Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

This is one of those beauty products you hear so much about. I picked some up the last time I went through the airport so I could get a few quid off it, as it is fairly pricey - it's about €30 for 30mls.

The claims Clarins make for Flash Balm are that it brightens and tightens your skin, erasing the signs of fatigue and stress.

It's intended to be a 'pick me up' product and they say that it will instantly restore a 'fresh, revived, beautiful appearance'. It also claims to be able to minimise fine lines due to its combination of ingredients - olive extract, Witch Hazel and micro algae which gently tighten skin.

It's intended for use after your usual routine of cleansing, toning and moisturising. Put it on after your moisturiser and directly before your foundation - the aim is that it will improve the appearance of your foundation and make it last longer. You can also use it as a quick pick me to brighten tired skin or as a nourishing mask - you put a thicker layer on and leave it in place for 10-15 minutes, after which time you wipe the excess off. Putting it on is actually tricky - you're not supposed to rub it in at all, which is quite difficult to achieve. You're meant to use sweeping strokes and let it sit on the surface of your skin.

All that said, and it's lovely and all, makes my skin feel really moisturised - but I really didn't notice any dramatic difference. I've mostly been using it before putting on makeup and it's giving me a nice base, but then so will any moisturiser, really. My skin is fairly line-free thus far and also I don't suffer from dryness, so perhaps my skin type isn't one for which dramatic results are possible. It might be actually better used as a mask once a week, to really hydrate tired skin.

Or perhaps, it occurs to me, that these claims for it as a miracle-working instant skin rejuvinator are over-hyped? Oh, surely not!