WHAT IS IT?
For Clarins’ 60th anniversary, the brand is releasing limited edition bottles of its best selling Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil and Body Tonic Oil and introducing a full face and body treatment at its skin spa. The Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil and Body Tonic Oil will be available in luxurious gold packaging – a must-have for fans of these “golden” oils.
Apply the Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil on damp skin once a week to treat dehydrated skin. Do also try applying the Tonic Body Treatment Oil (favoured by pregnant women to prevent stretch marks) in the shower and spraying cold water afterwards for deeper penetration of the oil.
Clarins is also introducing – for the first time ‒ a full face and body treatment at its skin spa. Called the Art of Touch, it makes use of different “touch” techniques and a blend of products to address your face and body concerns.
These “touch” techniques are different from what you would normally expect from a traditional Thai or Javanese massage. They are softer and more targeted towards releasing “negative energy”. (People who are afraid of painful massages, you won’t experiencing that here!)
The massage is also said to improve blood circulation and will leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated after the treatment.
WHAT HAPPENS
I had the opportunity to experience the 90-minute treatment and boy, am I rushing to book my next appointment as soon as I can!
I first had a skin consultation with the beauty therapist and spoke about my concerns of dehydrated skin, cellulite on my thighs and bloatedness from water retention.
Then, I sampled two fragrances and chose Eau Dynamisante for my treatment for its invigorating properties. (I had to go back to work.) It contains a blend of Lemon, Patchouli, Petit Grain, Ginseng and White Tea. This scent filled the room the entire time. The other option available for this is the Eau Ressourcante, which has essential oils of Basil, Iris, Cedarwood and Sarsaparilla to promote a feeling of total relaxation.
In the first step of the treatment, she smoothed the ClarinsPRO Pure-Melt Massage Body Butter – a professional grade product only found at the spa – over my arms and legs, applying just a little pressure. This step of the treatment is meant to cultivate a sense of calm, and it did. I had to fight really hard not to fall asleep.
She then cleansed my face and applied the Clarins Double Serum, on top of which she added the HydraQuench Anti-Thirst Cream-Mask, covering my eyes and lips as well. Similar to the rest of the brand’s spa treatments, there is no extraction for the facial. The mask was left on my face while she moved onto the second step of the treatment.
Using her palms and thumbs, the therapist started to progressively increase the pressure of the massage on each part of my body. She pressed the acupoints in my palms and feet. This step really relaxed my muscles ‒ I could feel her loosening the knots in my tight shoulders as she kneaded them in gentle but effective strokes.
At the last step, she removed the mask on my face, and the dryness I felt before was no longer there. For the body, she pressed the center of my stomach and the sides of my thighs in motions that are longer and deeper to firm and sculpt the skin.
Finally, she applied Eau Dynamisante in patting motions to each part of my body. The cooling sensation and scent helped to refresh and awaken my senses.
THE RESULTS
I went back to the office and had my most productive day yet, with colleagues commenting on how bright my skin looked without makeup. Plus, that night ‒ after a whole week of insomnia ‒ I slept like a log. Now you see why I’m definitely going back?
Grab a copy of the December 2014 issue of Herworld Magazine to read about associate features editor Jeanne Tai’s Art of Touch experience in Shanghai.
Art of Touch, $230 for 90mins, will be available from January 2015 at the Clarins Skin Spa at Wheelock Place.
Limited Edition Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil, $65, and Limited Edition Tonic Body Treatment Oil, $78, are available at all Clarins counters from January 2015.
For more information, visit www.clarins.com.sg, and follow the brand on Facebook and Instagram.