For folks living in or visiting the San Francisco Bay Area, did you know that Clarins, a French skin care line, offers complementary facials at Nordstrom stores?
Since the 50s, French brand Clarins was one of the first lines to forgo using animal ingredients in their products. Their entire line is now 100 percent plant-derived.
I’m new to the line, so the free 40-minute facial held at the Nordstrom Spa in the San Francisco Centre was a great (and relaxing) way to learn about their products.
Yes, girl, the San Francisco Nordstrom has a spa with the usual spa treatment menu of facials, massages and body treatments costing upwards of $80, depending on the service.
But because Clarins’ complimentary facials are held in their spa rooms, they’re kinda like experiencing the spa without having to pay the big bucks. Here’s where my facial took place:
Um, the treatment bed wasn’t messy when I walked in. I actually laid down on it for a short nap before taking this picture (hey, I exercised early and was tired!). The room was a little noisy due to store traffic outside the door, which was only partially drowned out by tunes from the Top 40 radio station piped through overhead speakers. If you’re used to going to spas where they play soft, soothing sounds of chirping crickets or, God forbid, Enya, then you may not like this. But let me remind you again — this facial is gratis.
Despite the background noise, the facial and overall experience was great. Sharon Trajico, a specially trained Clarins facialist, first asked me a ton of questions about my skin and my skin care routine. Based on my answers, she selected a few choice Clarins products to cleanse, treat and protect my skin. I liked that the products weren’t heavily scented; most smelled very light, clean and plant-esque.
Over the course of the treatment Sharon carefully described the products she was using along with each product’s intended use. Clarins facialists apply product with their hands, warming each between their palms first before application, and then lightly massaging and pressing the product into the face and neck. It’s a combo massage-beauty treatment — incredibly relaxing.
Like specialists at European-style day spas, Shannon cleansed and toned my skin, applied a face mask, then finished with a series of anti-aging and skin protection serums and lotions. They skipped the facial steaming (which typically happens before or after the mask) and black head extraction (hate those, ouch!), which was fine with me.
At the end of the facial my skin felt smooth, looked brighter and the red splotches I’d had at the start of the treatment were gone. I loved the scents and textures of Clarins’ face products and can’t wait to try more of the line, which includes body care and makeup.
Clarins complimentary Nordstrom facials are offered once a month. Call your nearby Nordstrom and ask to speak with someone at the Clarins counter. They’ll provide you with dates and schedule a time for you to come in!
San Francisco readers can call…
Nordstrom at San Francisco Centre (near Union Square): (415) 243-8500
Nordstrom at Stonestown Galleria: (415) 753-1344
And if you’re in Marin…
Nordstrom at The Village at Corte Madera: (415) 927-1690
For numbers to other Bay Area Nordstrom stores, perform a search here.
Take note — not all Nordstrom stores have spa rooms like the ones in S.F. do At some of store counters, your facials will be done on the sales floor, but they’ll shield you behind a screen to grant you some privacy.
By the way, in the beauty world, “free” and “complimentary” services are often code for “you should purchase at least one product before you head out,” but I’m sure you won’t be disappointed by the Clarins line. Later today I plan to swing by my local Nordstrom to grab a few of the goodies Sharon introduced me to!
I hope your day has been going well so far! Whatcha up to on this lovely Tuesday?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Lilan says
February 5th, 2008 at 1:45 pmFree facials! Fab! I’m going to call.. right… now..
Hope your day is going well too! I’m glad the weather is beautiful today 🙂
Karen says
February 5th, 2008 at 2:15 pmHa! Lilan, you know the code word free don’t mean free tho’! But I think you’ll end up finding a few yummy Clarins goodies…the toner and the sunscreen were fab.
If you end up scheduling with Sharon tell her hi for me, she’s really nice and very knowledgeable about skin care. 🙂
Lilan says
February 5th, 2008 at 2:27 pmLOL, Karen, you know that to me anything that’s “free” means “now-I-have-cash-to-buy-(enter Chanel product here)” 😉
I’ve never tried anything from Clarins but I’ve heard great things about their neck cream so I don’t think I’ll mind splurging a little to try a new line.
Karen says
February 5th, 2008 at 2:34 pmOh yeah, I tried that neck cream too! It was nice and light and didn’t leave me with a sticky-feeling neck at all! Smelled yummy, too. 🙂 Gotta put that on my list (seriously, wear that sunscreen…my neck complex is going to last me into the next three lifetimes, boo!).
Sophie says
February 5th, 2008 at 4:25 pmBonjour Karen !
“Merci beaucoup” for these pieces of advices you gave me previously about Mac products.I have to get to Lyon on thursday and i hope i’ll have time enouth to get at the mac store…
About Clarins, here in France it’s a really good brand with good products as you know .In my 20’s (I’m 33…hu!!)i used to apply their products such “le lait démaquillant”,”la lotion” for combination and oily skin,”le nettoyant moussant” (a very gentle cleanser),the lotus day cream and the lotus night oil…I thought great things about these.
I really don’t know why i changed using Clarins…
Today, i know they have more products.I only have tried some few samples, but i felt so-so about them.
Last week a MUA told me good things about their “eau de confort”…But i didn’t want to try it…
However, readind your article ,i’m very interrested by “la gelée fondante démaquillante”…These words are making me dreaming…
About their sunscreen, with the “finish uv” of Dior,it’s the lightest i have ever wore.Very good choice.
I could tell you a lot about skincare…
But i really don’t know how difficult is, to read my english…
So,i stop for today …
Have a nice day
A très bientôt,
Your french friend beauty addict,
Sophie
Glosslizard says
February 5th, 2008 at 4:41 pmHi Karen!
Thanks for the heads-up! I always think of “free” as “if I ever want to buy something from this line, here’s the bonus I can get”! That facial is a primo GWP! 🙂 Hmmmmm, now if I can just think of something I “need”….
Karen says
February 5th, 2008 at 8:26 pmHi Sophie,
I hope you were able to got to the MAC store in Lyon and get some goodies. 🙂
Your English is great…much better then my French, LOL, which is terrible. I mean, I know enough to order food, ask for directions, say please/thank you but that’s about it. Oh, I can also apologize in French for speaking bad French, ha!
Please let me know what other French brands you like! I’m always looking for new stuff. I am very excited about learning more about Clarins, though.
Anyway, you had a good week too!
Karen says
February 5th, 2008 at 8:28 pmHi Glosslizard,
I wish I could recommend some makeup from Clarins but I have no idea what’s good…yet!
I did see these cute spring colors on the Web site. The collection is called “Colour Fizz”:
http://us.clarins.com/wcsstore/clarins/staticcontent/ColourFizz/US/index.html?section=Side+bar+home&subSection=&ignoreClarinsAndMe=
Lea says
February 6th, 2008 at 10:32 amYou’re absolutely right about the not-really-“free”. I always feel uncomfortable not purchasing anything after a “free” trial or “free” service. I’m swinging by Nords this weekend to purchase some UGG boots for my friend in London, I will ask about this “free”-but-please-purchase-something-afterwards by Clarins. I’m all about no animal products or by-products, thanks for the heads up Karen!
Karen says
February 6th, 2008 at 5:45 pmHi Lea,
You are welcome. I was really impressed by the sampling of the line that I got so I can’t wait to check out the color collection.
That’s so nice of you to buy your friend some boots! 🙂
Lea says
February 6th, 2008 at 6:10 pmCool, I’m sure you will keep us posted on the color line.
I’m only buying it for her since the EngMuff is leaving for London next week and the UGGs there are uber expensive, almost twice the cost at Nordies…and btw she’s wiring me back the money. Girl, I’m not THAT nice =)
Karen says
February 6th, 2008 at 10:44 pmAwww, is your honey traveling? I hope you guys aren’t apart for too long! 🙂
Lupe says
August 15th, 2008 at 5:11 pmhey, does anyone know how to get a hold of the shiseido liquid eyeliner…?