Can REN Skincare come back from making sustainability their entire personality?

"In order to get my money, I need to know what you’re doing for me, not just the planet"

Over the weekend, Sky News reported that Unilever were “Mulling” the sale of two of their luxury skincare brands: Kate Somerville and REN.

It’s reported the move is part of a “Shake-up” at Unilever, following a new CEO appointment and, “Amid dissatisfaction from some shareholders at the company's performance”.

Now, while I can’t find any stats or figures in direct relation to these brands, Cosmetics Business, report Unilever’s latest results showed a prestige “Sales slump”.

In my mind, if both of these brands were making bank for Unilever, they wouldn’t be selling them and while I think Kate Somerville’s price tag is most likely it’s biggest detractor, I think REN’s potential issues are a little more complex.

As a beauty journalist, testing products is part and parcel of my job, so brand loyalty has to take a back burner. However, I am definitely attracted to some companies more than others and I’m sure some of you know my favourites by now.

But, alongside these chosen few, there are some brands, that just cannot pique my interest. I don’t use them, I don’t recommend them, essentially I have relegated them to a division I no longer associate with and to be brutally honest, REN is one of them.

Unlike brands like Trinny, who we’ve discussed before, it’s not that I have any personal beef with REN. There’s no morality behind the decision. In fact, the problem for me, is their marketing and how I feel they’ve placed sustainability over efficacy.

The last time I coveted a REN product was back in 2012 or whenever Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish was that girl. Fleur, of Fleur de Force fame, raved about their Glycolactic Mask and I remember going to John Lewis to buy it.

REN was using the term ‘Clean skincare’ way back then, but that wasn’t why I bought it. I wanted it because I heard how good it made your skin look.

Fast forward to now and I could tell you more about REN’s Ocean Plastic Bottle, then I could their key ingredients or skincare philosophy.

You think of CeraVe, you think of ceramides. Medik8 = retinols. La Roche Posay, dermatologist solutions. But, what is REN and how are they standing out amongst their competitors?

Honestly, it is genuinely impressive that I can’t always remember my friends birthdays, but can never forget how REN removed the metal spring to make their pumps fully recyclable.

Not to mention that if I made a list of brands I perceived to truly care and be committed to the environment, they would be top of the list.

However, maybe it’s just me who is an inherently selfish person, but, in order to get my money, I need to know what you’re doing for me, not just the planet.

Take Garnier, who are another brand committed to sustainability. They would be at the top of that list as well, but their ethos is a bonus for me, because I would buy their micellar water and cryo jelly sheet masks regardless.

Don’t tell David Attenborough, but if I’m spending between £30-£50 on a product, it can’t just be because the pump can be curb side recycled.

Not to mention, that this focus on sustainability over performance makes me question how well the product performs in the first place. Take REN’s Evercalm range, which, technically, should be right up my street, as someone who is skin barrier obsessed.

However, I don’t know what any of the key ingredients are and the problem with associating so much with ‘Clean’ and ‘Sustainable’, is, it makes me assume that it won’t be as effective or will contain ‘natural’ ingredients that are actually irritating.

Not to use Garnier again, but the reason I fell in love with their Super Food Sensitive Body Balm was because they shout about the oats and prebiotic formula on the packaging. Not because they put the word ‘sensitive’ on the packaging.

I also wonder, if alongside their sustainability over efficacy focus, REN has done themselves a disservice with their generous product sampling.

Can a beauty box or advent calendar exist without a mini Glow Tonic? It appears not and when a product is so heavily handed out, does it deflate the excitement of buying it?

On the flipside to my opinion, I know some of you will be REN loyalists. But, I wonder if this potential sale says more about the brands ability to gain new followers, as opposed to retaining existing ones.

Adding to that theory, in 2023, the brand discontinued 29 products and axed 5 product launches to “Reduce costs and encourage mindful consumption”.

I can’t believe that when I Googled the Glycolactic Mask, that the packaging is still the same after 12 years. But clearly, it’s not newness people are looking for from REN.

Yes, not every brand needs to appeal to Gen Z (do we need to do a separate post on this, btw?), but every brand does need to innovate and move with the times and not to be all Paris Hilton, but sustainability can be sexy.

You can care about recycling and not wear dungarees. It doesn’t have to become your entire brand, just look at Lush.

I guess only time will tell, but with more competition than ever before, I expect more conglomerates will be taking stock of their skincare brands…