CLARINS Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil

I agree that this stuff really does help the overall condition of your skin, not just dryness. It seems to nourish the skin.
For really dry skin though , Clarins Santal oil is probably slightly better.

Now here's a revelation! An oil aimed at dry skin types that actually agreed with my oily skin!

Background: I decided to do a little experiment by applying this to one half of my face and Clarins 'Lotus Oil' on the other. Both were GWP a couple of years back but only just getting round to writing up on them. I used probably no more than 1-2 drops each night after toning and whilst skin was still damp, and followed with an SPF during the day.

As stated previously in the 'Lotus' review I do think the transparent packaging does not protect the properties of the oils very well. Also from an ingredients perspective most of the oils seemed like they were aimed at dry skins and I really wasn't too sure if Patchouli oil would break me out (with it being 2nd place on the ingredients list). To my surprise I did not break out. I also felt like my skin was overall better when applying this compared to before (and a gap of a few months without my fave face serum which I had ran out of).

I feel both this and the Lotus oil are quite good investments for the skin. Almost on a par with Decleor's oils/aromessences, which in turn are almost (but imo not quite) the best oils/serums on the market. I can't vouch for any anti-ageing benefits, but Blue Orchid is definitely more hydrating than Lotus and oddly enough helped to calm down the odd pimple which I was totally not expecting!



Selena x



~ My HG list ~

(I've sampled 100s of skin, hair and m/u products over the last decade and a half, as I love trying out new stuff all the time - usually sample sizes via e-bay, also plenty courtesy of a friend who works at Sephora. Thought it might be useful to share my top 10 must-have products, subject to change if and when I come across something more effective)


1. Hair Loss Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Hair Oil
2. Lip Balm: Jack Black - Intense Therapy
3. Pigmentation + Anti-Ageing Treatment: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Facial Treatment Serum
4. Cleanser: 'Aveda' - Purifying Gel Cleanser
5. Concealer: ‘Mac’ - Studio Finish Concealer
6. Lash Growth Serum: ‘Divine Herbal’ - Divinelash
7. Foundation/SPF: ‘Juice Beauty’ - Stem Cellular Repair (warm glow)
8. Face Scrub: ‘Sisley' - Botanical Gentle Buffing Cream
9. Moisturizer: ‘Antipodes' - Rejoice Light Day Cream
10. Hand Cream: 'Origins' - Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment

Do you want supple, “bouncy” skin that actually glows and holds moisture? This will do that and more, truly this stuff is MAGIC. I walked into Ulta for something completely different and left with this, so glad I did. I have been using just some non discript apricot kernel oil, it was meh. Obviously Clairins is a well known higher priced quality product vs. an ordinary oil an you may be saying “ duh of course Clairins is going to beat an ordinary run of the mill apricot kernel oil”. Lately I have been really REALLY trying to make compromises with makeup and skincare, using dupes where I can to save money. Here I made the wrong compromise and should have splurged much much sooner because holy cow the difference in quality and results are incredible. Between Retin A and just plain ol’ gettin old, my skin has been super dry and dull lately, even though it’s summer in the Midwest. Thought I would give this a shot and I’m super impressed. The first day I used it I massaged 3 drops into my skin, and “pressed” it in via the Clarins way. It absorbed INSTANTLY. My makeup glided on and my skin looked lovely. When I removed it at night it was still supple and full of moisture, which has NEVER happened to me after any product. The first night I used it, my results got even better. It was still moisturized when I woke up. Even after washing my face wit my Clarisonic. Wow. Just blown away. Dehydrated people, you need this is your life. There’s nothing else like it!!!

This has quickly become holy grail for me. I had been using the Kiehls Midnight recovery concentrate for about 3 yrs because I couldnt live without it. However recently it wasn't working for me as well as it used to, I guess because my skin had just become so used to it. So i bought this after reading a lot of good reviews on it and I can honestly say this lives up to the hype. It leaves my skin extremely plumped and hydrated, almost like i wake up to new skin every morning. I do use a chemical exfoliator before applying this and find this gives me the best results. The smell is something I had to get used to but other than that I have 0 complaints. This would be great for all skin types. maybe i'll purchase the Santal oil next to compare the results but for now this has been so good to me i dont need to follow up with a moisturiser despite my dry skin as this is so hydrating and moisturising.

I use this on my days off, when I’m home alone as a ’spa’ day. The winter months seem to be an optimal time to use this product as it really nourishes and hydrates my face. During ‘spa’ days I wear this after a shower and a good facial cleanse. I apply the oil to my face, massage it in and wear it all day. Riinse off before the dinner hour. This technique is beneficial if I know I’m going out for the eve. I will say my makeup looks fantastic on these days- skin is quite radiant. Another way I use it is as a night moisturizer. Which looks great in the morning- I do this only if I shower the night before. I find once I shower in the am, the warm shower seems to strip it’s moisturizing properties from the overnight application. I’m not keen on the dropper, as I find I have to work quick once I disperse the drops onto my face.. So I now disperse several drops in my one palm and then rub hands together and massage onto my face and neck. I’m on the fence abt the scent, it has a definite medicinal spa scent with what I think might be on a patchouli oil base. It’s certainly strong and lasts until I wash it off. My family , are not fans of the scent which is why I use this on days where I am home alone lol. I really like the end result and am on my 2nd bottle, it lasts a long time (I use it 1-2 times a wk)...

LOVE, LOVE this oil! It truly helps to hydrate my face and smells AMAZING!

I love face oils! This has been an old favorite but then the market was flooded with new ones. So I strayed and strayed... I tried cheap ones, expensive ones, exotic ones, plain ones. While using up the last one, my husband said ‘I don’t like very much the way your face smells’ and I was shocked. So I decided to buy one that has a divine smell. And I remembered how great I felt every time I’ve used this great product. I bought it and fell in love with it all over again. Not only it smells great, I wake up to a new face every day. Thanks Clarins, you deserve credit for this!

I love this oil. I️ have acne prone very dry skin and I use 4-5 drops every night before bed and wake up looking hydrated. Never oily... my skin drinks this right up. The bottle had lasted me almost a year and I still have 30% left of it.

The scent of this oil is exactly like Shalimar from Guerlain, which I love and wear.
My skin is normal but can feel dry specially after cleansing. This oil left my skin feeling the softest baby butt!
I can be allergic and have headaches or breakouts on my skin but this oil didnt cause me any problems, only happiness.

It may be too early to write this. My face has been so dehydrated since moving to Denver from Seattle. I finally realized, I need an actual oil on my skin. I started with the sample size and used it now and then. I finally got the big size yesterday. Today, surprise no tightness, at least very little. I have my fingers crossed that this will be the magic bullet. I used to have oily skin, but after hitting 60, it has dried out considerably. This stuff smells so wonderful, just another bonus. I will update in 2 weeks. So far, no breakouts. I would have probably known that after using the trial size. I use 3 drops after my moisturizer and before sunblock. I read somewhere that you put the oil on after the moisturizer, since oil can penetrate cream and not vice versa. Just for what it is worth. :)