I put 3 guinea pigs to the test for the new REN Clearcalm 3 skincare line, which is targeted at those with oily, blemished and acneprone skins. Not having that sort of skintype anymore, I got 3 people of 3 different age groups who did, to try out the line. Here’s the review from Juan (30s) and Xindy (19) on this line. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard back from one of them in her 20s but when I do, I’ll update 🙂

REN ClearCalm 3 Anti-Blemish Clay Cleanser

Juan (30s)

The cleanser is clay based and I was looking forward to trying it out as I once tried a clay-based cleanser when my skin was acting up… and the result was very positive.

The cleanser comes in a nice transparent plastic bottle. One pump of the cleanser brings out quite a sizeable amount of cleanser. I was feeling a little guilty too because I would only usually just use about the size of a 20 sen coin max if my skin was super oily and congested… but this one is quite a huge blob and I was afraid if I’d use it up too fast.

The cleanser felt really creamy and surprisingly, my skin didn’t feel tight nor does it have any minty-cool sensation. It does make my skin feel clean. So I guess that is good, right?

It has a slight citrusy smell and doesn’t lather. So, it is more of a creamy cleanser of a non-foamy-lather kind, which is what you would usually get out of a clay cleanser.

Xindy (19)

To use: Rub one pump between the palms of slightly damp hands. Gently massage onto face for 1-2 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

As we all know, clay cleanser is good at oil control and excessive sebum production. The texture is quite creamy, and do take note that clay cleanser will not foam like cream or gel cleanser.

I prefer to use this at night because it helps to really deep cleanse all the dirt and sebum on my skin after a long day out. One plus point – it does not dry out skin very much even though it is for blemish-prone skin, hence there is no tightness on skin.

REN Clearcalm 3 Replenishing Night Serum

Juan (30s)
Then, comes the night serum. Since the products didn’t come in a complete set and I wasn’t given a moisturiser, I wasn’t sure if I needed to use a moisturiser after the serum. I know I know… logically, we need to use a moisturiser after a serum. However, this particular serum felt very oily and creamy to me. Hence, I didn’t feel like slathering on another layer of moisturiser because I did it once and I felt extremely uncomfortable.

The good side of using this serum I guess is the fact that my cystic acne went away in 3-4 days. There are no scars and my skin on that area felt smooth. However, when I didn’t have any acne problems, my skin became congested after 3 weeks of use and I do think it is because the product stimulated my oily skin further. I mean, for it to work well with my cystic acne, it does indicate that the product is strong enough to eliminate bacteria and control oil. So, if you do not have problem skin, it may not be a good idea to continue using them because it will only create problems to your
healed skin.

The serum is fluidy light when you pump it out into your palm and it smells really nice and calming on your skin… the calming scent probably comes from the lavender and berry contents which make application on the skin very welcoming. And in the morning when I wake up, my skin felt so smooth.

Xindy (19)

To use: Apply at night onto clean skin. Gently massage until absorbed.
Honestly, I did not feel any magic when I used only this at night. The texture is light, and added no burden to my skin. Unfortunately it did not help to improve anything either. This would probably a skip for me if I were to get Clear Calm range.

REN Clearcalm 3 Anti-Blemish Treatment Mask

Juan (30s)
As for the clay mask, I must tell you that I was terribly excited the night when I got these products. I love clay masks because of my congested skin and they usually keep my confused skin in check. I felt that I really need to see how it works because I felt that my skin needed to be saved, quickly.

It also comes in a transparent plastic bottle and has a small nozzle cap which is used to prevent the nozzle from clogging due to the content of dried clay. I used a full 3 pumps because I wanted the mask to cover my neck area as well but I do think that if I continue using this product this way, it may only last for a good 1-2 months.

I must say that since I pump the content into my palm, it was a little challenging to cover up the nozzle with that tiny attached cap with just one clean hand. So, I had to put on the mask first and cleanse my hands before I could ensure the nozzle is covered. So, if you’re paranoid about the clay oxidising on the nozzle, you may want to think of a different technique.

Upon application, the mask felt like any other clay mask. I didn’t feel any tingling effect unlike most clay masks I’ve used and it went on smelling nice just like the other two items in this range. Beware though, because as soon as it is ready to be washed off your skin (I let it on my face for a good 15 minutes), the scent of sulphur was consuming me. It was so disturbing that the distinct smell lingered on the skin even after it was washed off! It stayed on my facial sponge and even the nice smelling night serum couldn’t get the sulphuric stench away. It is that bad…

If you like the smell of rotten eggs on your face, I guess this mask can be an alternative to your beauty regime. But it totally put me off and I only used it regularly as per the instruction until my acne went away.

Xindy (19)

To use: Twice a week, apply a generous amount of product onto clean skin. Leave on 15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

The texture of this mask is thick and creamy, but can be easily spread onto skin without having to pull my skin much. With kaolin as one of the main ingredients of the ClearCalm3 range, it is not hard to predict the texture and the scent. It is a little bit ‘earthy’ but does not bother me much. I have been using this mask at least once and sometimes twice a week (If I remembered).

REN ClearCalm 3 Anti-Blemish skincare Overall

Juan (30s)
Overall, despite the packaging of the products stating that this range is suitable for blemish-prone and problem skin, I guess they are more suitable for skin types which are truly congested with constant acne problem. They worked perfectly to eliminate my cystic acne but they do not maintain the clarity of my skin once it has healed.

The weird thing about the products was that there weren’t any instruction leaflets in its boxes. I had to go to its website to check if there are any details further to the simple instruction printed on its boxes. Like the night serum, I had the indication through its website that putting on the serum on its own at night, without layering a moisturiser on top can be sufficient. It is through its website that I found out that the products are not cheap and I believe that you can get other known products in the market that do work really well on blemish-prone and congested skin, agrees with
your sense of smell and don’t put too much strain on your pocket.

If you’re into environmentally-friendly content, packaging and marketing strategies, you may think you’re contributing positively by using this brand of skincare. But it all depends on what you prioritise for the sake of vanity.

Xindy (19)

 

Overall, the REN ClearCalm3 has helped me to keep my pores clean and the pores are evidently smaller now. Though break outs still happen when I don’t sleep enough or after a fast food meal, but the breakout will soon calm down once I apply the Treatment Mask. The stars of the range would be the Anti-Blemish Clay Cleanser and Anti-Blemish Treatment Mask. Now, if only they have a dedicated acne gel/cream for this range, it would be complete!

PB Says:

Thank you to my 2 guest reviewers for their very comprehensive review! I have it on good authority that Xindy’s skin has been improving by leaps and bounds since she started using this REN ClearCalm 3 range which I’m pleased to hear because I know just how awful having incurable acne/blemishes on the skin is. However, it might also seem to work better on younger or more problematic skins as Juan’s review tells us. So really, your mileage might vary depending on your skin condition!

The products do not contain synthetic fragrance or colour, petrochemicals, sulfates, TEA/DEA, parabens, urea or animal ingredients.

REN ClearCalm 3 Anti-Blemish Skincare range is available at Escentials Tangs Pavilion KL, Parkson KLCC, Parkson Pavilion KL and Metrojaya MidValley Megamall. Prices unavailable for now but all 3 items featured above will cost a total of RM410.