Boots No. 7

A Review of This Product Line

Remember all the hoopla about Boots No.7 when Boots launched this sub-brand in England?

I waited until I could view the ingredient lists online before even considering trying No.7.

Finally! Thank you, Drugstore.com, for letting your customers know exactly what they will get when they order from you.

I looked at all of the No.7 formulas and was disappointed at what I didn't find.

For example, I'll talk about the Boots night cream formulas here. In summary, a good anti-aging night cream should contain best-in-class: moisturizers; antioxidants; exfoliators; and peptides.

As for peptides, I look for any of the following: plumping peptides; lifting peptides; cell-communicating peptides; and sirtuin-boosting peptides.

I found no less than five Boots No. 7 night creams at Drugstore.com: Lifting and Firming Night; Protect & Perfect Night; Advanced Hydration Night; Moisture Quench Night; and Time Resisting Night. All of them have very nice moisturizing ingredients, mostly silicone-based. So I expect they have a very nice silky feel.

However, as far as I could see in the ingredient lists, none of the Boots night creams have any anti-aging peptides, exfoliators or antioxidants except Protect & Perfect.

Since you've come to the Ageless Beauty website, I know you're interested in anti-aging skincare products.

If you just want a moisturizing night cream, any of the Boots No.7 creams would be fine.

For anti-aging skincare, Boots No. 7 Protect & Perfect is the only option. It contains 35 ingredients. The numbers in parentheses indicate where each of the anti-aging ingredients occurs in the ingredient list:

Antioxidants

• Retinyl Palmitate (19)
• Ascorbyl Glucoside (21)
• Lupinus Albus Seed Extract (24)
• Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol (25)
• Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract (26)
• Gingko Biloba Leaf Extract (28)

Exfoliants

Retinyl Palmitate (19)

Peptides

• Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (32) - plumping peptide
• Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide 7 (35) - lifting peptide

Summary

Boots No. 7 Protect & Perfect has a very nice antioxidant cocktail. I recommend a combination of antioxidants such as this because the various antioxidants work in different ways and in different portions of the cells.

Boots No. 7 Protect & Perfect has only one exfoliating ingredient but it is probably too far down the list to have a noticeable exfoliating or collagen stimulating effect, in my opinion.

The anti-aging peptides are among the best but, at dead last and third last, they will probably have little anti-aging benefit.

I can't imagine what the marketers were thinking when they pronounced Boots No. 7 "Britain's #1 anti-ageing sensation".

In my opinion, the products are fine moisturizers. Period.