Trends

A: To bring our beautiful products to China and take Clarins to the top position in China. It deserves the best. I have many things to do, in terms of investments and in terms of training.

Q: Do you have a deadline for your objective?

A: Give me four years, and we'll see.

Q: How do you feel about Beijing?

A: I have only been here for three days and I feel very surprised, very surprised. I didn't expect Beijing to be so modern. In my mind, Beijing was supposed to be traditional. I'm also very impressed by Tiananmen Square, the museums and the Forbidden City.

Q: Your beauty advice to foreigners in Beijing?

A: Cleanser is extremely important in such a polluted city. Air pollution is the second biggest factor after sun in affecting skin condition. Choose a good, suitable day cream. Clarins is the only one product to have a day cream for every type of skin with anti-pollution complex. A good product is not always good for everybody. Every skin is different. We have only one skin, so we have to take good care of it. Each Clarins institute customer will be given a prescription and specific advice on skin care. I would like to tell foreigners here that from what I saw in the three days here, I think our Beijing institute has the same quality of excellent beauty experts as our French institute. The beauticians here have the same knowledge and skills as our French experts. So you can trust our Beijing salon.

Q: But some Chinese people think that foreign skincare products are not suitable for Chinese skin. What would you say?

A: There shouldn't be any worry about this. First of all, there is no fundamental difference between Chinese skin and Western skin. People's skins are different because of external factors such as pollution and air dryness or humidity. We have plans for all types of skin. Actually, many of the materials come from China. For example, our latest anti-pollution day cream is extract of Chinese gingko trees, as we found the gingko is the best plant to protect against pollution.

Q: Is Clarins man-friendly? How do you view the recent trend to separate men's skincare products from women's?

A: Men can use Clarins products, although we don't develop products especially for men. Our products are natural. Texture is the thing that matters. Before women had more greasy things and men don't like that. But now women use less oily products, so men and women can share the same products. I don't expect many men to buy skincare products, but I'm sure they "steal" from their wives or girlfriends. I'm a loyal Clarins user, and I believe there are many men like me.

Fast Clarins Facts

30.jpg (3451 bytes) 1. Founded in 1954 by medical worker Jacques Courtin-Clarins.
2. First product: Plant Treatment Oils (100 percent pure plant extract) in 1954.
3. 12,500 outlets worldwide, three in Beijing (one in Palace Hotel, and two counters at Scitech and Lufthansa)
4. Business revenue: 35 billion francs (US$5.5 billion)
5. Products: 80 percent skincare, 20 percent makeup.
6. Clarins does not conduct animal testing.
7. Clarins takes 25 percent of French skin-care market, and 30 percent in Britain.
8. Clarins products are distributed in more than 140 countries worldwide.
9. It is the first company to introduce ultra-violet protection into its products, something which is now considered standard.
10. Newest products: anti-pollution complex and whitening beauty treatment.