I scooped this out expecting gimmick — gold in skincare is usually just glitter for grown-ups. Then it melted into my face like warm butter and I literally said “oh” out loud.
The flecks dissolve, they don’t sit there like a disco ball. That’s the detail that got me.
Clémence & Vivien Crème No. 1 runs $190 for 50ml. The claim: “a sensorial masterpiece” — which is either marketing fluff or a dare. I took it.
Cashmere-melt texture
Goes on thick, then turns into a second skin in about 15 seconds — no greasy film
24k gold flakes
More for the ritual than the science, but they dissolve fully and make you feel obscenely luxurious
Scent profile
Faint neroli and something creamy — smells expensive, not like a perfume counter exploded
Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash
It’s not just gold dust and prayers. The base is surprisingly solid — shea butter and squalane do the heavy lifting, while the gold is basically a psychological trigger that makes you slow down and actually massage your face.
- Squalane: Locks in moisture without clogging — the texture MVP
- Shea butter: The reason it feels like cashmere, not Crisco
- 24k gold: Zero skincare proof, 100% ritual payoff — just enjoy it
- Neroli extract: Calms redness and smells like a spa day
Photo: Masum Rahimi / Unsplash
It’s dense — like a whipped mousse that’s been in the fridge. But the second it hits skin, it liquifies. I’ve never felt a cream do that. It’s genuinely weird and wonderful.
Three weeks in, my skin is calmer. The redness around my nose? Faded. But here’s the thing — the glow isn’t the product. It’s the forced 2-minute massage you give yourself because the texture is so nice. That’s the real magic.
Photo: Eurico Craveiro / Unsplash
My skin looks plumper in the morning — the kind of “I slept 9 hours” look that doesn’t wash off. Dark spots? Same. Wrinkles? Same. This is not a treatment cream. It’s a mood.
Photo: Rosa Rafael / Unsplash
It’s not a skincare miracle. It’s a sensory splurge that makes you slow down — and honestly, that might be worth more than any serum.