Boots No.7 Protect & Perfect Beauty Serum > Reviews (93)

Boots No7 Protect and Perfect Serum

With warmer weather on its way I thought it was probably time to drag myself out of the gutter and dust myself off. Close examination of my skin last month led me to the horrifying conclusion that at just twenty-four years of age it might be necessary to invest an anti-agingserum of some description. To be honest, if you look at my profile picture, do you suppose I look twenty-four? I'm guessing no given that most people seem to assume I'm in my late twenties (I've had "wow I thought you were thirty" before). It was equally important for me to start thinking about a skin-tautening agent as I'm finally losing the baby weight this year (yes I know he's nearly three) and having lost a stone already I don't want to wind up slim but with loose, flabby skin everywhere!

To Boots I descended then with these general requirements in mind but no specific product(s). Scanning the anti-aging shelves, the first item to catch my eye was "Boots No7 Protect and Perfect Serum". Does anyone else remember the overwhelmingly positive publicity it received from a university study evaluated on "Horizon" back in 2005? I certainly did and that's why it suddenly became my first choice. At £16.75 for a tiny 30ml tube I was reluctant to part with my cash, especially considering I usually refuse to pay more than £5 for any given beauty item (except foundation). But the little voice at the back of my head reasoned with me that surely it was better to spend £16.75 on a product scientifically proven to work than waste £5 on a product no better than your average 99p moisturiser? The voice of reason won and home I trotted with my purchase stashed safely at the bottom of my handbag.

Using the product is easy; gently smooth on a small amount of the serum after cleansing and toning every morning and night. Doing so in small, upward, circular movements is thought to help increase blood flow for extra benefit. Fortunately you only need to use a very tiny amount of this serum for each application as it's a thin product that spreads easily. I'd describe the texture as being akin to liquid silk; it glides across your skin forming an extremely thin and slippery coating that will leave your skin feeling instantly soft. The scent is mildly reminiscent of liquid soap though much less abrasive. I personally didn't find this at all off-putting with the added advantage of this natural smell being that the product has been formulated to be hypoallergenic. Were Boots to incorporate a more appealing scent, they may well not be able to retain the product's suitability for sensitive skin types.

The product claims to leave your skin looking visibly younger after four weeks of twice daily usage thanks to its combination of antioxidants and pro-retinol complex. I haven't even used the serum for four weeks yet but I'm thrilled to say that for the first time in years I actually look my age! My skin feels soft and looks vibrant for the first time since before I fell pregnant some three years ago.

Despite the core purpose of this serum being to reduce wrinkles, the benefits for those yet to develop these particular signs of aging are obvious if a twenty-four year old has enjoyed such results from this product. In being formulated to combat wrinkles, the serum is equally equipped to smooth the surface of your skin and encourage new skin growth which can result in vibrant, soft skin for all ages.

A couple of important notes regarding using this product; firstly this product shot to fame as a glass bottle but this has been recently discontinued. The benefit of the new tube packaging is that Boots can better keep up with the demand for this popular product by decreasing manufacturing times. Equally beneficial is that you're able to use this product right down to the last drop when supplied in tube form, a rather difficult feat to accomplish when using a glass bottle pump dispenser. Secondly, I've checked on ebay and discovered that it's possible to purchase this product for less than the £16.75 RRP if you're a shrewd bidder despite this being an exclusive Boots product. If you want to purchase the larger 200ml bottle (RRP £99) you can pick this up on ebay for around £60 which is something I may well consider doing when I next enjoy some financial luck. Finally you need to remember that this is a serum, not a moisturiser; it's recommended that you apply the serum after cleansing and toning but then apply a moisturiser over the top to act as both an enhancement and a barrier.

© Lizamabug - previously posted on DooYoo