[REVIEW] My Clarins Clear-Out Targets Imperfections (Before and After)

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[1]🎯Ingredients Breakdown [2]Instructions [3]Results VS. Claims [4]Before&After [5]Verdict

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• Price (use this link): 19$ (It costs 44.55$ on Amazon, so obviously don’t buy it from there)

• Texture: Gel

• What you get: 15 ml

• Cruelty-free: Yes

+INGREDIENTS

Ingredients of the My Clarins Clear-Out Targets Imperfections: Aqua/​Water/​Eau, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol (Moisturizer/Humectant + Solvent + Viscosity Controlling), ♦️Alcohol Denat, Methyl Gluceth-20 (Moisturizer/Humectant), Dimethicone (Emollient), Butyl Avocadate, Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Carbomer (Viscosity Controlling + Emulsion Stabilizing), Ethylhexylglycerin (Preservative), Chlorphenesin (Preservative + Antimicrobial/Antibacterial), Sodium Hydroxide (Buffering), Acrylates/​C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer (Viscosity Controlling + Emulsion Stabilising), Disodium EDTA (Chelating + Viscosity Controlling), ♦️Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Salicylic Acid, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Dimethiconol (Emollient + Moisturizer/Humectant), Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide (Surfactant/Cleansing), Buteth-3 (Solvent), Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Limonene, Maltodextrin (Absorbent/Mattifier + Emulsion Stabilising), Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Lactobacillus, Tributyl Citrate (Solvent), Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Propyl Gallate, ♦️Ci 42090/​Blue 1,♦️ Ci 19140/​Yellow 5

🎯In-Depth Details Of Interesting Ingredients:

Glycerine: Widely used as a quality Hydrator (occurs naturally in skin and its chemical structure attracts water). You can find this ingredient in most good skin-replenishing products.

Salicylic Acid: A form of BHA (Beta Hydroxy Acid). It is very well known and researched anti-acne and peeling agent that penetrates deep into the skin to break down the bonds between skin cells, dissolve skin debris within the pores, and also has anti-inflammatory properties

Spiraea Ulmaria Extract: Antioxidant + Calms Redness + Potentially regulates skin oil production

Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract: Antimicrobial + Antioxidant

Alpha-glucan oligosaccharide (mentioned above) + Polymnia sonchifolia root juice 🔴[Not enough research] + Maltodextrin (mentioned above) + Lactobacillus (mentioned below): this combination of ingredients is called Ecoskin®, created by Solabia group. It is linked to the following properties: Hydrating + Balancing + Purifying + Anti-aging. Do note however that none of these claims are backed up by any research that is not produced by this company, and that the 2 active ingredients present both do not have enough research/data to back up any properties associated to them.

Portulaca Oleracea Extract: Antioxidant (high amounts of Vitamins A and C) + Wound-healing (Decreases surface area of the wound and increases tensile strength to ‘seal’ wound) + Anti-inflammatory (diminishes inflammatory response pathway)

Lactobacillus Ferment: 🔴[Not enough research] Might improve skin barrier functions when present at certain concentrations (5%)

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (Green tea): Antioxidant (Polyphenol) + Anti-inflammatory (Polyphenol) + Antimicrobial (Catechins)

Limonene (Found in Citrus Fruits): Anti-inflammatory (Prevents creation of new blood vessels that supply blood to inflamed sight) + Natural fragrance (Potential skin sensitizer)

🤔Hmmm Ingredients:

Alcohol Denat: Antimicrobial/Antibacterial + Solvent + Viscosity Controlling + Astringent.

A lot of people assimilate alcohol and fragrances in skincare to dehydration and irritation. I would recommend that you watch this video: “Is Alcohol Safe in Skincare Products?” (by Liah Yoo, who worked at Korea's largest beauty company, AmorePacific and now also has her own brand: KraveBeauty) and consult the links provided in the info box which refer to published scientific studies and articles. The main point is: yes, alcohol and fragrance can be very stripping and irritating to the skin, but it all depends on how they are used and combined in the final formulation and of their ratio, the reactions they have with other ingredients, etc…

Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil: Perfuming (Not as sensitizing as other essential oils) + Antimicrobial/Antibacterial

Ci 42090/​Blue 1 + Ci 19140/​Yellow 5 (*May cause itching and hive in some people) : Some colorants can cause irritation to the skin (notably blue, yellow and red dyes).

+HOW TO USE THE My Clarins Clear-Out Targets Imperfections

Apply directly to blemishes and imperfections, morning and/or evening.

Bring with you on-the-go for an emergency any time of day.

+WHAT DOES THE My Clarins Clear-Out Targets Imperfections DO?

• Skin Type: All Skin Types (according to the Clarins website)

1.Visibly reduces blemishes: A solid no. I’ve been using this for the past ten days on four active pimples. The pimples were initially barely apparent: when you apply a spot treatment to pimples that haven’t gotten big yet, the success rate of reducing them is usually quite high. Alas, this did not happen with the My Clarins Clear-Out, although I religiously applied it day and night, it did not stop my small pimples from developing into red cystic acne. 

2.Helps calm irritations: The only thing that got ‘calmed down’ was how red the pimples looked. After the application of this spot treatment, they were noticeably less red, but as I mentioned above, they kept developing into full-grown acne spots.

3.Transparent finish: Yes, one annoying thing with a lot of acne medication is that they tend to be too rough or obvious on the skin: some are colored like the pink spot treatments, others leave your skin extremely dry after their application, these make them unsuitable to be used during the day, so spot products with a transparent finish are always a plus. 

4.Promotes smooth, clear skin: No. The only thing this product did was minimizing the redness of my acne, otherwise, it did absolutely nothing.

 If you want a spot product, this one doesn’t do a good job. I was wondering why most of the reviews of My Clarins Clear-Out Targets Imperfections averaged around 3 and 4 stars (since these are good ratings): if you read the reviews, most people say that they see a difference in the size of their acne, the level of redness, but that the acne itself does not get cleared out. Yet, they still give the product 3, 4 sometimes even 5 stars... A spot treatment isn’t supposed to just make your acne look less intense. It’s supposed to help in its healing process and make it go away, if not after a couple of days, a week should be more than enough. I have tried spot treatments before, and the majority have never delivered on their claims. Still, ever since I’ve tried the Pyunkang Yul Acne Spot Cream - it has worked wonders - I won’t recommend any similar product that does not also deliver on its promise. So do I recommend the My Clarins Clear-Out Targets Imperfections, absolutely not. I’m sure some people saw good results with it: it contains Alcohol Denat as one of its main ingredients, although it is not suitable for sensitive skin, and could cause further irritation, alcohol can also dry out pimples sometimes, so if it doesn’t react badly with your skin, some people might see a decrease or even disappearance of the acne spot. It also contains Salicylic Acid below in the list (lower concentration), which is a well-known acne-fighter. So my point is: yes, you might see good results, but the chances of that happening are pretty slim. Check out the spot treatment I recommended above instead, or this post: [10] Anti-Acne products that actually work + A Skincare routine. 

Mainly: if you have sensitive skin, definitely do not buy this product. I can partially understand why Alcohol Denat is on the list, but in our modern-day and age, there are better alternatives to this ingredient - albeit they are more expensive. There is also the presence of Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Limonene, and one blue and one yellow colorant. All of these ingredients have been linked to irritating the skin and even sometimes causing acne reactions. If anyone is going to formulate a skincare product against acne, potentially sensitizing ingredients should either not be present or at least should be low in number. Primarily when they can be avoided: the oil serves as fragrance, and the colorants give it a nice-ish color. So regardless of your skin, it would be a safer bet to spend your money elsewhere.

+BENEFITS:

1. Light, so can be applied even during the day

-CONS

1. Presence of an Essential oil (potentially sensitizing)

2. Presence of colorants (potentially causing acne)

3. Low concentration of acne-fighting ingredients

🔫Score: 1.0/5 --- This product did absolutely nothing to fight my acne, even though I started applying it in the early stages of acne development. The ingredient list is not very good, and there are better products on the market. The 1/5 instead of a 0/5 is because the texture is clear, and the product didn’t make my acne worse.

+Product link on Macy’s

+Yesstyle:If you use my code: DEWILDE you can get up to 5% off on any yesstyle purchase at checkout)

+(Wishtrend product link)