Review: Ren Resurfacing AHA Concentrate

Hi everyone, it's the end of January, and as promised, I'm here and I'm ready to get posting again. 

If you weren't already aware, I've been spending the past two or three months with my head in some books in a bid to better myself and the skills I have to offer, not to mention getting on with my NCTJ studies. While all this has been going on, it hasn't left me a huge amount of time to blog, and while I will be continuing along the journey of self-improvement, I'm now keen to dedicate a bit more time to this little space again. I miss the days of daily postings.

Today I want to share one of my favourite secret skincare weapons with you, namely the glorious Ren Resurfacing AHA Concentrate. Now, I'm sure most of you remember the huge buzz surrounding Alpha Hydroxy Acids last year, and I was right there at the forefront, cheering them on. At the time, my product of choice was the wonderfully gentle Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner, but I have to admit that after a few weeks of use, I began to feel a bit disheartened, as the beneficial effects became less and less.

A bit of background, for anyone who was living under a rock last year and has been left scratching their head.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids are a class of either naturally occurring or synthetic (we all know which I prefer!) chemical compounds,  often used in the cosmetics industry in products claiming to reduce lines and wrinkles,. Essentially, they are chemical exfoliants - much less abrasive than scrubbing away at delicate skin with coarse grains - and gently remove dead skin cells to reveal a new, smoother, softer layer of skin underneath - amongst other things.

The Ren Resurfacing AHA Concentrate is comprised of glycolic, lactic, tartaric and citric acids - all naturally occurring in pineapple, passion fruit, lemon and grapes - and aims to promote skin cell turnover, gently resurfacing and decongesting the skin so that pores and fine lines appear reduced,  leaving the complexion bright, smooth and radiant.

At night, apply one pipette onto clean skin, avoiding the delicate eye area. You can follow up with serum if you like, but personally I like to leave this magic potion to do its thing, uninterrupted, so I generally leave it at that. "What, no moisturiser!?" I hear you ask. Well worry not, as this little beauty aids moisture retention too, and as you only use it for a week or so at a time, it certainly doesn't have any detrimental effects on the skin in that department.

Generally speaking, I tend to use this product in two week cycles to get a really dramatic effect without overdoing it, but you can also try using it every other day over a longer period, which works just as well.

This smells divine - reminiscent of all the tropical fruity goodness it contains - and for me, is an absolute pleasure to use.

But does it work? Oh yes. After use, my skin feels baby-soft, plump and smooth, and is left glowing with radiance after a two-week stint. It definitely helps keep skin decongested and free of any unsightly blocked pores too, which is always an added bonus. 

I would recommend this for people of absolutely all skin-types - it may sound scary, but in reality it is extremely gentle and I have never experienced any adverse effects while using it. That said, if you are extremely sensitive then you may want to do a patch test first, and probably only use it a couple of times a week to start with in order to gauge how your skin responds.

TheRen Resurfacing AHA Concentrate may be pricey, coming in at £30 for 30ml, but it lasts an age and is well worth the splurge. And now that it's available from M & S as well as directly from the Ren website, it's even easier to get hold of.

Go forth and buy!! You won't regret this one.

Are you new to AHAs, or are you an old hand? What are your favourite resurfacing products?

xx

Review: Ren Clearcalm 3 Clay Cleanser

Ren is a brand that had my vote from the off. With a wide range of skincare products catering for all skin-types, they sum up their 'clean' philosophy in three words: Performance, Purity and Pleasure.

You will never stumble across a Ren product that has parabens, sulphates, mineral oil or synthetic fragrances on its' ingredients list, and being someone who tries their very best to avoid such chemical nasties, this suits me jussst fine.

The Clearcalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser (everyone likes a bit of alliteration, no?) is designed for blemish prone skin - something which mine now unfortunately seems to be - and aims to combat the three key causes of breakouts and blemishes: excess sebum, build-up of dead skin cells and blemish causing bacteria. Sounds quite grimey when you put it like that, but we all know that it happens, no matter how well we look after our skin.

This cleanser is really quite unusual, in that it does indeed have the consistency or a slightly smoother and easier to work with clay mask. It's thick and creamy, with a herbal clay scent, and massages easily into the skin. Personally, I find that one large pump is plenty for me, though I do tend to use this only as my morning cleanser as it doesn't remove makeup. I generally work it into my skin for a good couple of minutes, really taking the time to massage any congested areas extra-well, before adding warm water and removing a muslin cloth. 

Like a clay mask, this gets right down into the pores for a deep-down cleanse, purifying and gently exfoliating the skin as it goes. As an added bonus, it does tend to leave pores looking a little bit more refined, and after use my skin feels comfortable and soft - not at all dry, as you might expect from a clay-based product.

So, which ingredients do what? Well, the Clearcalm Cleanser boasts French clay, known for it's oil-absorbing properties, and zinc gluconate to reduce the production of sebum. Antibacterial salicilin mildly exfoliates the skin, while Mayblosson tones enlarged pores. All of that is topped off with a bit of Manuka extract to soothe and nourish.

I find this a pleasant cleanser to use in the mornings, and it does leave my skin looking and feeling matte, creating a great canvas for applying my makeup. I can't say that it has eliminated my hormonal breakouts completely, but I have noticed that I have been getting far fewer big, angry blemishes. I'm now interested to try some of the other products in the Clearcalm range, such as the Clarity Restoring Mask and the Replenishing Night Serum, as with most skincare ranges, I expect they would do their best job when used in conjunction with one another.

I love the fact that I can always rely on this cleanser to start my skin off on the right path in the mornings, and for that reason I think I will always keep a tube of it on hand.

The Clearcalm 3 range is available direct from the Ren Skincare website.

Have you tried anything from the Clearcalm 3 range?

What are your favourite Ren products?

xx