I first came across REN Perfect Canvas at a press day and wanted to take it home with me there and then because I was so intrigued by it. Described as being The Ultimate Skin Perfecting Serum, I think it is an exciting launch and one which not only looks after your skin but improves how your makeup performs when applied.
Perfect Canvas is designed to be applied after your moisturiser and before you begin applying your makeup, but you can if you prefer to, mix a few drops in with your moisturiser. Once applied it is designed to leave the skin smoothed, lifted and naturally filled as well as mattified by removing any excess shine. It is a clear serum like fluid which is added via the use of a pipette, something I am thankful to see when products like this are in my possession.
When it comes to ingredients, with REN you know you are going to get something a little bit different and a little bit special. To that end, Perfect Canvas is formulated with Probiotics Extract which are said to influence the speed and quality of the epidural growth, boosts the production of essential proteins and enzymes, improves the skins barrier function and promotes the overall skin health and structure. Add to that the inclusion of Hyluronans which help increase the skins hydration, elasticity and wrinkle depth.
The one thing which stands out to me is that it is silicone free, something I suspect will capture the attention of a lot of people. One thing I see most often within the blogging world is people wanting products that are silicone free, especially makeup and that is where an ingredient called Algave Tequilana Extract comes in. Its job is to provide an instant filling effect and mattify the skin without the use of silicones before finally a-Glucans work to rebalance the homeostasis (that is on-going renewal to you and I) of the skin by promoting the growth of skin-friendly bacteria which optimises skin health.
So with the sciencey and ingredients bit done, how did it fare? Well admittedly it did smooth and hydrate my skin and when you use a product with Silicone as an ingredient, namely a primer, it does and can feel like you have a sort of film on your skin, with Perfect Canvas you don't get that at all, it feels really natural on your skin. I am using Too Faced Born This Way Foundation currently (a re-purchase too) and Perfect Canvas didn't effect its usage or longevity, I got a little more wear time than I would do using a silicone based primer and my foundation didn't slip mid-way through the day meaning I needed to re-apply. I also, but noticed that it did help with blurring especially with the pores on my nose and it did stop the foundation clinging to a dry patch of skin on my cheek much better. As Autumn draws in, I will need to switch up to a fuller coverage foundation, so I am excited to see how it works with that.
I am a fan of this product. I love how it feels on my skin, I like the lack of a film feel once applied, I like that it is silicone free and I love that it cares for your skin as well as making my makeup perform much better. Perfect Canvas launches on 1st September and is priced at £50 here.
*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page here