The True Botanicals RENEW Repair Nightly Treatment (formerly Repair Serum) and the True Botanicals Vitamin C Booster from True Botanicals are some of the most effective anti-aging skin products I’ve ever used. And they also happen to be free of toxic that other skincare brands feel comfortable using. It’s a win-win.
These two products—mixed together in the palm of my hand—have dramatically improved my hyperpigmentation and uneven skin texture. It’s pretty remarkable that I’ve experienced this level of skin improvement without a laser, retinol, or bleach.
But that’s the power of Vitamin C when used in a fresh, active form.
What You Need to Know
- The ingredients are potent, yet safe and natural.
- Because this Vitamin C isn’t pre-mixed into the serum, it’s likely more effective than other topical Vitamin C products you’ve tried before.
- This form of Vitamin C helps prevent and treat UV-induced photodamage. Generally, Vitamin C is one of the most effective and safest ingredients for younger-looking, brighter skin.
- There’s serious bang-for-your-buck with the Vitamin C Booster, due to how long it lasts and its stability.
- It also helps to soften and reduce fine lines.
- For most people with moderately sensitive skin (myself included), these products won’t cause breakouts or irritation. And if they do, you can simply adjust the amount of Vit C mixed into the serum to find a proportion that agrees with your skin.
GET THE VITAMIN C BOOSTER HERE
Why Mix Two Separate Products Together?
Vitamin C is notoriously unstable in skincare preparations. As soon as Vitamin C is mixed into a liquid, it begins to oxidize and lose its power.
But by keeping the powdered Vitamin C separate, it retains maximum potency until mixed with the serum in the palm of your hand.
Think about all the serums and creams you’ve seen that touted the research-backed benefits of topical Vitamin C, yet didn’t deliver on their promises. That’s why this Vitamin C preparation is different.
My Results
I experienced remarkable improvement during my 30-day experiment with True Botanicals. My hyperpigmentation decreased, especially on the cheeks. My skin became softer and plumper.
Both the ruddiness from melasma and old acne discoloration have improved.
Hyperpigmentation has been an ongoing struggle for me, and my skin is too sensitive to use many traditional products and procedures to tackle the discoloration.
So being able to improve the overall brightness and texture of my skin, while truly undoing several years’ worth of damage, is extremely encouraging.
Inside the Ingredients of the RENEW Repair Serum
Here are the ingredients of the RENEW Repair Serum: True Botanicals bioferment (seaweed + sodium chloride), organic green tea leaf extract, neroli flower water, organic glycerin, noni fruit extract, resveratrol, superoxide dismutase, algin seaweed, edelweiss flower/leaf extract, tamarind extract, kelp extract, vitamin C as magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, glucosamine, niacinamide, astaxanthin from red pond algae, algae extract, jojoba seed oil, carnosine, ubiquinone, non-GMO tocopherol, magnesium chloride, palmitoyl tripeptide-5, tripeptide-29, ceramide 6 II, ceramide 1, tetradecyl aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric urea trifluoroacetate, phytosphingosine, sodium lauroyl lactylate, carbomer, enteromorpha compressa (algae) extract, tara gum, hyaluronic acid, glycoproteins, beta-glucan, calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium malate, magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide, zinc citrate, decyl glucoside, lecithin, xanthan gum, cholesterol, phenethyl alcohol, ethylhexylglycerin, tuberose extract, jasmine flower extract, neroli flower oil.
| Extremely Safe | Reasonably Safe | Proceed with Caution | Insufficient Data |
Noni is a fruit found in the Pacific Rim that’s a powerful antioxidant and healer. Used to alleviate all sorts of ailments, noni is particularly well suited to this facial serum.
There’s a few peptides that are powerfully anti-aging, stimulating collagen production and tissue growth. Although palmitoyl tripeptide-5 is synthetic, it is also a very safe ingredient in a serum like this. And tetradecyl aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric urea trifluoroacetate—try saying that five times fast!—is a safe synthetic tripeptide that stimulates the production of hyaluronan, a molecule essential for healthy and attractive skin hydration.
There’s something else very important to note in this ingredient list: All ingredients have been disclosed. When you find a product that stands by all its ingredients—like this one—that’s a good thing.
Inside the Ingredients of the Vitamin C Booster
Here are the simple ingredients behind the Vitamin C Booster: organic tapioca starch, vitamin C as L-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid.
There’s much disagreement over what’s the ideal form of Vitamin C to use in skincare. Many forms used in other skincare products are cheap and unstable. But L-ascorbic acid is undeniably one of the best, with a ton of research behind it.
How to Use a Powdered Skincare Product
After cleansing and misting the face, mix a small amount of the RENEW Repair Serum with two shakes of the Vitamin C Booster in the palm of your hand. The Vitamin C Booster will dissolve into the serum. Apply a thin layer to face, neck and chest.
Where to Purchase
The RENEW Nightly Repair Treatment is $140 for a 1 fl oz pump bottle. True Botanicals also offers it in a 0.25 fl oz travel size for $46.
The Vitamin C Booster is $90 for a .49 oz glass shaker bottle. It lasts much longer than you’d expect.
GET THE VITAMIN C BOOSTER HERE
Do you have sensitive or acne-prone skin?
The Repair Serum is also available in varieties for those with acne-prone skin (CLEAR). My skin is both sensitive and prone to breakouts, but the anti-aging RENEW version of the serum was just right for my skin.
But if know you are extremely sensitive and prone to adverse reactions to topical Vitamin C, check out the incredible Antioxidant Booster ($90) from True Botanicals. It’s also a powder you can mix into your serum. Check out that full product review here.
Highly Recommended
These products are part of my popular guide to natural skin care, 97 Remarkable Natural Skincare Products.
*This post is not sponsored. All opinions are my own.
**Products get makeovers too. Be sure to check if this product has been recently re-formulated before using it yourself.
