Product Review: Estee Lauder ReNutriv Intensive Lifting Creme

Distinct from the Estée Lauder ReNutriv Ultimate Youth Creme (see yesterday’s post), Estée Lauder ReNutriv Intensive Lifting Creme ($158.00, Estée Lauder.com) contains 54 “precious” ingredients and claims to “sustain hydration over time with special moisture magnets.” Yet, does Estée Lauder ReNutriv Intensive Lifting Creme live up to its claims? Or, like yesterday’s Estée Lauder ReNutriv Ultimate Youth Creme, is it overpriced and underdelivering?

Not much of a “lifting” cream

Although marketed with “intensive lifting” in its name, Estée Lauder ReNutriv Intensive Lifting Creme does not contain any ingredients that have been shown in published scientific studies to actually lift the skin. This is in contrast to other products that exist on the market; for example, those with 3% DMAE have been shown in published scientific studies to firm the skin, giving the appearance of a lift. However, I am rather disappointed that the cream does not contain more established firming ingredients, particularly for the cost.

“Moisture Magnets”

The product contains phytosphingosine, which has been reported in the journal Molecular Medicine to stimulate the differentiation of human keratinocytes in vitro, which indicates that the product may help increase cell turnover. A 2005 study in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics further reported that phytosphingosine helps increase skin elasticity and hydration in human subjects. Other moisturizing ingredients include cyclopentsiloxane, glyceryl distearate, petrolatum, butylene glycol, glyceryl stearate SE, pesea gratisssima sterols (avocado sterols), dimethicone, sodium hyaluronate, collagen, glycerin, and cetyl alcohol, amongst others.

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide

Palmitoyl oligopeptide is a sequence of peptides that reads valine-glycine-valine-alanine-proline-glycine combined with a palmitic acid in order to increase penetration through the epidermis. A 2007 study in Dermatologic Therapy suggests that palmitoyl oligopeptide significantly stimulates human skin collagen production in fibroblasts, which may slow the degradation of collagen over time. On the other hand, palmitoyl oligopeptide has been found to down-regulate elastin expression. From one point of view, this is not a bad thing – as stated in Cosmetic Dermatology, elastin expression naturally increases with age, but the elastin cross-fibers grow in a less organized pattern than in individuals at a younger age, so down-regulating unorganized elastin expression may be a good thing. On the other hand, products that stimulate elastin production (like Relastin Eye Silk) have been found to increase the firmness of the skin, so down-regulating elastin expression may not be a good thing, either.

In addition, keep in mind that not all “amino acid peptides” are the same. The palmitoyl oligopeptide in this product is not to be confused with the most popularly studied signal peptide, palmitoyl pentapeptide-3 or Matrixyl® (Sederma). Matrixyl® is the sequence lysine-threonine-threonine-lysine-serine (KTTKS) has been demonstrated to stimulate feedback regulation of new collagen synthesis and to result in an increased production of extracellular matrix proteins (types I and II collagen and fibronectin), and is found in products like DermaQuest Peptide Mobilizer Serum ($188, DrSkinSpa.com).

Fish (Pisces) Collagen

I have said it before: collagen in skin care products serves as little more than a moisturizing reagent. Adding collagen to a skin care cream is like adding a loaf of bread to a bread recipe – adding bread doesn’t give you bread, just like adding collagen doesn’t make you collagen. This is because, according to Dr. Leslie Baumann in Cosmetic Dermatology, topically applied collagen is too large to fit through the stratum corneum [uppermost layer of the skin], as collagens have a molecular weight of 15000 to 50000 daltons, whereas only molecules of molecular weight 5000 or less can typically penetrate the skin.

Overall: Not a favorite…

For all of the promises of the 54 ingredients, Estée Lauder ReNutriv Intensive Lifting Creme, in my opinion, is not worth the money. The positives: phytosphingosine and palmitoyl oligopeptide will build collagen over time, and the cream is extremely hydrating. However, it does not contain the most studied/most popular amino acid peptide (palmitoyl pentapeptide-3), nor does it contain the most potent antioxidants or combinations thereof, nor does it contain some of the most frequently dermatologist-recommended anti-aging ingredients (retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids, antioxidants, sunscreen). Add in the fact that the product is $158 for 1.7 oz. and $500 for 8.4 oz., and it’s definitely on my least-favorite list. Product rating: 5/10 (builds collagen over time and is hydrating, but few ingredients dermatologists recommend regularly (not even sunscreen!), and a high price tag, particularly for what you are getting)

One note: considering that I dislike both Estée Lauder ReNutriv Intensive Lifting Creme and yesterday’s Estée Lauder ReNutriv Ultimate Youth Creme, please don’t think that I have anything against Estée Lauder products (I think brand bias, in general, makes for poor product reviews). Some products by the company with quality ingredients are Estée Lauder DayWear Plus Multi-Protection AntiOxidant SPF 30 Lotion for Normal/Combination Skin ($38.00, EstéeLauder.com) and Estée Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refresher ($42.00, EstéeLauder.com).

The 54 “Precious” Ingredients

In case you were curious, from a box of Estée Lauder ReNutriv Intensive Lifting Creme, here are the 54 “precious” ingredients: water, cyclopentsiloxane, glyceryl distearate, octyldodecyl octyldodecanate, steareth-10, petrolatum, butylene glycol, glyceryl stearate SE, pesea gratisssima sterols (avocado sterols), dimethicone, phytosteryl/behenyl/octyldodecyl lauryl glutamate, sodium hyaluronate, palmitoyl oligopeptide, coleus barbatus extract, silybum marianum (lady’s thistle), phytosphingosine, collagen, aleuritic acid, sucrose, linoleic acid, palmitoyl hydroxypropyl trimonium, amylopectin/glyceryl crosspolymer, sea whip extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, sodium chondroitin sulfate, grape seed extract, micrococcus lysate, caffeine, cholesterol, glyceryl polymetharylate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, panthethine, lecitin, xanthin gum, cis-14 isoparaffin, cetyl ricinoleate, acetyl glucosamine, laureth-7, sodium polyacrylate, glycerin, cetyl alcohol, PEG-8/polyacrylamide, citric acid, disodium EDTA, fragrance, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, Yellow 5 Cl 19140, Yellow 6 Cl 5955, Red 4 Cl 14706, Patents Pending.

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