Our pick of classic pharmacy beauty buys for Christmas gifts (and for yourself) …
We don’t usually go in for beauty gift sets, but this Clarins one caught our eye – the Double Serum holiday set features the brilliant Double Serum (50ml), a beautiful and effective treat for your face, plus Beauty Flash Balm – one of our all-time favourites (try mixing it with your Super Restorative Day Cream, and marvel at the glorious texture of the blend). You also get a Lip Comfort Oil in there, all in a neat travel-friendly pouch (€96). Read about more smart skincare combinations by Clarins through this link.
We also love the idea of this Eau Dynamisante holiday set (100ml eau plus body lotion and body scrub), €46. If you haven’t smelled ED for some time, by the way, I really recommend revisiting this old classic – it’s so fresh and uplifting, without being at all sweet, and feels like just what we need at this time of year. Created by founder Jacques Courtin-Clarins back in 1987, it’s a breath of fresh air, a bit herbal and healthy, citrussy and unexpected (notes like carnation and patchouli make it interesting). It’s very beautiful on the skin, while being more affordable than a perfume (currently under €50 for 200ml, or under €40 for 100ml at www.clarins.ie). A little bottle of this makes a lovely gift, as does the ever-popular Tonic Body Treatment Oil, a fragrant and non-greasy indulgence for your skin.
These are just a couple of my favourite Clarins sets, but there are lots of others to choose from, including a selection of My Clarins, men’s favourites and mini make-up sets (€28). Yes, they’re good gift ideas, but they can also offer valuable winter restoration for yourself …
