.
You wear it to smooth out the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and large pores. Let it “settle” on the skin for 2 to 5 minutes and then apply your foundation. You can use it all over the face or spot treat trouble areas.
You can also use it sans foundation for “casual” days when you don’t want to put make up on…but want to look ohhh so natural.
How THAT for some honesty from a sales person?? LOL
Glad to hear you guys are discovering the Clarins line and liking what you try!!
My skin is extremly oily and I am actually liking this product. I have been trying lots of primers that are supposed to control oil inculding mac, smashbox photo fihish light, laura mercier, clinique….I was very leary to try this because I was worried about how it would affect my greasy face. Honestly it does just as good as any of the others I have tried. In addition it does give my makeup a very smooth finish, filling in some pretty sizeable pores on the sides of my nose. Another thing I have noticed is that I am using about half the foundation I was using before. I used to use two pumps and now with this primer one pump is enough to cover my face. The primer alone does a lot of the work in evening out the skintone.
I love Instant Smooth. For the comment inquiring if this product can be used on oily skin, the answer is YES! It’s active ingredient is Acacia micropearl that actually working like a microscopic sponge that absorbs surface oil and expands and settles into fine lines/pores, to create a smoother skin texture. It’s also labeled as an oil-free product. I also love to use Instant smooth to prime around the eyes before concealer because it helps to lines around the eyes. Love Love LOVE this product.
p.s. Clarins has a new foundation out that has instant smooth built in. I haven’t tried this product yet, so I’d love to see a review.
Hi everyone. This is my first post.
I have this product and overall it is VERY smoothing and silky feeling. However, I have a problem with it “building up” if I try to cover deeper lines in my face, as my forehead or pores around my nose and such. So when I apply the concealer/foundation, I can see where the product has “clumped” up (can’t think of another word to describe this) around under my eyes or around my nose.
So, I don’t know if I am just applying too much or what. If anyone has any ways they know of to prevent this, please let me know. It is quite annoying and I can’t find any face/line primer that doesn’t show up when I put foundation over it.
This is a great site Marlena and I LOVE your tutorials. I hope you find the time to come to Cental florida one day for another seminar. =D
HI,
Can anyone tell me if this product works good on sensitive skin??
Thanks,
Sara
II have a very oily skin and after reading you all, I’m definitely giving it a try.
Thank you for sharing your experiences about the make up world… it’s really helping me to get better results.
XOXO from Monterrey, Mexico.
Jody, i think you should apply all over your face, thinly, not just on your pores. My two cents though.
It helps covering up fine lines, but there comes a time when age starts showing up and we can’t expect to look like we’re 20 just by using a product. I believe too many women can’t accept they are growing old. But this product helped me covering my pores, not that I have many, but i started using mineral makeup and mineral foundation versus liquid f. and noticed my pores would show up more, and this did the trick!
Hi brought this yesterday and its a god send. my skin looks and feels so good, i didnt even wear my normal foundation. Today, i used very little foundation over this product. I’m officially an addict!
I love this product, I watch one of your tutorial video on “My Face Rountine” and you was showing us the instant smooth from clarin. I bought it and i fall in love with it. I know it kinda expensive, but then since holiday season, department stores like macys or bloomngdale is having a big sale. macys has a deal package of two clarins for $50.
I bought it just after seeing your review and I must say it’s amazing !
I just got two for them for $50 at Dillards!
I love this stuff.. thank you for suggesting it
hi everyone ,
im african american and i was wondering if this product would work on my skin and if i can find this in a store like target or walmart.
thanks
Hi, I’m a black woman also, living in the UK and i brought this product. Its excellent for our skin.. my foundation sits on my skin perfectly all day. Usually, i have to blot my skin throughout the day, but with this product.. i can forget about an oily T-zone at mid-day. I highly recommend it. Good luck.
Hello girls,
)
I’ve been really surprised recently how good Clarins is. In Slovakia, where I come from, I can get Clarins fortunately and it happened to me that I had to find some good foundation when my beloved Nars was gone (I can buy it only abroad
I ran to my bathroom immediately, cos I would like to recommend some other stuff from Clarins as well – this brand deserves it and you too, so here you are: “Truly matte foundation light reflecting” – fantastic for oily skin, it looks so natural for all day long and smells very nice. Then I have already used 3-4 packages of “Radiance-plus self tanning body lotion 365 days” – forget about spots and ugly yellow color, I usually use it every second day during the night instead of regular moisturiser, skin is hydrated, has gentle golden glow, looks healthy, natural.
And of course, I am going to try Marlena’s advice, I love your work Marlena, thank you so much.
Hi,
I was going to get this after reading some good reviews but at Sephora, the sales assistant said that this product was not exactly a make up primer in the sense that it does nothing to hold your make-up in place, it just makes your skin look better under it. So I didn’t get it cos it didn’t guarantee that my foundation would stay put throughout the day. I therefore repurchased the always reliable SMASHBOX primer which is excellent.
I haven’t personally tried this product, but im not a fan of the SmashBox photofinish.
My friend suggested it for pour minimizing & a “smooth” finish. But it did nothing except
Make my skin feel greasy and oily; it didn’t mix well with my makeup. So now I’m trying to
Find something to smoothout and minimize. So I’m putting my faith in this. Don’t let me down!
I have a question that probably has been addressed but fairly new here. I have dry skin! After I wash my face I always have to moisturize. Would this interfere with the face primers? Would I wash, moisturize (let dry), Clarins face primer, then foundation?? Thanks for the help.
I love you Marlena!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are the best!
Love, Love, LOVE this recommedation. I love the silky smooth feeling of my skin right after I apply it. This along with Make-up Forever’s concealers was one of your BEST recommendations.
Thanks for your tips,
Forever your fan!
Teri
Hey Marlena,
I love all of your videos. You are so beautiful. Anyways, do the Clarins instant smooth perfecting touch works as a moisturizer too? If no, what would you recommend? Thanks …hope to hear from you.
There are dehydrated silicon granules in this product that plump up to 3x their size; that’s how it is able to fill in enlarged pores and fine lines.
It’s rose coloured pigment also reflects the light in such a way that it brightens the skin, leaving it looking fresh and vibrant.
They also have an Instant Smooth foundation, which is essentially the same thing, only it is much lighter and fluffier.
the instant smooth foundation is nice. it’s ok for a combination oily skin, but not so much on an oily one. it’s medium coverage, but you can build it up. works pretty good at covering acne, but does not go well with flaky skin. It works well with dry skin, just not flaky skin. lasts 6-8 hours, and is an absolute pleasure to apply and blend – very easy to use. Light weight and comfortable. Doesn’t need a primer.
You should try all the Clarins makeup, i work where i have to sell multiple lines of high end makeup, and clarins by far is one of the best. There shadow quads are a little expensive ($42 Can) BUTTT the colour payoff is ABSOLUTLY AMAZING! it’s like you dont even need a primer!
I have sensitive skin that is dry and prone to breakouts. Since I started using everything by Bare Escentuals including @rime (ime my skin looks great.
I have to agree that this recommendation along with the MUFE camo concealers – BEST money I think I have spent on beauty products! Basically, I can use the Clarins Instant Smooth (still working through my sample from the Clarins counter at Dillards!) and then the concealer and a little dusting of silica powder (which I ADORE!) and my skin honestly looks pretty flawless! Yeah, that’s WITHOUT ANY FOUNDATION!!! Amazing! I will be investing the $30 once my little sample is gone – but you really do only have to use a tiny dab to cover your whole face, so the tiny sample should last me a few weeks! LOVE that!
I do have pretty “normal” skin (read: I take SERIOUS care of my skin and therefore, it treats me pretty well), so I can’t speak to those who have oily skin or super-dry skin. The way to use this product to its fullest is to just literally cover your entire face (maybe sans eyelids) with a VERY thin layer of the product. Let it sit for about 3 minutes, then apply your concealer, foundation if you want/ need it, etc. like you normally would. I don’t know if it makes makeup last longer, but it definantly gives a beautiful smooth surface to work with and the end result is a more flawless look, for sure!
I did get a little sample of the Instant Smooth Foundation – wasn’t overly impressed. It is SUPER lightweight because the ratio of pigment to product is not very high. I would say it behaves a lot more like a tinted moisturizer. AND the lightest color was still a little dark for my (scotch-irish) skin, so that was a no-go. They do give out samples at the Dillards counters, though, so try before you buy if you like!
Best of luck everyone!!
I have been using Clarins products for ages, and I bought Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch around about last December, and I have dry skin. I’m very happy with it, especially since I’m older than most you girls, it does make your skin appear smoother. I had tried Smashbox primer in the pump bottle last year, it was expensive, and the pump faulty with only half the product used. I had to unscrew the damn thing to get the primer out, so between the two, I prefer the Clarins product. I also used Clarins Beauty Flash for ages, then for some reason, it started to go flaky on my skin, maybe someone can tell me why or what I was doing wrong. Lastly, I do recommend Clarins Instant Eye Make-up Remover (for Heavy Makeup and sensitive eyes) It works a treat, only thing you need to keep shaking the bottle before use, as it separates. But it works without too much effort and time. No, I don’t work at Clarins, wish I did though, think of all those free samples!!!!
Ostiaroma….I had the same experience with the Smashbox primer….with the product half way through, the pump wouldn’t work and I had to unscrew the bottle to get access to the product (which was not easy to get out, for its consistency!)
As for Clarins, I have never used any of their products before. Now I am in love with the Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch. I would strongly suggest to all Make Up Geeks with dry skin to give it a try. You won’t regret it!
Also wanted to comment that the amount of Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch that you have to use is minimal. You can use it to the very last portion left on the bottle, for it brings a small plasic applicator.
Marlena, I really appreciate your recommendations!
From Puerto Rico with love!
Dear Marlena,
You are the best!
I have just bought my Instant Smooth Perfecting touch based on your review.
Hope to see the diference when I put on my make up.
Kisses from Brasil!!
Carol