This Iconic French Skin Care Line Is Aiming To Combat “Stress Aging” With Their New Line Of Plant-Powered Products

Whether you live in a city, frequently turn to an extra coffee when you’ve missed out on sleep, or find yourself stressed by a constantly-packed schedule (or maybe even all three), it’s impacting your skin. The badnews is that studies point to lifestyle factors like pollution, lack of sleep, and stress as disruptive to the skin barrier, which can show up in an array of less-than-ideal ways, ranging from irritation to an uneven skin tone to an acceleration in the breakdown of collagen and elastin. But because there’s only so much you have control over when it comes to a fast-paced lifestyle, beauty brands like Clarins are putting in the work when it comes to developing products that target what’s been dubbed as “stress aging.”

New from the iconic French skin care brand is a line of products that offers protection from things like stress and pollution during the day, and works to repair the skin barrier at night for skin that’s immediately more moisturized and luminous. Powered by botanical ingredients, the products have also been shown in a clinical study to visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles after 28 days of continued use. And in keeping with the fast-paced lifestyle you’re likely accustomed to, Clarins simplified the line so that you only need a few key products. If you’re ready to prevent the damaging effects of stress before they even pop up on your face, keep scrolling for the three products you’ll want in your routine.

Clarins Multi-Active Day Face Cream

To complete your morning skin care routine, Clarins created this Multi-Active Day Face Cream that helps to moisturize while targeting the effects that stress can have on the skin at the same time. The hero ingredient behind the face cream (and the entire Multi-Active line) comes from a plant called sea holly, whose prickly leaves and purple flowers are able to flourish amid harsh environmental conditions. When formulated for skin care, sea holly extract can purportedly benefit the skin by reinforcing its moisture barrier and strengthening its resistance against the effects of stress and fatigue, according to Clarins.

Additionally, the face cream contains a 2% concentration of niacinamide, a skin care staple known for its multi-tasking abilities. A form of vitamin B3, niacinamide acts like an antioxidant to shield the skin from free radical damage, fade unwanted hyperpigmentation, and boost the elasticity of your skin. Most impressively of all, niacinamide is able to achieve all of this without the risk of irritation (in fact, it’s actually known to calm skin redness and inflammation).

While the lightweight cream is suitable for all skin types (including sensitive), Clarins also offers a richer formula for dry skin that contains all of the same stress-combating ingredients, as well as apricot kernel oil for added moisture. And for oily skin types looking for a more mattifying effect, there’s this lighter lotion that includes tapioca starch to help reduce shine.

Clarins Multi-Active Night Face Cream

Like the day cream mentioned above, Clarins Multi-Active Night Face Cream pairs sea holly extract with niacinamide to protect the skin against the tone and textural concerns that can be caused by lifestyle factors. For added protection against pollution, there’s a blend of botanical extracts like white horehound extract, nipplewort extract, and furcellaria extract (a type of red seaweed). And strawberry tree fruit extract naturally mattifies the skin and tightens pores for an instantly smoother texture, according to Clarins. Similar to the day cream, the formula featured here was designed to meet the needs of all skin types — from oily to combination to sensitive — but you can also try the coco seed butter-infused Night Face Cream For Dry Skin if you need even more nourishment.

It’s also worth noting that the plant extracts in the face cream (and all of the brand’s products) are grown in Clarins’ own open-air laboratory and farm in the French Alps. Practicing sustainable farming methods and following European regulations for organic ingredients, the plant extracts behind every formula are a part of the brand’s larger commitment to environmental responsibility, which includes using 100% recycled packaging and achieving carbon neutral status in 2020.

Clarins Multi-Active Revitalizing Treatment Essence

Whether your skin is in need of some extra moisture or you want to give your face cream an added boost, you can incorporate this Multi-Active Revitalizing Treatment Essence into your routine. The hybrid formula works like a toner (minus the drying alcohol) to tighten pores, but provides an extra layer of hydration thanks to ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and castor oil. True to Clarins’ focus on botanical ingredients, the essence also contains an array of clarity-enhancing and collagen-supporting extracts like red jania, teasel, and red ginseng. You can use the serum-like essence morning and night, using your fingers to gently tap the treatment onto your freshly cleansed skin.