As one of Sydney’s top fashion editors, fashion stylist Caroline Tran is frequently asked how she approaches curating her own wardrobe. “My personal style is minimal, with a masculine-feminine twist,” she tells Gritty Pretty. “I like to focus on tailoring and elevated basics that can be worn throughout the year. I like to feel timeless yet comfortable.”

When it comes to her wardrobe non-negotiables, Tran is armed with a list. At the very top? “A relaxed tailored black blazer,” she says. Other pieces that make the cut are: “A great pair of jeans, tailored trousers, an array of tanks in different fabrics and colours, a cashmere knit, a great flat (loafer), a sandal, heel, and a black leather handbag.” Tran’s personal style is seriously enviable (as her 22,000 Instagram followers will attest) and her approach to dressing proves you can’t beat the classics. “I love pieces that stand the test of time and that I know will work,” Tran adds. “And when it comes to my beauty cabinet, I have the same approach.”

Much like her must-have favourite blazer, Clarins Double Serum is Tran’s skincare essential. “A true staple, this product uses 21 powerful plant extracts that help firm and protect my skin. I’ve been using it for years because it never fails to make my skin glow.” 

Clarins Double Serum almost needs no introduction—it’s no wonder it’s the pinnacle of Tran’s skincare routine when one bottle is sold around the world every 5 seconds. “It is an essential in my beauty routine as it has really helped the luminosity of my skin, and visibly smoothed the texture,” describes Tran. 

That’s thanks to Double Serum’s cutting-edge formula, which harnesses the power of nature to boost the skin. Extracts of goji berry help with oxygenation, while the power of superfood quinoa helps to hydrate the skin, helping to improve skin texture. “My skin texture looks and feels smoother, and I think it helps with the luminosity,” Tran adds. The serum’s star ingredient, turmeric, has been proven to visibly minimise fine lines but it’s not all about the skin’s appearance—Double Serum also uses green banana to encourage regeneration of the skin, while kiwi fruit delivers vital nutrients to the dermal layer. Plant extracts like ginger lily and mango fortify the skin and protect it from external aggressors. A true hero in any skincare routine, Clarins Double Serum has been perfected over more than 35 years to become a skincare product women can’t live without. 

It helps that the product is seriously chic too—the amber serum is iconic the world over. This month, Clarins is launching a limited edition version of its bestselling Double Serum to celebrate Lunar New Year and the Year of the Tiger. The classic dual-chamber bottle has been decorated with the Chinese idiom ‘tiger with wings’, a metaphor for ‘double power’  and a nod to the serum’s name. Clarins is also supporting WWF China by helping to raise awareness of the endangered North-Eastern China Tiger population and donating to support its conservation. 

But the beauty of a skincare essential—or a wardrobe essential for that matter—is in how it works with other items in your wardrobe or beauty cupboard. For Tran, the power of Clarins Double Serum is that it’s an essential layering product in her beauty regimen.

“I mostly use Clarins Double Serum at night. I double cleanse to remove make-up and the day away. I apply to clean skin, add an eye serum and a hydrating but light moisturiser,” explains Tran.

As for her AM routine, Tran loves Clarins Double Serum because it makes her make-up truly shine: “Every few days I use the serum in the morning, apply it to clean skin. I find that it primes skin for makeup perfectly.”

You can shop Clarins Double Serum here.