Boots' own brand No7 needs little introduction. A British beauty staple for over 80 years, you'll recognise it from the bathroom shelves of your mum, aunt, nan and friends even if you've never tried it yourself. So when we heard that the new range, Future Renew, has been in the pipeline for 15 years, it’s safe to say we were intrigued. Clearly we weren't the only ones, as five months' worth of stock sold out in just one day.
Dubbed 'Botox in a bottle' by many a beauty buff, the four-product range contains a new 'super peptide' technology which the brand claims is a world first. This technology works to reverse signs of skin damage, "including poor skin texture and uneven tone, a lack of skin firmness, dullness, dryness and lines and wrinkles," according to Dr Mike Bell, No7’s head of science research. Could this be the answer to those days when we forget to wear sunscreen, neglect our skincare routines, stay up late, drink and just generally live our lives?
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Grabbing the opportunity to put these claims to the test, three R29ers swapped out their usual skincare routines for No7's Future Renew range for two months. Keep reading to see their progress.
Jacqueline Kilikita, Acting Beauty Director
Review after two months of use
I finished my favourite product in this line — Future Renew Night Cream, £34.95 — a few weeks ago now but I’m convinced that I’m still reaping the benefits. Though it didn’t do much to minimise the lines on my forehead, it has helped ever so slightly with the fine lines under my eyes. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Skin texture is totally normal and ageing is a privilege but I love to experiment with makeup and it often collects in these tiny lines. These changes are probably more noticeable to me than anyone else. No one’s getting that close!
In all honesty, I wasn’t taken by any other products in the Future Renew line so I’ve moved on to another moisturiser: Vichy Minéral 89 72hr Moisture Boosting Cream, £22. In my opinion, this is just as great — and it’s cheaper. The texture is a gel-cream but it’s substantial enough to hydrate deeply and it leaves skin nice and dewy. Just like No7’s, it doesn’t break me out, and makeup glides over it seamlessly. This is a great alternative if you’d rather spend less. Just like the No7 night cream, it also boasts moisturising glycerin, hydrating hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, which controls oil production and keeps the skin’s barrier happy.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Review after one month of use
If you read my review after a week of using the new No7 Future Renew range, you’ll know that the night cream was my favourite product of the lot. The gel-cream consistency means it’s light but substantially hydrating and I loved the subtle dewiness it lent my skin — so much so, I used it in the morning, too, layered under sunscreen. After almost a month of using it morning and night, I’ve come to the end of the tub. I had high hopes that this would minimise the lines on my forehead but 28 days later, I haven’t noticed a difference. That said, it worked wonders on the very fine lines under my eyes.
Now, you don’t need me to tell you that there is nothing wrong with skin texture. Fine lines and wrinkles are a normal and natural part of ageing, and that’s a privilege. But I love makeup and it often gathers in those creases, making my skin look dry. Since using this, those lines have improved and my makeup sits more seamlessly on my skin. I also like that it doesn’t break me out in spots like most moisturisers so it’s perfect for oily, acne-prone skin."
Initial review
I'll start by saying that there is nothing at all wrong with fine lines or wrinkles. We know that skin ageing is a given and getting older is a privilege. That's why I was pleased to see that No7's new range doesn't mention 'anti-ageing' at all. Rather, it claims to improve skin damage, which can be a result of many different factors like pollution in the environment or sun exposure. It does that by enlisting peptides, essentially skin-strengthening proteins.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Though I work in beauty, I must confess that I'm not as diligent as I could be with my sunscreen. I work by a large window in a flat which gets lots of sun, and I often have to remind myself that UVA rays (the main cause of premature ageing) can penetrate glass. When I hit 30, I noticed more lines on my forehead and under my eyes. If my skin is dehydrated or I'm not using the right moisturiser, the under-eye lines tend to deepen. Full disclosure: I have had 'baby Botox' in the past but any effects have completely worn off, so I was excited to see what this range could do.
I first made a beeline for the serum, which I've seen the most hype around. Having used it morning and evening for over a week, I haven't noticed much of a difference in the texture on my forehead but because it's nice and quenching, I've spotted that the fragile skin under my eyes is a little less crepey and dry than usual, which has meant far fewer fine lines. This plumping effect is so much more impressive when I use it in tandem with the eye serum. When it comes to under-eyes, though, I don't think the new peptide eye serum beats the brand's Line Correcting Booster Serum, launched in 2021. Thanks to star ingredient Matrixyl 3000, this gave me immediate, noticeable results (which you can see very clearly here).
I think my favourite product in the new peptide range is the night cream. The gel-cream texture sinks in fast and lends my skin a dewy glow. So much so, I've been using it in the morning, layered under sunscreen. It's pretty perfect for my breakout-prone skin and I love the way it feels: comfortable and moisturising but not at all heavy.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Now onto the day cream with SPF 40. In all honesty, I would skip this in the future because it was a bit too slippery for my oily, acne-prone skin. I used it just once and decided it wasn't for me. Instead, I'll stick to the serum or night cream underneath my current matte SPF (L'Oréal Revitalift Clinical Vitamin C SPF 50+ Daily Anti-UV Fluid). I think I would also shelve the eye serum and just use the face serum, which is much bigger and better value for money.
All in all, I'm going to continue to use the serum and night cream for the recommended four weeks to see if I notice any marked changes in my skin. It takes time!
Esther Newman, Affiliate Writer
Review after two months of use
When No7 promises to "reverse visible signs of damage" with their Future Dew range, they mean it. Over the last two months, my skin has had to withstand hay fever, sunburn and all the indulgences that come with a music festival. I came home from Glastonbury with a red, dry and peeling face, which was soothed and calmed in just a day or so of using the last of my Future Dew Serum (I did apply rather liberally).
My one major sticking point with this range is that it just doesn’t hydrate my dry skin as I would like, nor am I convinced that it truly stands up to another of its claims ("to reverse fine lines and wrinkles"). If you’ve read my last review, you’ll know that I’m reaching instead for my creamy Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum, £65, to top up the dewy skin factor and have also been reaching for an eye cream (Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment With Avocado, £30) to help reduce under-eye puffiness. All in all though, I thoroughly recommend this range — especially the serum, which I think has made the most difference to my skin tone and texture.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Review after one month of use
A month later and, apart from one week of intense hay fever symptoms, I’ve been dedicated to my Future Renew routine. Probably more dedicated than usual, thanks to its simplicity — I still love that it's a three-parter that takes care of my daily SPF. It makes life so much easier in the mornings. I do think the serum is working its magic; the fine stress lines on my forehead (I’m an eyebrow-raiser) have been minimised a little. Mostly though, it's the quality and texture of my skin that has improved the most. Usually I have little bumps along my jaw and neck — texture that flares up when I’m stressed or it's that time of the month. With a month of No7’s Future Renew range under my belt, this texture has calmed down considerably and my jawline and neck are so much smoother.
Saying this, my dry skin has been feeling a little too parched for my liking, especially since a bout of hay fever caused my eyes to puff up considerably and the skin around my nose and eyes to grow red and flaky. If you read my first week review, you know that I like to go to bed slathered in moisture so, to soothe my irritated skin, I’ve recently been reintroducing my tried-and-true Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir and Magic Eye Rescue in my nighttime routine. These, along with No7’s Future Renew serum and night cream, have helped me wake up with renewed, dewy skin.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Initial review
I have to admit, I've never really used No7 products before. Crazy, I know, since they're a staple in many a British beauty cabinet. But here I am, in my late 20s and starting to feel the need for skincare that helps protect my skin from environmental damage. Since moving from the countryside to London last year, I have really noticed the effects of pollution - and that's on top of all the irritation and soreness that comes from rubbing hay fever-induced streaming eyes and an itchy nose. The brand's 'pepticology', a rich mix of peptides that took 15 years to perfect and is said to help our skin's natural repair process and production of collagen and fibrillin (aka the proteins and elastins that help our skin look bouncy and radiant), sounded like just the thing.
I'm incredibly lazy when it comes to skincare so Future Renew's simple, three-step system of a serum, day or night cream plus eye cream appealed to me. As I have dry skin, I tend to gravitate to really oily, creamy serums like Facetheory Regena C30 Pro Vitamin C Serum, £34, and Charlotte Tilbury Magic Serum Crystal Elixir, £65. No7's Future Renew Serum, with its light, gel-like texture that absorbs instantly, has taken some getting used to. It's not that it doesn't make my skin feel good - I'm sure it's the main reason why my skin has been feeling softer in the last week - but simply that I like going to bed feeling a little greasy.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
I think my favourite product so far is the day cream. Usually I load my face with moisturiser and then top it with an SPF but this does both and has all the rich, creamy goodness my skin craves. Worn under a lightweight foundation or BB cream like Dr.Jart+ Premium Beauty Balm, £35, my skin has a nice dewy glow throughout the day. Time will have to tell whether the Future Renew range does anything for the fine lines on my forehead and especially the lines and crepey, dry skin under my eyes. Though like my colleagues, I love that there's no 'anti-ageing' language here.
My only gripe so far? The packaging. I've struggled on more than one occasion to twist off the small, pointed lid of the eye cream. I would also love a pump function to stop any germs on my fingers from getting into the creams and to limit the amount of serum I'm squeezing out.
I'll continue to test out the entire line - maybe swapping in a thicker serum here and there when my dry skin needs it - and report back in a month's time.
Lauren Cunningham, Affiliate Contributor
Review after two months of use
Two months on, I’ve not changed my routine, which says a lot for someone who is always tempted to try new products. Sticking to the CSA (vitamin C, SPF and vitamin A) philosophy, I’m using Medik8 Vitamin C Serum, £31.20, with No7 Future Renew Day Cream SPF40, £34.95, in the morning, adding an SPF 50 if going outside. At night, I alternate No7 Future Renew Serum, £42.95, with a vitamin A/retinol, followed by No7 Future Renew Night Cream, £34.95. Despite using the products every day, I’m still on the same tubs I had at the beginning so they do go a long way.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
As I’ve added two hardworking ingredients on top of the No7 routine — vitamin C and vitamin A/retinol — I can’t honestly say how much of my skin’s appearance is down to No7 alone. What I can say is that my skin has never looked better. It’s brighter, softer and more even in tone. On the whole, I’d say No7 Future Renew is quite fabulous.
Review after one month of use
"I’ve spoken before of my long-term love for No7 and I’m not done raving about the brand just yet. But one month into using the Future Renew face routine, I have made some changes. While the day cream is my go-to for much-needed moisture and a quick hit of sun protection each morning (I layer factor 50 on top if spending more time outside), I have brought back my beloved Medik8 vitamin C serum, £31.20. Combining the two gives a glow to my complexion, plumps up my skin and counts as two core elements of my failsafe CSA skincare routine.
At night, I still reach for the serum and the night cream for a quick and easy end to the day. The serum is slightly greasy on my face, making it a no-go for daytime, but the night cream locks in all that goodness each evening. Once or twice a week, I swap out the serum for a retinol, like CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum, £21, to keep on top of all my skin needs. So far, it seems to be working. Fine lines have reduced, my skin texture has improved and it actually feels (and looks) smoother than ever before. I’ve started receiving compliments from friends, too, so clearly the results aren’t only visible to me up close."
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Initial review
After a particularly stressful few months where my diet, fitness levels and sleep all took a mighty bashing, my skin has suffered. A dry, greyish-looking face full of fine lines with two blue under- eye bags now stares back at me from the mirror. So I grabbed these products with both hands, hoping they would help me get my glow back.
A longtime fan of No7, namely the Protect & Perfect range, I was expecting big things from these four new products. At first sight, they look almost identical to the Protect & Perfect products, albeit in a swankier silver colourway. If you're a fan of that range, then, it's an incredibly easy swap. The three-step routine (if you're separating the day and night creams) is short and sweet, and application is straightforward. The serum is on the thicker side compared to many similar finds on the market but my dehydrated skin drank it up. The eye cream feels like most others I've tried and has no immediate tightening feeling, while the day and night creams have a more gel-like consistency that's perfect for pouring moisture into my dry, dull complexion.
One week in (which is a very short amount of time to see if a product truly works), there's no hugely noticeable difference but my face does look a little bit plumper and feel a bit softer. A win's a win. I'll check back in three weeks' time to see how we're looking after a whole month of use. Here's hoping for some big results.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by us. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy or click on something we link to on our site, we may earn a commission.