Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial – fast results for those extra 10 minutes in bed

I don’t know about you, but if I need to wash my hair in the morning, that’s it, game over for getting anything else done. No breakfast, no matching underwear, and definitely no complicated cleansing rituals. Who am I kidding, my sleep is so precious that I forgo those things most mornings. I have my routine timed down to the last second so I can savour every minute of lovely bed before the world assaults me. At the same time though, I do have problem skin that needs TLC, otherwise it throws up spots and dry, flaky patches in protest against the deplorable conditions I’ve inflicted upon it. Enter Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial. My secret to drag my skin from groggy to glowing in two seconds flat. Or a minute, anyway!

The concept behind this one both intrigued me, and made me skeptical. A mask that’s “water activated” to release Vitamin C and works in less than a minute? I’ve only ever known chemical peels to work that fast, and you’re unlikely to get that in a high street skincare product. But, Ren have a track record for formulating very effective products, so I decided to suspend my disbelief and let the product speak for itself.

The texture of Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial is quite interesting. Thick, almost gelatinous in the tube, though a little spreads easily over the face. Once you wet your fingers and massage it in the magic happens. The formula transforms from grainy and patchy to smooth and spreadable. At this point a somewhat metallic scent will hit you, but it’s not overpowering.This can be explained by the presence of copper pca in the formula, which is an antiaging peptide that hasn’t really been mentioned in the marketing of this product. The “water activated” vitamin C comes from not only the usual ascorbic acid, but also magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP), which is a highly stable form of Vitamin C not as prone to breakdown as ascorbic acid. There is also evidence that MAP is just as effective as ascorbic acid at skin brightening and collagen boosting, but at lower concentrations.

Another active in this product that’s glossed over is boswellic acid, and this deserves more than a byline in the product’s marketing. Clinical data has shown boswellic acid to be strongly anti-inflammatory and anti-aging, reducing immune and enzyme factors which promote collagen and elastin breakdown as you age. In one such study, subjects using 0.5% boswellic acid treatment for 30 days on one side of their face showed significant reductions in roughness and fine lines on the treated side of the face vs untreated (Calzavara-Pinton et al., 2010).

So I have to say, kudos to REN for producing a product that, on paper, should be highly effective. However I cannot honestly say whether or not these actives are delivered and absorbed into the skin effectively by a wash off product. What I can say is that my skin is left noticeably exfoliated, very similar to a glycolic acid mask, in much less time. For immediate smoothing and brightening, this product definitely works. As to whether there will be further skin improvements over time, I honestly can’t say, but the actives contained within could certainly be capable of delivering. If you suffer from dull, flaky skin, with minimal time to actually deal with it, you will love this mask. Ren recommend usage three times a week. Personally, I apply it before I hop in the shower, every second day, and leave it to work its magic while I take care of the rest of me.

Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial is €37.95 and is available from Cloud 10 Beauty. Have you tried it, or would you like to?

Reference
Calzavara-Pinton, P., Zane, C., Facchinetti, E., Capezzera, R., Pedretti, A., 2010. Topical Boswellic acids for treatment of photoaged skin. Dermatologic Therapy 23, S28–S32. doi:10.1111/j.1529-8019.2009.01284.x