Clarins launches Double Serum Foundation in travel retail

By Naomi Chadderton | Friday, 29 May 2026 11:58

Clarins is strengthening its makeup ambitions in global travel retail with the introduction of Double Serum Foundation, a hybrid complexion product that combines the brand’s skincare expertise with high-performance makeup in what marks Clarins’ largest makeup activation programme in the channel to date.

Building on the success of its iconic Double Serum franchise, the new foundation reflects the growing consumer demand for multifunctional beauty products that deliver both immediate results and long-term skincare benefits. Clarins is positioning the launch as a major step forward for its makeup pillar, while also reinforcing the increasingly important connection between skincare and complexion within travel retail beauty.

At the heart of the innovation is Clarins’ proprietary A.U.R.A. (Advanced Ultra Radiance Amplifier) technology, designed to boost light diffusion and create a more radiant, youthful-looking complexion. The dual-phase formula combines skincare actives including turmeric extract, biomimetic peptides and stabilised papain with complexion-perfecting pigments to deliver hydration, radiance and skin-enhancing benefits alongside buildable coverage.

Clarins says the formula is backed by more than four decades of dual-phase research and incorporates 14 active ingredients, including nine plant extracts, working across five key skin functions: hydration, nutrition, protection, oxygenation and regeneration. Consumer testing also highlighted strong results when the foundation was used alongside Double Serum and Double Serum Eye as part of a wider skincare routine.

The launch is being supported by an extensive global activation campaign spanning 20 cities, making it Clarins’ most ambitious makeup rollout ever in travel retail. Developed in partnership with key retailers including DFS and Gebr. Heinemann, the activations place strong emphasis on immersive retail experiences, personalised consultation and cross-selling opportunities between skincare and makeup.

In Macau, Clarins introduced an immersive podium experience built around the “Reveal Your Aura” campaign concept, guiding travellers through interactive product discovery, personalised shade consultation and customisation experiences designed to extend engagement beyond the point of purchase.

The campaign has also delivered strong momentum in the US, with activations in Los Angeles and San Francisco contributing to what Clarins described as its strongest monthly sales performance in five years.

Elsewhere, Istanbul Airport has become another key location for the rollout, where Clarins partnered with Gebr. Heinemann on a dedicated podium activation using strong visual merchandising and skincare storytelling to reinforce the brand’s growing makeup ambitions.

In Hainan, Clarins amplified the campaign further through a boutique takeover at cdf Sanya International Duty Free Shopping Complex featuring Winwin, member of K-pop group NCT. The activation generated more than two million livestream views and drove significant social media engagement across Xiaohongshu, Douyin, Instagram and X, while also increasing in-store traffic and consumer interaction.

The campaign extended beyond the retail floor into hotel and lifestyle partnerships across Sanya, including activations at The St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort and JW Marriott Sanya Haitang Bay, where Clarins introduced experiences ranging from yacht activations to masterclasses and high tea collaborations, all designed to strengthen brand engagement and drive consumers back into store.

Alexandre Callens, President Global Travel Retail at Clarins, said: “With Double Serum Foundation, we are bringing together product innovation and retail execution at a new scale for Clarins in global travel retail. It also marks our most significant new makeup investment in the channel and a key step in accelerating the role of makeup as our second growth engine alongside skincare.”

Katalin Berenyi, Brand General Manager at Clarins, added: “Double Serum Foundation is a revolution in complexion sitting at the intersection of Clarins’ skincare and makeup expertise. Building on the legacy of Double Serum, this innovation translates decades of research into a formula that delivers immediate radiance and visible improvements in skin quality over time.”

Like what you’re reading? Follow TRBusiness on Linkedin: