REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask Photos & Review

At-Home Face Masks:  Renew Your Skin

REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask ($55.00 for 1.7 oz.) is a peel mask designed to “renew the complexion, reduce fine lines, and improve skin tone, firmness, and radiance.” It uses a fruit acid complex (thus, lactic, glycolic, tartaric, and citric) along with papain enzyme to revv up this exfoliating peel. REN does warn those that this product is not suitable for those with sensitive skin, however.

I love the packaging, because it is extremely functional and practical. I, also, am not swayed by cute/fancy packaging for skincare–functional is far more important. It comes in an airless pump container, so you don’t have to worry about bacteria build-up or ingredient breakdown from exposure to air/using it with your fingers. I find two to three pumps gives me enough product to cover my entire face. The product is very easy to use — just apply the product to your face, smooth all over, and let it sit for ten minutes. After ten minutes, gently pat your face and “lift” the mask with your fingertips. Finish by rinsing your face with warm water, then pat dry with a clean towel.

It looks and smells like an orange fruit roll-up! It really does. I didn’t mind, since I’m a citrus kind of girl, and sweetness was just fine with me. The consistency reminded me of honey with just a bit of grit texture (but it doesn’t really feel rough/harsh). It may tingle a bit on some skin types (again, not recommended for sensitive-skinned folks), but it’s not a painful burn or sting. After I rinsed the product off, my skin felt incredibly smooth, soft to the touch, and gave me a bit of glowy-ness. I definitely felt like it improved the texture and appearance of my skin. I’m going to incorporate this into my skincare routine and use it once a week or so. I’ve tried stronger peels, but this still gives me the same results while being much gentler (which can’t be a bad thing, right?). If you’ve had trouble with chemical peels, I suggest looking into this one!

For those interested, REN is a brand formulated without parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes/fragrances, petro-chemicals, or phtalates. They pride themselves on using only 100% natural active ingredients. REN also does not test their products on animals nor tested on their behalf by a third party. They state that the only animal products they use are honey and beeswax in their Lip Honey.  You can purchase REN products at Sephora.com.