Just How Good Is No7’s New Future Renew Range? 3 R29ers Find Out

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?

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.

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.

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.

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!