Last Updated on October 2, 2023
Can AI help to create the perfect skincare routine? Over the past few months, I’ve been putting it to the test – or more specifically, the skincare platform Renude – and I’m sharing my honest thoughts with you, right here.
I’m definitely not the first person to get completely lost in the world of skincare, especially as my skin concerns have changed over time. My main issue used to be acne, whereas now I suffer with redness on my cheeks that I can’t seem to shake. It took me a while to get to grips with the fact I needed to change my skincare, especially as there’s so little help available. Even then, I can’t say I’m completely confident in the products I’ve been using so expert help definitely can’t be a bad thing.
Here, I’m sharing everything you need to know about Renude, how much it costs, as well as before and after photos of my skin throughout the process. Next, read my review of Cloud Nine’s New 2-in-1 Contouring Iron Pro and Dermatica for rosacea.
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What is Renude?
Founded by cosmetic scientist Pippa Harman and data scientist Cate Nisson, Renude is a new monthly membership that takes the guesswork of your skin routine.
You simply answer a short questionnaire, upload a few images of your skin and Renude’s first of its kind AI completes an in-depth skin analysis to detect the presence and severity of different skin conditions. From here, it finds the best skincare products that meet all your requirements, whether that’s vegan ingredients or affordability. The platform also has a team of in-house licensed aestheticians that work alongside the AI technology to ensure you’re offered the best possible advice.
If you’d rather speak face-to-face with a specialist, you can also book in a video call to talk through your skin concerns.
The Renude story
Co-founder Pippa told me a little more about her background, explaining, “I’ve always worked in the skincare industry. I trained as a formulation chemist and then I was working in research and development centres like Boots, American Bank and QSER, formulating skincare and pharmaceuticals. I realised the corporate environment wasn’t for me so I moved to the world of start-ups and I was at Beauty Pie for nearly four years working with Marcia [Kilgore] to launch and head up the skincare department.”
She found herself offering friends skincare advice and identified a business opportunity.
“I realised there’s nothing out there for people to navigate this space, so I started creating skincare plans for those in my network that were asking,” she adds.
It was a similar story for co-founder Cate. Pippa tells me, “When I met Cate, her boyfriend at the time was struggling with cystic acne and couldn’t get the right support. He’d even been to a doctor and the prescription wasn’t working.
“He was at the stage where it was really impacting his confidence, so she used Reddit forums to piece together before and after imagery with routine data and create a routine based on his specific needs, which worked. And I think for her, it was really seeing how that change in his skin actually impacted his entire outlook and ability to live his life fully.
“That really excited her about solving that problem and obviously seeing these hundreds of thousands of other people in these Reddit channels trying to get help with their skincare routine.”
Which brands do the professionals at Renude recommend?
The professionals at Renude use their expert knowledge to bring you the best brands through in-house research, review analysis and trialling the products themselves.
Depending on your requirements and budget, you can expect to be recommended products from The Ordinary, Paula’s Choice, Cerave, Bioderma, Medik8, Eucerin, Sesderma and more. You can see a full list of the brands recommended by Renude here.
How much does Renude cost?
Your first skin consultation is free and the membership costs £20, every three months. This can be used against any purchases you make with Renude, and allows you to check in with your aesthetician at any time.
Renude review
As someone who’s struggled with my skin for over a decade, having the opportunity to speak to a specialist felt like such a relief. I’ve spent hours Googling my symptoms and trying to work out what was causing my skin to flare up, but in the absence of a professional I’ve probably wasted hundreds trying to sort it out myself.
I was lucky enough to try out Renude. After uploading my pictures, I booked a call with Christina, a CIBTAC qualified skincare specialist with 15 years of experience in clinics and spas. Christina explained that my skin was showing signs of rosacea and 24 hours after our call, I received a personalised skin routine to help calm the redness. I’ve seen success with using Dermatica, so Christina included it in my skincare routine and recommended a few products from brands like Bioderma, Neostrata and Sesderma.
The average skin cycle is around six weeks, so it takes a while to see the full benefit of a new routine. For this reason, Christina told me not to expect any drastic changes in the first few weeks but to look out for any reactions. It turns out good skincare is a marathon, not a sprint so I buckled up for a long ride.
I quickly noticed however that all of the products I started using were notably much more gentle than those I’d previously been using. I used to think that the redness I was suffering was caused by acne, so I’d cover it in harsh products – probably the last thing it needed. Within a few weeks, my skin felt a lot less aggravated and it has slowly but surely continued to improve.
As you can see from the before and after pictures, my skin’s redness has definitely improved. Amongst the list of rosacea triggers identified by the NHS are alcohol, caffeine, spicy food, stress, strenuous exercise and hot baths, so I have good days and bad days but I’m really, really happy with the results I’ve seen so far.
What I love most about Renude is how accessible it is. There’s no need to spend hundreds on advice from a Harley Street professional when you can pay just £20 every three months for expert advice. The products I was recommended were kindly gifted to me, so my only concern is how expensive they’ll be to continue using going forward. That said, I know I can ask Christina to find me cheaper products if necessary.
I finally feel supported with my skincare regime and vitally, my skin hasn’t been this good for as long as I can remember. I’ll definitely keep using Renude, and if you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed with all the products out there, I recommend you try it too.
My Renude routine
I was recommended five products in total, including a micellar water, cleanser, acid moisturiser, moisturiser and daily SPF. This won’t work for everyone – each person’s skincare routine is personal.
Neostrata Restore PHA Facial Cleanser, £27.60
Sesderma Azelac Moisturising Gel, £28.95
Avene Tolerance Hydra 10, £15.38
Heliocare Mineral Tolerance SPF50, £31
