The Flash... a different kind of superhero!

Why has this product remained a true favourite and rave of many a celebrity or makeup artist? Well, simply because it works... at least it does for me although I'm no makeup expert and definitely do not have superstar qualities. My skin has a light oily t-zone, with dehydrated areas around my cheeks and it is rather sensitive. The sensitivity was one of the reasons why I hesitated about this product at first. However, I caved in and decided I had to try this baby out.

How it Works
According to Clarins, the Beauty Flash Balm is an "ideal pick-me-up to erase signs of stress or fatigue". That sounds really good because my skin was starting to look very dull and tired. I really needed something peppy! Clarins also stated that it contains :

Chamomile: soothes, softens, relaxes
Witch hazel: astringent, anti-free radical, protects
Olive: softening, soothing, toning, firming
Rice: promotes a matte complexion, smoothes, protects
Algae extracts: promote pick-me-up benefits

Most of the key ingredients seem geared toward soothing and firming one's face, and it did indeed work out that way for me. My skin feels taut and healthy after applying this balm. The consistency is slightly heavier than a normal lotion but it spreads on smoothly without any greasy feel. The balm absorbs almost instantly into skin and I can very soon feel the soothing and tightening properties at work. It also recommends to apply makeup immediately after the balm and I did just that. My liquid foundation went on very nicely and my skin looked a little dewy (which can be eliminated with some loose powder, if that's not your cup of tea).

It also helped my foundation adhere longer and after 6 - 8 hours, my skin still looked pretty good with minimal touch-ups. I have also tried this with powder foundation and it works equally well. It does not create more oils in fact I think it helped keep my t-zone in check. After using this product for 2 months, I have to admit that it does help a lot and although I still don't have the 'star' quality that you can find in beauty magazines, it is definitely going towards that direction.

Scent and Sensibilities
As some of you may know (after reading a few of my reviews), scent is extremely important when considering a purchase. If I find the smell to be offensive, I would never buy the product no matter how terrific it claims to be. The fragrance of this balm is floral with a hint of green, very light and pleasing. According to my facialist, Clarins uses flora extracts and are really into plants. The scent does not linger and quickly dissipates after a few minutes upon application.

The packaging is quite elegant with the usual Clarins white and red theme. The words are printed in red against a fat, white tube with Clarins Paris circled in gold. It only comes in one size which is 50ml (1.7floz). The product does go a long way because very little of it is needed for each application. This may vary though if you intend on using it as a moisturising mask treatment (another usage that Clarins recommends).

The Ugly
Now, even super heroes have weaknesses and I guess the price is this little product's kryptonite. It retails for US$37.50 on gloss.com! I was fortunate to get this at a local discount chain and purchased it for US$23 instead. I think some of you may know that French products are cheaper in Malaysia due to lower import tax and if I'm not mistaken, the original retail price at our Clarins counter is US$30. However, since this product is working beautifully on me... I admit I wouldn't mind a repurchase in spite of the pricing.

I do wished it contained a sunscreen. This is my only true gripe. I don't use a foundation with SPF because I find that I'm allergic to most, so I do feel a little naked without sunscreen. I live in hot and humid weather, which makes sun protection one of my top skin priorities. I have used the balm below a sunscreen lotion and then makeup, thankfully no additional oilies. Although, I would really love to be rid of the extra step on rushed mornings.

In Summary
The Beauty Flash Balm does help promote an appearance of "youthful radiance". I believe it would be suitable for most skin types because I sneakily tested it on my sleeping husband (who has normal to oily skin) and he did have a nicely refreshed look for a while. You would need to fork out some cash for flash. If price is not a big issue, I would definitely suggest trying but be sure to test at a Clarins counter first.