Ah, the inviting creamy plumpness of a brand new pot of face cream! I plunge into this one with a small sense of trepidation, however, because for one month I am working with Olay to test out the new Regenerist Luminous collection* and I’m not allowed to use any other products. I repeat: any other products.** This is a first, for me; although I am pretty strict when I’m testing something for review, other products do tend to creep in now and then and I enjoy the freedom of being able to mix and match from my stash. It’s going to be quite interesting using only the Regenerist Luminous products – I have a feeling it might free me up some extra time, as I usually spend ages gaffing about with my bottles of potion, deciding on what to use and in which order! Certainly Mr AMR will be pleased to recover some of his bathroom space…

The new Regenerist Luminous collection is launching this spring with two brand new products; the Skin Tone Perfecting Cream and the Dark Circle Correcting Eye Swirl. I like the existing Regenerist range, particularly the 3-Point Super Serum and the Night Renewal Exlixir, so I have high hopes for the new one. The Luminous collection has actually been formulated for a younger age group than the current Regenerist range – 25-34 – and so it follows that it targets slightly different skin concerns, the overall “umbrella” one being (as the range name would suggest!) “luminosity”. As I see it, there are a few spokes to this particular “luminosity” umbrella – a few things that need addressing in order to get skin looking bright and glowing. The first will be familiar to many, especially if you already use a chemical exfoliant to pep-up your skin, and that is the idea of surface renewal – gently renewing the skin layer by layer to reveal more luminous and healthy-looking skin. The second will also be familiar, and is quite a sticking point for many in trying to achieve a glowing complexion. This is the issue of dark spots – the patches on the skin caused by sun damage or by hormonal changes and that prevent the skin from having that translucent, even texture. And the last thing that I consider to be equally as important as any of the more “corrective” elements is prevention. Through wearing an SPF, obviously, but also through the use of ingredients that protect the outer layers of the skin from environmental damage.

The Regenerist Luminous range seems to have these points well covered, with Niacinamide to gently exfoliate the skin’s surface, N-Acetyl Glucosamine to help even out skin tone and OliveM, Green Tea and Vitamin E to help protect the skin from free radical damage. The Niacinamide and N-Acetyl Glucosamine have also been shown to help reduce excess melanin production, which is one of the main causes of hyper-pigmentation (dark spots). As well as the ingredients that target luminosity, the range includes the “classic” Regenerist ingredient line-up, including their penta-peptide, PAL-KTTKS (don’t ask, I’d have to look it up again) which has been shown in tests to reduce the appearance of fine lines and to plump the skin.

I’m really interested in how this trial period will turn out – I have four weeks of solid testing and then I’ll be doing a before and after comparison. I have in my possession a very scary-looking close-up of my face – anyone who wants to see it may, but I have to warn you that if you glance upon it, you will turn to stone. I am particularly looking forward to seeing how the Regenerist Luminous Dark Circle Correcting Eye Swirl copes with my undereye war zone – on certain days, especially during the “week of dread”, my circles look like bruises! Good luck Eye Swirl – you look so pretty with your twirly little ribbons of cream, but you have no idea how stubborn my eye circles can be! Olay’s inspiration for the range was the luminous glow of natural pearls – they radiate this perfect brightness because they have a smooth surface and a muti-layered structure that reflects light in an efficient way. I want to be a BEACON by the time this trial is up – I want people to have to wear sunglasses in order to approach me!

Bated breath everyone – and also, get excited, because at the end of my testing month you’ll be able to request your own samples for a home trial. Details to follow!

Olay’s Regenerist Luminous collection will be available at Boots from 1 April 2014.

*the product trial period and dedicated posts are being sponsored by P&G/Olay.  **On the extremely rare occasion that I might need an SPF this month (not holding out much hope that I’ll be spending any time outdoors!) I will be using the Olay Regenerist UV Cream SPF15 as my daytime cream. This product isn’t part of the Luminous range but it is Regenerist and it has been upgraded with the new “skin energising” formula (the same base technology that’s included in Luminous). Also, I should add (just in case you were wondering!) that I will be using a cleanser, but no toners or other bits and pieces that might affect my test.