I would follow Sarah, Missy and TIBAL off of cliff.  When I scroll their Instagram stories, I have to hide my debit card.  So when they both kept signing the praises of the Clarins CryoFlash Lift Effect & Glow Boosting Mask, resistance was futile.  But does it live up to the hype?

It took five attempts to buy this mask.  The girls had sold it out at Sephora, at Ulta, at Nordstrom, and at Bloomingdale’s.  Finally, I found it in the one place that cool, fashion girlies don’t usually shop: Macy’s.  Seriously, if you ever need to find a sold-out, must-have beauty product, try QVC and Macy’s.  They have a lot of the big brands and a different clientele.

Clarins bills the mask as cryotherapy for your face.  In every video, they talk about the cooling, lifting, smoothing and brightening effects.  And they claim that the mask lowers the skin’s temperature by 7-degrees, increasing “micro-circulation” and combating the aging process.  Can I verify these claims?  Can anyone verify any of the claims beauty brands make?  Anecdotal evidence will simply have to do, because it’s all we have for most skincare products.

The mask arrived the day before a friend’s wedding, so I decided to save it for a pre-wedding lift.  The directions say to apply a “thick layer.”  The jar costs $80, so thickness is in the high of the one who pays the bill.  I smoothed on a healthy amount using the provided spatula, but not enough to look like a cold cream commercial from the 80s.

I applied the mask post-shower and instantly felt the cooling effects, which I have to admit, were nice.  It felt very relaxing, soothing even.  And honestly, as the Mom of a one-year-old, I’d pay for that brief respite alone.

Removing the mask, I will admit that things looked tighter.  A little more sculpted in the jawline and cheekbones, pores were minimized, and my skin was a bit brighter.  The effect was similar to having a good facial on a day when you haven’t eaten any sugar or carbs.

Applying my serum and moisturizer, it felt a bit tingly.  In a good way.  Like everything was being absorbed a little bit deeper into the skin.  This is probably why my skin felt more hydrated, even after I had applied my makeup.  For a moment, my skin felt 33 again.

I used the mask the next day as well on my tired, three double vodkas and a glass of champagne skin.  And the face that had looked tired and a bit sallow was brighter and more awake.  It was like my skin had had an espresso.  I was pleased.  I’m not easy to please.  Ask my husband.

Bottom Line: Clarins says the jar holds 20-25 applications.  In my estimation, it’s probably more like 16-18 if you’re applying a medium-thick layer.  At $80 a jar, whether it’s worth the cost of a macchiato per application is an individual decision.

For me, I’ve paid more to get substantially less from must-have, miracle products.  On Sunday night, after a long day of solo-parenting, I pulled my hair back, applied a bit to my face and just closed my eyes for the 10-minute application time.  It was like a gift that I gave myself.  But I won’t be using it at night anymore, because the effect is put to its best use during the day when the tightening and brightening benefits can be shared with the world (or at least the other party in my Zoom calls).  For this price, I want maximum impact, and that means morning use.

I would deem the Clarins Cryo-Flash Mask a must-have, but a special occasion must-have.  For a date night, an important meeting/court appearance, a special event, or a big day when you need that boost, it’s the one I will be reaching for.  And using my acne-clearing Dr. Jart mask the night before and the Clarins in the morning was simply magic.

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