Clarins anti-aging serum leaves skin refreshed and smooth

The Product

Clarins Double Serum [Hydric + Lipidic System] Complete Age Control Concentrate, from $89 at department stores, pharmacies and www.clarins.com.

The Promise

This anti-aging serum reinforces five skin functions: regeneration, oxygenation, nutrition, hydration and protection to improve radiance and reduce signs of aging like fine lines.

How it works

A mix of 21 botanical ingredients, including star ingredient turmeric, targets cells' lipid microdomains, a "listening system" that make it possible for cells to receive messages from their environment. The dual-chamber bottle keeps the two formulas at their freshest – one of which is water-based and the other oil-based – in a ratio similar to the skin.

How to use it

Select the amount you'd like to apply (a larger option for normal to dry skin and a smaller amount for normal to oily skin). In the morning and/or evening, mix a pump of the product in hands before applying to the face and neck.

The bottom line

At a wedding in August, I discovered that the groom's mother is a loyal Globe Style reader, as she joked in the receiving line that I needed to start testing products on someone with skin her age. I really should have asked her what she's using, as her complexion was as flawless as her boat-neck Frascara gown. Perhaps it was Clarins' Double Serum, the original formulation of which was introduced in 1985. Now in its eighth iteration, this anti-aging staple is battling the clock by helping cells to listen, rather than just talk, to each other. It's a mind-blowing revelation but of course communication is a two-way street even at a cellular level, just as it is at an interpersonal one. The texture of the new Double Serum is lightweight and fast absorbing – a bonus in an early morning rush – and left my skin feeling refreshed and smooth. It's almost like Clarins heard my prayers.

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