Clarins Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel

Ever since I started following the “Caroline Hirons Approach to Skincare,” I’ve really gotten into testing products that fit that model. One of those product types is an acid-based toner. Caroline mentions the Clarins Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel as one such acid-based toner. Actually, she doesn’t refer to it by name (she just says that Clarins has such a product) but through my own internet sleuthing, I was able to uncover which product she was referring to. While in my local Nordstrom two weeks ago, I stopped by the Clarins counter and picked up a bottle to test it out and I’m ready to report my results!

As you can see from the back of the bottle, while this product doesn’t specifically indicate that it’s a toner, it is a toner indeed! And a nice one at that! I’ve been using this twice a day for about two weeks and I have found that it is an extremely gentle toner that does live up to the Clarins reputation. Unlike other products that I test, there were no harsh reactions on the skin, no drying or flaking and no breakouts. My skin has remained as clear as ever, which I attribute to the gentle exfoliation of this particular formulation of alpha hydroxy acids.

Let’s look at the ingredients. The first on the list is water, which is good. Next is alcohol, which is, honestly, not so good. Alcohol is generally very drying and I usually avoid products that contain it (especially when it’s high up on the ingredient list). But let’s look at the 3rd ingredient---glycerin---a moisturizer, emollient and a lubricant. Is that the reason that I get no “alcohol tingle” upon application? Maybe. All I know is that this product has been very gentle on the skin. Other ingredients include slip agents, fragrance, stabilizers, AHAs (glycolic acid, tartaric acid, salicylic acid), emollients, a film forming agent, an amino acid, antioxidants, skin protecting ingredients, and preservatives. A few of these ingredients may be irritating to some but it’s really an individual thing.

This toner is the most gentle acid based toner that I’ve able to source locally (my Biologique Recherche P50 had to be ordered from New York) but it’s fairly expensive at $38 for 4.2 ounces. It does seem to work, though, and it is gentle. I have tried two less expensive acid based toners (one I haven’t reviewed yet) and both irritated my skin (although the second one irritated my skin after I used the first one) so I do recommend this one. I am still on the hunt for a gentle, inexpensive acid based toner so when I find it, I will tell you!!

Have you tried Clarins’ Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel? Please share your results!!

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