The internet collectively gasped when REN Clean Skincare swapped the formula on their cult-favorite balm. I had to try it before the rage-tweets fully loaded.
The old version was a security blanket for my stressed-out barrier. This new one has a shorter ingredient list, which is either genius or a betrayal. I needed to know which.
It’s a 100ml pot of solid oil that melts into a milk cleanser. Costs £32. They claim it now targets “microbiome balance” rather than just barrier repair.
Texture Shift
It’s denser in the pot — less jelly-like, more solid shea butter.
Emulsification Speed
Rinses clean in about 15 seconds. The old one needed a hot flannel to fully vanish.
Scent Situation
Almost gone. The old chamomile smell is now a faint, earthy whiff.
Photo: Kalos Skincare / Unsplash
They’ve stripped out the oils that clogged some people (looking at you, olive oil) and swapped in a prebiotic complex. It’s a smarter approach for reactive skin, honestly. The texture is less greasy, but it doesn’t melt as instantly as the OG.
- Glycerin: Draws water in so skin isn’t stripped
- Coco-caprylate: A lighter, non-comedogenic emollient
- Alpha-glucan oligosaccharide: Feeds good bacteria, calms redness
- Shea butter: Replaces oils to cushion without suffocating
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
First pump: it feels like scooping out a lip balm. It smears white, then turns into a thin, silky oil that doesn’t drag my skin. Rinsing leaves a “squeaky clean” feeling that I usually hate — but my face didn’t tighten.
By week two, my t-zone was less shiny by 3pm, and the red patch on my cheek faded. But my eye area felt drier than before. I had to layer a hydrating toner immediately, which I never did with the old version.
Photo: Poko Skincare / Unsplash
My rosacea flare-ups didn’t happen. My pores look smaller because the formula isn’t coating them in heavy oils. But my skin feels less “bouncy” than with the old one — it’s clean, not plump.
Photo: Mariia Berezovsky / Unsplash
It’s a better formula for acne-prone skin, but a downgrade for dry folk. I’m keeping it — but I’ve got a hydrating toner on standby.