Why does Clarins use plant extracts in its skincare products?

Plant Gold Revitalizing Oil-Emulsion Moisturizer

Did you know that over 250 plant extracts go into Clarins’ formulas? Clarins has always been an industry leader when it comes to natural cosmetics. Some of our skincare products are packed with natural essential oils designed to reveal the inner beauty in us all. Learn all about our natural skincare products.

Clarins has always been passionate about the use of the best essential oils in a range of our cosmetics. However, in the last few years, we’ve really stepped up and upped our research into how we can make more natural plant products for our wonderful clients. We rely on nature’s power to give us skincare products that are incredibly effective but also kind to the skin. That’s why we are so actively involved in trying to fight to protect and respect the environment.

Find out why we are so passionate about sustainable products. We have committed to looking after the planet and all those who inhabit it.

1. A founder with a passion for the environment

In 1954, a man named Jacques Courtin-Clarins thought it would be wonderful to create a range of products that would make women feel as beautiful on the outside as they were on the inside, and that’s how Clarins was founded. From the very beginning of our existence, Jacques began using plant products to create beauty products that drew on the inherent power of nature. He got his inspiration from the natural world around him to develop long-lasting innovations. He had a deep understanding of how plants could be used as medicine. He was one of the very first people to harness how beneficial they could be to the cosmetics industry too. From then, Clarins’ first body oils were born, and with them, our brand’s understanding and expertise in aroma-phytotherapy beauty grew.

2. Understanding the science of plants: Clarins’ expertise

At Clarins, working with natural ingredients is our priority. We are continually working on improving our knowledge of plants and natural skincare, through the varied team of specialists that we have in our laboratories. Our nature researchers are qualified and experienced medical and botanical experts called ethnobotanists. They scour the globe looking for the plants that are going to be the best suited for our formulas. Once they have selected a plant of interest, it is then brought back to our lab and analyzed comprehensively.

The whole plant, including the stalks, leaves, flowers, and fruits are all examined by Clarins’ phytochemist who then goes about extracting the most active plant molecules at optimal concentration levels. Our biology experts will then comprehensively assess the effect of the plant extract on human skin and how effective it will be in our formulas. Consumer safety is of utmost importance, so we only use plant-based extracts that are safe and effective in our natural skincare products. Toxicologists test each and every extract we use to ensure that it is safe for human skin.

3. Working with nature

Clarins is a company with a conscience. That’s why we focus on developing cosmetics that protect and benefit both human health and the environment. We have a very strict sustainable product criterion that all of our plant extracts must meet in order to make it into our skincare products:

Environmental Sustainability: When working with natural ingredients, we ensure that all of them are traceable and that they come from sources that respect and don’t harm the biodiversity of flora and fauna, as well as soil. We prioritize plants that have renewable stalks, leaves, flowers, and fruits. In many instances, we use certified organically-grown plants, sourced from an organic provider. We are proud that our catalog of plant extracts to date, has over 90 certified organically-grown extracts.
Our laboratories that work with plants are always in accordance with green chemistry principles, such as low-pollution, low-waste, and low-energy methods of processing that use as many renewable resources as possible.

Sustainability for local communities: Fair-trade programs are an important part of our sustainability policy. Our ingredient sourcing policy enables us to work alongside and support fair-trade programs around the globe in places like Madagascar and Burkina Faso. By working with these programs, we ensure that the local community benefits directly from our support; they are trained to cultivate and protect their local resources, grow their skill sets, and benefit the local economy. Our process of sourcing from fair-trade programs results in fair pay for the suppliers and local community and provides vital funding for projects that will help to bring up their standards of living. Funds go towards projects such as health care, education, infrastructure, and training. Every year, our goal is to increase the amount of fair-trade products that we use in our cosmetics.

By harnessing the natural power of plants, Clarins is taking a responsible and sustainable approach to skincare products.

4. Our natural skin care products

We have an amazing array of plant-based skin care products, and these are just some of our customers’ favorites:

Velvet Cleansing Milk: This hydrating face wash is a gentle cleansing milk formulated with purifying Alpine herbs to melt away lightweight makeup, impurities, and pollutants while preserving the skin's microbiota to leave skin feeling soft, clean, hydrated, and incredibly comfortable. A duo of Organic Golden Gentian and Organic Lemon Balm make up our exclusive Gentle Complex to soothe and soften skin, and are sourced responsibly from Le Domaine Clarins—our open-air laboratory and farm located in the French Alps.

My Clarins: My Clarins is our very first full vegan-friendly skincare range. All of the products in this range are vegan, which means that they have no raw animal derivatives and have not been tested on animals.

Ready to get started with a brand that cares about your skin and the environment?