I’ve yet to hear from one dermatologist who doesn’t rave about the Olay Regenerist line for anti ageing. It’s one of very few mass market ranges to deliver products containing beneficial ingredients in the right concentrations for them to work. I often recommend their original Regenerist Serum and Night Cream here on SCforM!

Now, Olay caught onto the fact that they were onto something amazing and soon we saw an explosion of Olay product ranges (Total Effects, Definity, Pro-Vital, Aqua Physics, Nature Fusion, Pro X, Complete…) as well as retail prices. This dizzying array of products can put the average consumer off a purchase from Olay but I’ve always maintained that the Renegerist line is the best thing Olay have done and well worth looking at.

Recently, Olay released a revised edition of their original and much-loved Regenerist line (named Regenerist 3 Point) and I had to give it a road test to see if it’s worth the almost £10 increase in price. Should you be willing to pay department store prices for a drugstore brand?

Firstly, some info:

Olay introduces regenerist 3 point super serum – the new, much-anticipated facial skin-firming super serum from Olay, partner to regenerist 3 point treatment cream. This super concentrated serum, which contains Olay’s most concentrated amino-peptide complex,  is clinically proven to work on the 3 key areas of the face, neck and décolletage (chest area) – helping to visibly improve the appearance of skin across the face as well as firm the look of the skin around the neck and décolletage

How it looks. The previous serum was a slightly thick, silicone-y gel that provided mild hydration and a matte finish to the skin. The Regenerist 3 Point Super Serum is completely different. It’s slightly more moisturising (though, not oily or greasy in the slightest) – more of a lotion than a gel that wears nicely under other products.

Something unexpected was the opalescent sheen to the product. This serves a cosmetic purpose; it instantly makes the skin a bit more light reflective and youthful looking. I checked in daylight and if you look very carefully you can see tiny reflective bits of mica on your skin if you wear this alone – a far cry from Cullen-eqsue shimmer but there’s definitely something there. If you’re after a matte finish to your skincare, you’ll either have to avoid this product or follow up with a mattifying moisturiser or sunscreen.

How it works. This serum does indeed contain increased levels of antioxidants, niacinamide and peptides compared to its predecessor. It’s a really impressive mix of ingredients that stimulate the production of collagen (peptides), repair, brighten and thicken the skin (niacinamide) and help to prevent and undo sun damage (antioxidants and niacinamide). It’s an impressive formula and one that products that cost twice as much fail to emulate. Expect, skin that looks more plump, smooth and even in tone.

Who is it for? Anyone looking for a widely available, effective anti-ageing serum. It works just as well (and often better) than similarly priced products. Like the original, it covers a host of skin issues; anti-ageing, sensitivity, redness, hyperpigmenation and scars.. If you didn’t like the original formula, you may want to try this slightly lighter and more hydrating version.

Overall thoughts. It’s more potent version of an already impressive product and in terms of formula, it’s brilliant and well worth the purchase. I do have an issue with paying £31.99 for an Olay product though, it seems to be the trend that drugstore brands are becoming more and more expensive – edging closer towards mid-end brands like Clinique.

However, at least Olay have taken the time to package their product as a £32 serum and to be perfectly honest, people are paying well over £50 for serums that aren’t nearly as good as this one. Is it worth £10 more than the original? I’d say yes. It works a lot better than the original, the forumla isn’t as polarizing (some people hated the original silicone texture) and it’s packaged like mid-end skincare. There are some things i’m not a fan of; the opalescent sheen may be an issue for some people (especially guys and people with oily skin) and it sort-of smells like Pantene shampoo.

Other than that? SCforM recommended! If you’re looking for a relatively affordable do-it-all serum, try this!

Olay regenerist 3 point super serum from early September 2010 exclusively on www.boots.com; nationwide at Boots from November 2010, and in other beauty retailers from January 2011.