A body serum? Really? Yep, it’s a skincare must have.
Before you roll your eyes and think why do we need to add yet another layer to add our already multi-faceted skincare regimes – yet another superfluous product designed by those evil, scheming marketeers who prey on our insatiable appetite for shiny new things – bear with me…
Not so long ago a facial serum might have also seemed like a frivolous excess. After all we had been drilled for years that the holy skincare trinity, ‘cleanse, tone and moisturise’, was all we needed to know and do.
Now, the value of a serum, and a more high-tech approach to skincare in general, is widely accepted, and I’m proposing that a body serum equally deserves a spot on your (probably already cluttered) bathroom shelf too.
Say hello to REN’s AHA Smart Renewal Body Serum, and to silky smooth, nourished skin, all over.
What’s the hype?
What we thought we knew about how to exfoliate has been turned on it’s head of late. Many of us have already switched from using harsh face scrubs (and God forbid you use one with micro beads) to acid toners (like Pixi Glow Tonic, Alpha-H Liquid Gold, and The Ordinary’s Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution) and witnessed the radical skin resurfacing that occurs almost instantly.
The same train of thought should apply to rest of your body. Instead of scrubbing your skin to death with scrubs, mitts and gloves, causing micro scratches on the surface with each circular swipe, the use of AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids, e.g. glycolic and lactic acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy/salicylic acid) can boost the skin’s natural exfoliation process, increasing cell renewal and evening out pigmentation.
REN’s AHA Smart Renewal Body Serum goes one, actually two, steps further. It’s designed to not only resurface the skin with lactic acid (an AHA), but also to strengthen it with probiotics, and boost hydration, thanks to the addition of xylitol.
How do you use it?
Simply massage onto dry skin, post-shower ideally, until fully absorbed.
A word of warning, as with any AHA product, do not use prior to sunbathing and be sure to use adequate sunscreen protection while using it and for a week after you discontinue use.
Does it work?
Yes. Expect hydrated, smoother skin from application one and more radiant skin with less bumps and ingrown hairs as you continue to use it.
Another way to look at it is as your key to maintaining glowy, summer ready skin all year round. A skim of this post shower and you’ve exfoliated and moisturised in one – no excuse to let your skin go to wreck and ruin under winters wooly jumpers and black tights.
It’s pricey yes, but a little really does go a long way. Just a little skim all over works wonders, and you can layer on a cheaper body lotion/cream more generously if you’re after a more intense moisturisation session.
I’m also a fan of Ameliorate’s Transforming Body Lotion (which also contains acids), and I still keep a bottle of this alongside REN’s orange number.
However, as a false-tan devotee I find that REN’s body serum comes out on top as doesn’t interfere with my (fake) glow as much. I’ve had most success when using it with my holy grail, every day tanning product: Garnier Summer Body Lotion (in Deep Glow), a gradual tanning moisturizer, rather than with a fake tan lotion/mousse type product.
Plus, the fact that it smells delicious is just another (fresh, citrusy) benefit.
Where can you buy it and how much does it cost?
It costs on average £35 and you can pick it up online on renskincare.ie, and from the likes of Cult Beauty, Space NK and Marks and Spencer.
