
Highlights
WHAT IS IT?
A serum with multiple ingredients
FEATURES
Fast-acting, clinically proven to reduce redness, strengthens skin barrier, protects against pollution
BEST FOR
Sensitive skin
CHECKS
Clean beauty, free of synthetic fragrances or colors, silicones, sulfates, PEGs, parabens, urea, TEA/DEA
Who Is It For?
Adults Both Women And MenWhat Does It Help With?
Redness Sensitivity Skin Barrier StrengtheningBudget
Mid-rangeHow To Use
Which routine should it be used in?
Instructions:
Key Information
What REN Clean Skincare Says
Product Description:
Unlock ever-calmer skin instantly, and over time with a fast-acting serum that's clinically proven to visibly reduce redness after only 30 minutes and proven to strengthen the skin barrier and protect against pollution. Hypoallergenic and formulated for sensitive and red skin, this velvet touch serum is enriched with calming White Mushroom Extract to reduce the appearance of redness and relieve discomfort, and our antioxidant Defence Complex to create a moisture shield that helps to protect your skin from everyday pollutants and free radicals.
About the Brand:
Ingredients Overview
Ingredients List
Aqua (Water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Phosphate, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Arginine, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Inulin, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Seed Oil, Sclerotium Gum, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Albatrellus Confluens (Mushroom) Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Carboxymethyl Betaglucan, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Extract, Beta-Carotene, Xanthophylls, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Geraniol, Linalool
Key Ingredients
White Mushroom Extract, Defence Complex (Beta Carotene and Biosaccharide)
Ingredients Details
Arginine
Common Name(s): L-arginine,2-amino-5-guanidinopentanoic acid
CAS Number: 74-79-3
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Conditions skin, attracts moisture, supports wound healing, and improves microcirculation via no synthesis.
Why It's Used: Multi-functional amino acid for skin hydration, conditioning, and wound healing in peptide and nmf formulations.
How It Works: Guanidinium group binds water (humectant). substrate for nitric oxide synthase (enos) producing nitric oxide that vasodilates capillaries improving skin nutrition. stimulates fibroblast proliferation for wound healing.
Typically Found In: Anti-aging serums,wound healing products,nmf moisturizers,scalp treatments
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient – amino acid
Secondary Functions: Wound healing,microcirculation,nmf component
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 0.5%–5%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes – plant-derived or synthetic
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Fermentation-derived or synthetic. natural skin component.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 0/5 – non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating; endogenous skin molecule.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. natural skin nmf component. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Hyaluronic acid,ceramides,peptides,other amino acids
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Arginine is a conditionally essential amino acid in wound healing where local demand exceeds synthesis capacity. topical arginine provides the nos substrate locally for no-mediated vasodilation and immune cell function in healing tissue.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment,witte & barbul arginine wound healing review
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Caprylic/capric Triglyceride
Common Name(s): Mct oil,fractionated coconut oil,c8/c10 triglyceride
CAS Number: 73398-61-5
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Lightweight, stable emollient that solubilizes oil-soluble actives for excellent delivery without greasy feel.
Why It's Used: Universal lightweight emollient base and solubilizer for oil-soluble actives in serums and low-viscosity formulations where mineral oil or petrolatum would be too heavy.
How It Works: Medium-chain length provides ideal balance of spreading coefficient, penetration rate, and barrier-sealing properties. excellent solubilizer for vitamin e, retinoids, and other lipophilic actives.
Typically Found In: Serums,facial oils,sunscreens,anti-aging products,hair products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Active ingredient – medium-chain triglyceride emollient
Secondary Functions: Active solubilizer,spreading agent
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1%–50%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes – from coconut/palm kernel oil
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Fractionated by hydrolysis and re-esterification of coconut oil. only c8 and c10 fatty acids retained.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 1/5 – very low; medium-chain length generally non-comedogenic
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Humectants,ceramides,actives as carrier
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Mct oil's medium-chain length (c8/c10) provides superior oxidative stability vs longer polyunsaturated chains and better skin aesthetics (lighter, less greasy) vs longer chain emollients (c16/c18). excellent solubilizer for retinoic acid, tocopheryl esters, and other lipophilic actives.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment,ewg skin deep
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Cetyl Alcohol
Common Name(s): 1-hexadecanol,palmityl alcohol,n-cetyl alcohol
CAS Number: 36653-82-4
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Provides c16 fatty alcohol emolliency and thickening for well-textured cosmetic emulsions.
Why It's Used: Lighter-textured fatty alcohol alternative to stearyl alcohol for creams and conditioners requiring less heavy emolliency.
How It Works: C16 chain length provides slightly lower melting point (49°c) than stearyl (60°c) giving softer, lighter emulsion texture. forms lamellar networks for thickening and stability. direct skin and hair conditioning via fatty alcohol film.
Typically Found In: Creams,hair conditioners,lotions
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Functional ingredient – fatty alcohol
Secondary Functions: Barrier sealing,softening
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1%–15%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes – from vegetable or coconut/palm fatty acids
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Plant-derived, synthetic or animal-derived. verify source.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1/5 – very low
Comedogenicity Rating: 1/5 – low; formulation-dependent
Sensitivity Concerns: Non-irritating.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Excellent safety profile. ewg score: 1.
Works Well With: Humectants,ceramides,actives as carrier
Avoid Combining With: No significant incompatibilities
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
Cetyl alcohol's c16 chain length is at the approximate thermal transition point for fatty alcohol lamellar crystallization at skin temperature (33°c). this transition (from ordered crystalline to disordered liquid phase near skin temperature) provides the characteristic 'melts on application' sensory profile that makes cetyl alcohol-containing products feel cooling and light on initial application.
Last Verified: Cosing database,cir safety assessment
Primary Sources: 2026-03-12
Cetyl Phosphate
Common Name(s): Cetyl phosphate
DESCRIPTION
What It Does: Smooths and softens skin by filling intercorneocyte spaces, reducing friction, and providing a pleasant aesthetic skin feel in formulations.
Why It's Used: Synthetic esters provide tailored aesthetic properties — spreadability, skin feel, volatility, refractive index — that natural oils alone cannot consistently deliver.
How It Works: The ester molecule fills microscopic surface irregularities between corneocytes, reducing coefficient of friction, reflecting light uniformly, and providing a lubrication layer that protects the skin surface.
Typically Found In: Moisturizers,sunscreens,color cosmetics,body lotions,lip products
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Primary Category: Synthetic emollients
Secondary Functions: Emollient
Application Areas:
Facial Skincare
Body Care
Hair Care
Beard Care
Color Cosmetics (Makeup)
Dietary/Oral Supplements
Typical Concentration Range: 1–20%
SOURCING & ETHICS
Vegan Status: Yes
Halal Status: Yes
Source Notes: Synthetically produced ester emollient; no animal components.
SKIN COMPATIBILITY
Irritancy Rating: 1
Comedogenicity Rating: 1
Sensitivity Concerns: Low sensitization potential at recommended use concentrations.
Safe for Sensitive Skin: Yes
SAFETY & COMPATIBILITY
Safety Profile: Well-characterized cosmetic ingredient with established safety profile. generally non-irritating at typical use concentrations. suitable for leave-on and rinse-off cosmetics.
Works Well With: Silicones,uv filters,other emollients
Avoid Combining With: Strongly alkaline conditions (risk of saponification of ester-type emollients)
SCIENTIFIC NOTE
The spreading coefficient of an emollient is governed by its surface tension, viscosity, and polarity. esters with branched alkyl chains (e.g., isopropyl, isostearyl) spread rapidly and leave a non-tacky film; linear long-chain esters provide more substantive moisturization. hlb value determines the preferred formulation system (w/o vs o/w emulsions).
Last Verified: Cosing eu database; pcpc cosmetic ingredient safety reviews; ingredient-specific safety and efficacy literature
Primary Sources: 2025-01-15