Ren Keep Young and Beautiful SH2C Serum

As you have probably realised by now, I do love a skincare brand that uses lots of natural goodies in its ingredients, and avoids nasties such as parabens, sulfates and mineral oil (amongst other things). In fact, I have already bigged Ren up a fair bit on here in the past, being quite the fan of their delightful face masks (the infamous Glycolactic Radiance Peel being my favourite - not alone there). So, it'll come as no surprise to you at all that when I found myself in need of a new serum, Ren was my first port of call.

Yes, I know I'm only in my twenties, but having developed some rather alarming creases and crinkles below my eyes, it seemed only right that I start proviing my skin with the defence it needs against the dreaded ageing process. So, with this in mind, I chose the Keep Young and Beautiful SH2C Serum to come and join my skincare collection. After all, prevention is better than cure, as they say (but I was kind of hoping for both...)

According to Ren, the SH2C Serum is an advanced bio-active serum, formulated to keep skin looking smoother, firmer, younger and more radiant', and promises to reduce and prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, leave skin looking plump, firm and lifted, correct skin tone and give a healthy, glowing radiance and - the big one - keep you looking younger for longer.

Bio-extracts include hexapeptides from yeast, to stimulate skin renewal, native peptides to smooth expression lines, glycosaminoglycans to provide lasting hydration and hyaluronic acid to increase moisture levels and plump the skin. Joining them is sirtuin, which increases the longevity of skin cells and promotes natural repair, and vitamin C to correct skin tone and brighten the complexion.

I was pretty impressed by these claims, especially as I've had such success with Ren products in the past. A serum which provides radiance as well as having anti-ageing properties is just fine by me. However, at £46 for just 30ml, this product had a lot to live up to.

On first impressions, the serum seemed to have the vague scent of tea, and it's thin and milky in consistency, spreading easily over the face and sinking in completely within a few seconds. My skin feels immediately plumper and firmer, and it's even gentle enough to use under my eyes, which is a huge bonus for me.

However, after the first couple of uses, I noticed the smell beginning to change somewhat, and noticed that it was leaving a rather unpleasant, fishy scent on my hands (niiiiiice!). The product itself doesn't smell like this, but I have begun to notice a rather soy sauce-like aroma upon application on a regular basis now, which frankly is a bit off-putting. The tea fragrance is still there too though, and it seems to veer between the two, which is all very odd.

I can't say I've noticed any smoothing of the lines under my eyes, but perhaps a month isn't long enough to see those kinds of results. I can say that the serum has definitely left my skin feeling plumped and  lifted after use, though I do feel that it could be more moisturising. Of course, I follow this with day and night creams, but I don't feel that the moisture stays locked in in the same way that it did with my previous serum. It has given my skin a nice glow, as Ren products tend to, but I can't really speak for the long-term effects and whether it really is keeping new wrinkles at bay! Only time will tell.

Would I repurchase?

Probably not. I've tried better serums, and for the price I'd expect a little bit more in terms of moisture and a nice scent. There  are lots more serums out there I'd like to try, and this one hasn't done enough to persuade me to stick with it. I hope I won't regret this in years to come!

Have you tried any of the Ren serums? If so, I'd love to know your thoughts.

xx