Foundation has long been asked to do one thing: make the skin look better. The latest launch from Clarins proves that it can do that, and so much more.
The new Double Serum Foundation is the next generation of the brand’s hybrid serum foundations, bringing the performance of make-up together with the skincare expertise behind its iconic Double Serum. The result is a formula designed not simply to perfect your complexion in the moment, but to care for your skin at the same time.
This is an interesting evolution in the foundation category, and one that fits perfectly within Clarins’ history of pairing opposing ideas. For 40 years, the cult favourite Double Serum has been built around the principle of duality – two formulas, two sets of benefits, working together seamlessly. Double Serum Foundation takes that principle into make-up, combining coverage and skincare in a single product.
The idea of duality also provided the starting point for a Clarins South Africa collaboration with contemporary artist Lulama Wolf. Rooted in her South African heritage, Lulama’s work moves between history, modernity, identity, and place, drawing on black history, vernacular architecture, and the textures of the African landscape. Her layered, tactile visual language offers a natural creative counterpoint to a product built on the meeting of two worlds.
For Lulama, the collaboration is less about illustrating a beauty product than exploring the possibilities created when different perspectives coexist. That same thinking is embedded in the foundation itself.
At its heart is a dual-chamber formula designed to keep two key ingredients compatible: Matrixyl 3000, a biomimetic peptide, sits within the colour phase alongside Clarins A.U.R.A. technology, while the hydric phase contains stabilised papain – an enzyme derived from papaya fruit –alongside plant extracts and active molecules. Used in a Clarins product for the first time, papain supports gentle skin exfoliation and renewal, helping to smooth texture and enhance the way light reflects from the skin.
On the make-up side, A.U.R.A. technology amplifies the diffusion and reflection of light, creating multi-dimensional radiance. The result is intended to be less about masking the skin and more about making it appear luminous, smooth, and naturally polished.
The customisable medium-to-full coverage is available in 37 shades for a variety of skin tones and types. It leaves a satin finish, giving a more youthful appearance and an almost bare-skin effect for up to 12 hours of make-up perfection. Even more impressive is that after regular use, your skin itself becomes more radiant and smoother, with a visible reduction in the signs of ageing.
This is the result of a considerable amount of technology for something designed to disappear into the complexion. But perhaps that is the point. Rather than treating skincare and make-up as separate steps, Double Serum Foundation proposes that the two can work harder together.
From 212 formulation trials and testing 135 raw materials to its combination of 14 active ingredients, it represents a substantial investment in making foundation do more.
“It was such a beautiful meeting of two worlds,” says Lulama. “I really appreciate that Clarins could support the parts of my work that allow themselves to breathe, and to look beautiful and easy.”
In that sense, the collaboration brings the philosophy of Double Serum Foundation full circle: two seemingly different worlds coming together to create something that is, as Lulama says, both beautiful and easy.
WIN
Enter below for your chance to win one of Five Exclusive Limited-edition Double Serum Foundation Prizes valued at over R2,000!
Prize Details:
- NEW Double Serum Foundation worth R990
A complexion revolution, powered by skincare science. - Gua Sha-Inspired Foundation Brush worth R830
Your secret to seamless coverage and a lifted effect. - Clarins x Lulama Wolf Limited-Edition Cosmetic Purse
When beauty meets art, with a make-up-friendly, travel-ready design.
All you have to do is fill out the form below and follow @yourluxury_africa on Instagram.
Terms & Conditions apply.
Competition runs from 28 October –26 November 2026. The winner will be drawn at 9am on Friday 27 November 2026.
