Sunday, January 5, 2014

Facing the Fruit

REN is a UK skin care brand that seems to receive a lot of exposure from bloggers, though prior to purchasing the Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask from Space.NK during my holiday to London, I'd never tried any of their products. The mask retails for $66 at Mecca Cosmetica but I bought mine for £30 (at the time around $52). It's still one of most expensive skin care products in my possession, but being on vacation made me more open to splurging. The assistant at Space.NK seemed to approve of my purchase when I took the box to the counter, telling me how much she loved the mask and advising me that the trick was to use it on damp skin. I could hardly wait to get home to use it for the first time and find out if the hype was justified.









The REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask is an exfoliating mask with a load of "bio extracts" including lactic acid from passion fruit, citric acid from lemon, tartaric acid from grape, glycolic acid (6.5%) from pineapple, papain from papaya, omega-7 from sea buckthorn oil and omega-3 from blackcurrant oil. It promises to renew the complexion and improve skin tone and radiance while combating congestion, blackheads and blemishes. Everything you could ask for in a mask, right?

Most reviews I've read describe the texture as akin to marmalade (without the chunky fruity bits) which I would definitely agree with. It even smells exactly like it. I usually squeeze out one full pump onto the back of my hand which expels a generous amount that's more than enough for the whole face. I spritz my clean, bare face lightly with Avene Thermal Spring Water and then apply the mask all over with my fingers. It goes on relatively clear, though the actual colour is a pale orange. After a few minutes, I can feel the mask begin to tingle, though the sensation is nothing too uncomfortable. I normally wait about 10-15 minutes and then wash everything off with my hands and warm water. It's recommended to use the included muslin cloth with warm water to remove the mask but I can never be bothered.

I've used this mask roughly once every couple of weeks since October and I have to say I feel it's a bit overrated. After I've washed it off, my skin does appear more radiant, but almost in a slightly overly scrubbed, greasy way. My cheeks look smoother, more taut and slightly inflamed, but my nose appears a tad oily. While the evidence of having subjected my face to fairly potent exfoliation is clear, I'm not entirely convinced as to the benefits. For one, I don't feel like my skin is positively glowing the morning after or foundation is sitting much better on my face. Maybe I'm just not using it with enough regularity (REN advises weekly use) or my skin is too sensitive to achieve optimal results. I do enjoy using it, the scent and texture are pleasing, the packaging is clean and functional, and while I have exfoliating cleansers, toners and scrubs, it's the only exfoliating mask I own. I just didn't see any marked improvement to my skin, both immediately or after using it for 3 months, that would elicit my strong enthusiasm and encourage me to recommend it to others.

64 comments:

  1. Thank you for the review! I always find I can trust your thoughts! I've always wanted to try this mask but of course me being a mere student it is way out of my price range! Your review makes me feel better about not being able to buy it haha. I haven't heard too much about other exfoliating masks, especially not any from the lower end of the price-spectrum.

    x Tashi
    http://shiwashiful.blogspot.com.au/

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    1. That's true - there aren't that many exfoliating masks. I think the only one I know of is one by Sanctuary Spa? I was thinking of buying it a few months ago but really I just wanted the REN haha :)

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  2. Ahh it's a shame this didn't work out for you :( I bought it for half price in the sale so I'll give it a whirl, but I'm not holding out too much hope now x

    lamourjosie.com

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    1. I think I would've felt a bit better if I bought it at half price! :p Hope your experience with the mask is more positive than mine :)

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  3. Oh no, it has lemon and citrus extracts (and linalool) in it! Very irritating things to be putting on your skin. There aren't many good serums out there but at least the Neutrogena Ageless Intensives should help a bit, and at least not do any harm.

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    1. Yes, I've heard that certain ingredients in their products can cause irritation - that was a complaint of Paula Begoun's concerning this mask too. I don't believe I've tried any Neutrogena serums but I'd be curious to check out the ingredients :)

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  4. Ah, it's too bad you don't like it that much as it is really expensive but I use it on dry skin (maybe that will help)- there was a version for sensitive skin but that's being discontinued.

    Hannah
    Girl+World

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    1. I did try using it on dry skin and I didn't think it was much different, if not slightly worse :p Are you referring to the F10? I think they had a version for sensitive skin which is already discontinued and they also made the F10 which might just be the same thing but rebranded. It's a bit confusing!

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  5. This is such a great review on this. I personally would like to try out REN products and i have read numerous good reviews on their peeling masks but its nice to read an honest dissapointing review on it too. Its such a shame that it didn't work out as well as expected for you~ I hate it when products are just dissapointing.

    I hope you have a lovely day! <3
    Ying♥ || *- YingcBeauty-*
    X x X x X

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    1. I definitely was expecting more based on the litany of praise I'd read on blogs but I guess it just didn't work that amazingly on me. It's still quite pleasant to use even if the results didn't wow me. Hope you have a great day too Ying :)

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  6. I received a sample set of REN skin care including eye gel, face wash and daily moisturizer as magazine freebie few months ago and I quite liked them, only I found they are a bit overrated. They are okay but not groundbreaking..
    This mask is on my bucket list but I kinda hesitated because of my experience using the samples and your review confirmed my hesitation. So I guess I'll leave this one :) thanks for the review!

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    1. Receiving REN samples as mag freebies would be so cool, even if none of the products were all that impressive. I would love to try more of their range but I'm hesitant to buy another full-sized product given my experience with this mask and how expensive their products are. I was thinking of the Clarifying Toning Lotion but I opted for Pixi Glow Tonic instead (though I really wanted the Clarins Exfoliating Toner, lol).

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  7. I'm so glad I'm not the only one that was underwhelmed by this product - I got a sample size in the Starter Kit for Normal Skin from Mecca Cosmetica and was very excited to try it out but felt like I was missing something when I wasn't seeing much difference in my skin after use... It was lovely hearing your thoughts, as always :)

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    1. I'm glad you feel the same way! I kind of wish I had bought the Starter Kit instead, the sample size is decent and at least you get to try other products from the range too.

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  8. I feel exactly the same way! I thought I was the only one/ I haven't been trying it for long enough.
    At first I thought it was working but then I found out that it was because of my Origins Clear Improvement Mask.

    Kah-Feh Yen

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    1. Skin care is so tricky, it's hard to tell whether something is working. But after persevering for 3 months (albeit only once every couple of weeks or so) I think I've given this one a good enough shot. The Origins mask has definitely been bumped up on my skin care wishlist given how many positive reviews I've read of it lately.

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  9. Ohh it's a shame you didn't really get on with this, it's one of my favourites, although I do use it on dry skin. It doesn't tingle on me at all either, which is odd because my skin can get pretty irritated by things!

    Jennie xo | sailorjennie.com

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    1. I've tried it once on dry skin and didn't see much of a difference compared with wet skin, if anything, I think it made it stronger and more potentially irritating? That's so strange your skin doesn't even tingle! Do you use one full pump each time?

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  10. For £30 pounds I have to admit I'm not convinced, radiance isn't the biggest of issues with my skin so I'll be giving this one a miss :p xx

    EmmiHearts

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    1. I wish I could have the same non-problem with radiance ;)

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  11. you know , I feel the same way... i got a deluxe sample of this and while I loved the consistency and scent, that wasn't enough to warrant a purchase of the full thing... thanks for your honest review :)

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    1. Seems like I'm not the only one that wasn't completely wowed by this product - nice to know I'm not alone in my thoughts :)

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  12. Oh dang, it sounds so... blah. I have been meaning to hit up the Ren range but I guess I'll give this one a miss. If you're looking for a mask to splurge on hit up the Origins Drink Up Masks... I've only been using them a week but I'm liking what I'm seeing so far.

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    1. Blah sums up my thoughts fairly well! I have the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask and I should really use it more! Eyeing the mud one for my next potential purchase :)

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  13. Bummer! It looks like a really interesting mask. Maybe because it smells citrusy and I love all things citrusy haha. The marmalade appearance/texture appeals to me too, for some reason (???). Thanks for the review :)!

    xx, becky / star-violet.com

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    1. It's more a sweet scent than anything too tart/citrusy, but it's definitely super fruity! The marmalade texture is really quite fun to put on your face :)

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  14. Thank you!
    I feel the same way. This mask was my favorite out of the 3 that everyone talks about. It only helped my skin a little bit but nothing fancy. Ren has so many fragrances in their products and it aggravates my skin.
    a lot of people hype this product up but sometimes I wonder is it just because everyone else loves it or do they really love it? It's way too overrated!

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    1. The 3 that everyone talks about? :p I can think of this one, the Antipodes honey one and the Aesop parsley seed one LOL. Which ones are you referring to?

      Glad you feel the same way as me though :) It's okay but didn't do all that much for me unfortunately.

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  15. And I was thinking about getting this...good thing I didn't. I never loved this type of masks. Maybe it's because I have a huge love for clay masks (or with similar texture)...
    For 30£, I would expect something beyond extraordinary.
    Anyway, thank you very much for your review!
    Take care, have a nice day!*

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    1. That's true ... 30 pounds is a lot to fork out for a mask. It's hard not to have high expectations when you're paying that much. It's okay but I think I prefer to spend my money on other skin care products that are similarly priced.

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  16. I've been using this for a while now too - i like it, but I don't think its worth $55. If you want something cheaper, Alba Botanica makes an enzyme mask that does the same thing!

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    1. I've never heard of Alba Botanica, thanks for the tip! Didn't realise it was $55 in the US - that's really steep! Granted I paid basically the same amount in the UK but I thought items were generally priced lower in the States.

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  17. Thank you SO much for this review… I've been tiptoeing around the idea of getting this mask but since I already own one REN face mask (I like it but don't LOVE it, especially not for the price) I wasn't sure I wanted to give anything else from them a shot. While the thought of this is great I think I'll just stick with my Origins and Boscia masks for now! If I ever become super duper rich and famous though I might splurge haha :p

    ♥Cassie
    thriftthick.blogspot.com

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    1. Need to try the Origins mud mask! Been reading so many good reviews on it lately :) I wish I could try Boscia - I've never seen that brand around in Australia. Which REN mask do you have?

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  18. This is my next to try of REN products! I'm sad you didn't really enjoy it! How much do you get their products for? I love their clay cleansing mask. Such a large amount of product for a good price.

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    1. Their products retail in Australia for more expensive than the UK conversion but that's to be expected! For example as I mentioned in my post this mask is $66 here compared with 30 pounds (which is about $54 at the moment). Their Clarifying Toning Lotion was also something I was looking at, I believe it's $39 here but £18.00 ($33).

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  19. Yup I agree. I think this is very overrated and expensive! I am almost done with my bottle and still don't think it is worth the money and hype. I don't think it is horrible but I just didn't see any results to report or rave about. Ole Henriksen's Blue/Black Berry Enzyme mask yielded much better results for me to be honest and it is much cheaper.

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    1. Thanks for the recommendation and I'm glad you feel similarly about the REN! Will keep the Ole Henriksen's Blue/Black Berry Enzyme mask in mind :)

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  20. I think I had a travel-sized bottle of this one a while ago. If it was indeed the same product, I quite liked it. Nothing too overwhelming, you are right about that, but overall I thought it was a nice product.

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    1. Yes, I can see how people would think it's still solid and nice to use/have even if it might not lead to spectacular results. It's pleasant and at least it's not detrimental to the skin (as far as I know :p).

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  21. Perfect timing! I was thinking about buying it when I go to London, but I'll give it a pass. I've already tried out come other exfoliators and they did nothing to my skin, so I guess this one wouldn't give me any results either...

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    1. London - how awesome! I'd recommend picking up the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish if you haven't tried it already :)

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  22. I've heard of Ren before, but I've never tried their products. I had no idea they were that expensive! The product sounds really promising, but what a bummer that it didn't work out :(

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    1. It is quite expensive - but you'd hope it was from the quality of the ingredients since the packaging seems fairly basic (though nicely functional).

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  23. Interesting to hear your opinion on this product! I've only ever heard people rave about it so I'm happy to hear another side of the story. I'm definitely still interested to give this a try myself, but now I know that I may not be blown away.
    xx
    Celina | The Celution | Bloglovin’

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    1. Well, you never know - hopefully it'd work brilliantly on you :)

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  24. I'd love it if all skincare brands offered nicely sized samples of their products so people can try before they buy. Skincare is a finicky thing as everyone's skin is different and it doesn't work the same across different people. I've had a really good experience with this mask as it makes my skin very radiant and has helped fade some acne scars. xx

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    1. So true - you never really know with skin care. I have quite a few samples of things (mainly sachets though) and I can never be bothered to actually use them, lol! Glad to hear that your experience with the mask has been a positive one though :) I'll keep trying mine and seeing if prolonged regular use makes a difference.

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  25. Ooh that's too bad you didn't get on so well with this one! For me it's one of those few products where I see instant results. It does sound like maybe it's too harsh for your skin, though (mine can stand almost anything). Have you tried Clarins exfoliating toner?

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    1. Nope I haven't, but it's on my wishlist! I'm using Pixi Glow Tonic at the moment though, apparently it's meant to be quite similar in effect/purpose.

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  26. Thanks for the review! I still love my Alpha H Liquid Gold x x

    zoeblogsbeauty

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    1. Liquid Gold is great at smoothing the skin and making it look better overnight!

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  27. I wish I could try it since it looks very interesting! But now my face's allergic to Shisedo, so I can't even try -_-''

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    1. Oh no ... I hate allergic reactions! It's hard to know what caused it sometimes as well.

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  28. I really like the citrus/orangey scent of this mask - it's really nice for the skin! But, my skin is so reactive that I can't be too generous when applying this all over my face or else it'll be too strong!

    But, overall REN skincare is a great brand to invest in. Expensive but it will do your skin some real good! It's literally my new obsession!!

    Susan | Susan Loves...

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    1. What other products of theirs would you recommend? REN definitely get quite a bit of blogger love - especially in the UK. Can't say I wasn't influenced by all that - a year ago I wouldn't even have heard of the brand I don't think.

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  29. I want this soooo bad!! Fab review
    www.petitebeautyblogger.com

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  30. I actually really liked this, but I could never be sure if it was the product or the effect of regularly using a muslin cloth to gently exfoliate. I liked it enough to buy it twice and also try out the AHA Concentrate, which I really like even now. The fruity smell starts to get a little sickening after a while though -- I wish REN would lay off with the strong scented things.

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    1. A muslin cloth is so exfoliating in and of itself! Wow, purchased twice? That really is something :) I can imagine it'd take a while for me to finish mine ... though I do use a fairly decent amount each time. I don't mind the scent but I can see how it'd be a too much after a while for those with sensitive noses. I was thinking of the AHA Concentrate (which is actually cheaper some places - like StrawberryNET) but the mask was the one that received the most glowing exposure on blogs so naturally I was sucked right in like the sucker I am :p

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  31. i love that you gave your honest opinion. it does sound overrated, with the benefits being less than what's touted. excellent review!
    http://www.averysweetblog.com/

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    1. Well, that was my individual experience with the product, but I'm sure it works great for others! Maybe it would for you as well :) Thanks for reading.

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  32. I have this and whilst I think it is good I can't always see a visible difference in my skin. Maybe I'm being too harsh on the product? I'm not so sure however it does work to an extent, I wouldn't mind trying some other products that are similar though to see how they compare.
    Amy x A Little Boat Sailing

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  33. I got this last year and like you I found it didn't do enough for my skin for me to justify buying it again. That being said I do want to try out more REN products, I really Like the Micro Polish Cleanser from the Radiance range.

    Emma x

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