How was the concept for REN Skincare born?
It was born when Antony’s wife got pregnant and started reacting badly to all her skincare products just at the time that we were starting plans to develop a new brand. The idea for advanced, effective skincare that was free from all the nasties came from this coincidence.

What does the name REN stand for?
It is Swedish for “clean”.

What is the mission of your skincare line?
REN pioneered the concept of Clean Bio Active Skincare. Skincare products that are formulated with cutting edge, clinically proven bio actives whilst being free from skin unfriendly ingredients. Our mission is to clean up the world of skincare.

REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash is getting rave reviews by beauty editors, what is so unique about this body wash?
It is one of the very few products out there that contain (ridiculously expensive) real rose otto oil. The oil we use is extracted using steam rather than chemicals so it is even purer. The fragrance you get from the real thing is so extraordinary that once tried you can’t forget it. In addition and as with all our products there’s no petrochemicals, sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrance etc etc so the whole experience is very different (and much nicer) than your run of the mill body wash.

What ingredients won’t be found in your skincare line?
Our products don’t contain skin-unfriendly ingredients including synthetic fragrance, petrochemicals, sulfate detergents, synthetic colours, animal ingredients and parabens. In addition, REN products do not contain potential irritants including glycols and diglycols (such as propylene glycol), PEG’s, PPGs, urea, D.E.A, T.E.A, PABA and other synthetic sunscreens, aliphatic alcohols/hydrocarbons, phthalates, fumarates, amines, alkanolamines, synthetic AHAs/BHAs, polyacrylamide, metacrylate, elastomer, poloxamer, styrene, vinyl, polyquaternium, synthetic chelating agents, nylon, nitriles, nitrates, nitrosamine releasers, bromates, fluor, aluminum and alumina. Well, you did ask.

How do you source the ingredients for your products?
It’s very difficult but becoming steadily easier as more and more ingredients become available that satisfy our stringent rules. Because of the influence of brands like REN we are increasingly able to source plant derived clinically proven bio actives thatare totally free from all the chemicals that we don’t allow in our products.

Can you tell us more about REN’s special packaging method?
We tend to use vacuum packaging. What this means is that as the product is pumped out of the pack air does not get in to replace it. The benefits of this are numerous. The main job of a preservative is to kill bugs that get into the product from the air and from fingers. Our packaging prevents air or fingers from coming into contact with the product hence we are able to minimise the use of preservative. In addition, the lack of air contact means that our fragrances do not fade (as can happen with 100% natural fragrance) and our products stay as fresh as possible.

What is new this year at REN Skincare?
This year we have launched 2 anti-ageing serums for day and night as well as 2 instant lifting products – a gel and a face spray.
These products demonstrate the progress that has been made in non-synthetic
skincare. Our serums work brilliantly at reducing wrinkles and our lifting products give an instantly noticeable and long lasting lift
as well as brightening the complexion. And they do this without drenching your skin in unpleasant, synthetic, skin-unfriendly chemicals. What more could you ask for?

A percentage of REN’s profits go to campaigns that promote a better environment. Can you tell us about some of these causes?
We donate a minimum of 2.5% of profits to people less fortunate than ourselves. We tend to support a range of initiatives and charities recommended by staff members. For example last year our major donation was to the Crisis Christmas Appeal that offers homeless people companionship at a time of year that can be particularly distressing for those without a home or family. In addition we made donations to WaterAid, Breast Cancer Care and supported a wide range of other smaller, more local initiatives.

Which celebrities are rumored to indulge with REN?
There are lots of them, including Kate Moss, Kate Beckinsale, Jude Law and Sting. I’ve attached a full list here.

REN is a UK brand, where can we find REN in the US?
REN is available in Barneys NY, Fred Segal, Blu Mercury and a range of the best independent beauty stores. We have just opened in 42 Sephora stores. You can also buy from our US website at www.renskincare.com