Foundation That Feels Like a Facial

Everyone's talking about it and for once I completely understand why.

Clarins has taken its iconic Double Serum – the cult anti-ageing serum that's been quietly sitting on the world's most discerning dressing tables since 1985 – and turned it into a foundation. Not in a gimmicky, marketing-spin way. In a genuinely clever, dual-chamber bottle way, where two thirds is foundation and one third is serum, kept completely separate until the moment you apply it.

I've always mixed a little moisturiser or serum into my foundation before applying it – it just gives the whole thing a better glow, a more alive finish. Less mask, more skin. Clarins has essentially done exactly that, but properly, with actual science behind it. Thirty percent of the formula is skincare, with 14 active ingredients that are apparently doing good things for your complexion with every wear. I can't promise you a facial in a bottle – but the idea is very much in that direction.

There's also a clever adjustable dial that lets you control how much coverage you dispense, which means the same foundation works on a bare-faced Tuesday morning and a properly dressed-up Saturday night.

It comes in 37 shades, lasts 12 hours, and is one of the more genuinely interesting beauty launches of the year.

Available at Clarins counters and clarins.com – worth asking for a sample before you commit.