Anti-ageing skincare treatment on test

Looking for a New Year skincare regime? The Renew You 14 Day Intensive Skin Rejuvenating Programme (£34.95) is a complete two-week skincare system in a box, a morning and evening regime of 19 treatments. There are two programmes to choose from, Intense Hydration and Pure Radiance. Its makers say the treatments have been proven to ‘dramatically improve the hydration, smoothness and brightness of your skin in just a fortnight’. So we asked five All About You readers to test try it out.

Plus: Win one of 15 sets of Renew You - enter our great competition here

Wendymcd: During this 14-day regime I have had no dry skin at all

Getting started
This 14-day intensive skin care programme comes in a neat little box with a pull out drawer that is really quite unique. Inside are sachets containing everything you need to give your skin an intensive 2-week treatment to repair, deep cleanse and brighten, and it promises to give mature skin a revived, refreshed look.

I used the Ultra Luminous cream in the mornings, every day for two weeks. Individual daily sachets give measured quantities of the cream and keep it fresh every day. I found the cream was very rich and after using a full sachet on day one, decided to use just half the quantity afterwards. A full sachet felt greasy on my skin and I had to use tissue to remove the residue - using half the amount was perfect and my skin felt hydrated and soft. Plus now I have extra days worth of treatment to use! The cream evened out my skin tone and gave my complexion a dewy look.

As well as the moisturiser there were face masks to use on specified evenings. The Smooth and Define mask is made of cloth impregnated with a white clay treatment – it was really easy to use and not at all messy. After 20-minutes of relaxation I peeled it away, rinsed the residue and applied a contouring serum. Instantly afterwards my skin felt smoother and softer and really fresh and clean.

The Active Firming Collagen masque is a more traditional face pack that was really rich and creamy. It felt very moisturising and hydrating, but was a little greasy and my least favourite of the treatments. The final Pure Radiance mask was a two piece hydrogel mask (pre-formed gel fortified with active ingredients for intense hydration). It was so relaxing and nourishing, I'd never experienced a mask like it and it felt so pampering. I don't know if I looked younger, but I felt really revitalized afterwards.

Did it work?
I noticed some positive effects. During the winter I get some very dry skin patches on my face. During this 14-day regime I have had no dry skin at all. The tone of my skin seems more refined and smoother with a more youthful appearance. My complexion looks less tired and brighter. But after all I have been pampering myself for 14 days!

It was nice to have a structured program to follow. I generally am quite lazy when it comes to my skin care routine, so having the 14-day regime made me dedicate some time to myself. Relaxing for 15 minutes with the masks gave me an opportunity to unwind. This was an extra luxury in the process.

Overall, I think this programme is an indulgent pampering treat. It was nice to have everything I needed packed in one box with full instructions and a handy calendar. It would be ideal to use in the lead up to a big event or holiday to make you look and feel your best.
Read Wendymcd's blog here

Aileen:  My skin looked ready to party!

Getting started
When I first received the box of sachets I wondered what I'd let myself in for but the system is very simple to use, with one sachet to apply every morning and a couple of masks for during the week.  The Ultra Luminous moisturiser to use in the mornings looked small but contained more than enough moisturiser for my face with enough left for my hands.  It smelt quite strong at first but was very pleasant to apply and was a good base for makeup.

The Revive & Uplift Mask was a bit messy to open - make sure you protect your clothes and open it over a basin. After 20 minutes of relaxation it was easy to remove and the follow-up serum was lovely.  Again, there was more than enough product in the sachet and it felt soothing on my skin.

The Active Firming cream that I used two nights later was great - really thick and rich with more than enough for my face.  I cheated slightly and used the remainder as a night cream the following night. The final mask, Intense Hydration, felt really refreshing.  It felt cold when I put it on but my skin looked ready to party when I removed it!

Did it work?
Today - after two weeks use - my skin has definitely improved.  It's brighter, smoother and just not quite as dull, puffy and dreary as it was when I started. No-one has told me I look ten years younger but then Rome wasn't built in a day! I would recommend this regime as simple and pleasant to use with noticeable results.

Yelir:  This might be good to use before a special occasion

Getting started
When I received this product I was surprised to find everything was in sachets, so the daily amount to use was measured out for me - and the amounts were very generous! I was surprised at the amount of packaging though, which seems a bit of a waste.

I put on too much Ultra Luminous on the first time and ended up having to wipe some off so I could put makeup on. I am now using any excess on my neck and hands. My skin felt quite soft after using it which surprised me as I thought it might take a few days to work. I made a right mess with the Revive and Uplift mask on the first night! It was tricky to open and some of it spilled out, but I thought my skin felt quite tight once it was on.

Did it work?
After using it for two weeks my skin does feel softer, but any wrinkles and blemishes haven’t changed. Last night after using the Intense Hydration mask my face was a little plumped up so that pleased me, but by the morning it was back to normal. So this might be good to use before a special occasion. I would use the cream again as I am pleased with the softness of my skin and I would use the Intense Hydration mask too. However I see the kit costs £35 - I wouldn’t have liked to pay this much.

Ros: My skin looked brighter and softer

Did it work?
When I started using the product I didn't notice much difference, but within a couple of days my husband said he noticed my skin was feeling softer. My lovely children said my wrinkles looked softer ...!

After almost two weeks using the treatment I visited my sister in London; she said I looked different, and that my skin looked brighter and softer! I enjoyed using the system, it made me take time out of my busy day to relax and just be still, and it felt like such a treat for my skin. Would I continue to use it? Yes possibly. In these days where we have to watch every penny it would depend on the cost, but I would maybe use as a treat a couple of times a year.

Denise: I’m not sure about it making me look 10 years younger!

Getting started
I was a bit confused when I received this product until I opened the box and realised the creams were in individual sachets in one pack. They were fiddly to open until I remembered to keep a small pair of scissors handy! I found the Ultra Luminous cream lovely to use on top of my usual moisturiser.. it didn’t state you had to use it on its own which I couldn't anyway. I loved the smell of it though!

The instructions on the Smooth and Define face pack were not very clear and the pack was awkward to open. I didn’t like the feel of the product on my skin but my skin did feel soft afterwards. The Active Firming pack was very watery, and again the instructions weren’t clear, I wasn’t keen on this one. The Pure Radiance cream made my face feel soft and was nicer than the other two.

Did it work?
Overall I’m not sure about it making me look 10 years younger! I’m 57 but people say I look in my 40's anyway, so I don’t think long term use would make me look in my 30's!! However I would use the Ultra Luminous cream again if it was sold separately and was a reasonable price.

Price and stockist

The Renew You 14 Day Intensive Skin Rejuvenating Programme costs £34.95 and is available from www.myrenewyou.com

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