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Oh, I have some problems with this! Boots are in such a prime position to really change the way that ageing skin and older women are perceived and yet, far from leading from the front with a fresh and positive attitude, they’ve chosen to go circa 1980 in their negativity towards women.
So, the new product (with a supposed 17K wait list and no proof offered of that) comes in an injectable shaped tube. That’s marketing at kindergarten level, designed to make you immediately think that the product may have some alliance with Botox. To be very clear from the get go, what serums and creams can do is in no way connected to what botulinum toxin injectables can do. They work in entirely different ways and it’s impossible for them to do the same thing.
The name, Line Correcting, is an immediate accusation that there’s something wrong with you. If you have lines and creasing on your face, there isn’t anything wrong with you. You might not want them and you might choose to be rid of them, but there’s nothing wrong and you perhaps shouldn’t feel duty bound to rush out and correct yourself. I mean, for whom do you need correcting? And, the fact that the packaging states “x 7” in reference to the Matrixyl strength is no accident – isn’t one of Olay’s key marketing points all about 7 benefits? If you’re an Olay fan or have every seen any Olay advertising that 7 is already in your head as an association with looking younger. It’s the same theory as supermarkets use when they flood the entrance with baking bread smells.. in the hopes you’ll be triggered to rush and buy more bread.
The main ingredient is Matrixyl 3000 Plus, the highest concentration of peptides ever used by Boots. It is clinically proven by several brands in many tests to show an impact on skin creasing so there’s no issue there. I believe that it can, and probably does, smooth out lines. However, Boots have chosen kindergarten marketing again to twist that claim into a ‘reduction of the appearance of wrinkles by up to five years’. Up. To. Five. Years. What does that even look like? *Up To* is spurious by any stretch of the imagination. There are all sorts of skin measuring devices (I’ve been to the Boots labs and been measured myself.. all I can remember is that I had a lot of bacteria on my face.. oops) and all brands looking for clinicals use them. But what do the lab numbers actually look like on a face. One year younger – how could you tell? What’s the difference between that and a week’s holiday in terms of visibility on your face? If you ask yourself what your lines looked like five years ago, could you remember with any accuracy?
The women who took part in the Boots trial for the product noted a reduction in lines and wrinkles around the forehead and eyes after a week. As anyone would if they started to moisturise properly. More results were seen after two weeks but there’s no measurement metric for this as far as I can see – and the language is very much about ‘improvement’ just in case you’ve forgotten that it’s your face that’s wrong and the cream is saving you.
One of the most disappointing things about the Line Correcting Serum campaign that’s now in full force is that nobody is questioning the underlying messaging – that older skin is something unpleasant, to be ‘cured’, to be made more acceptable, to be everything in fact, that it isn’t. As long as you’re unhappy with how you look, the beauty industry will keep getting richer: it pays to keep older women worried.
How you choose to age is up to you – we have all the choices after all and there isn’t a right way or a wrong way. Whatever makes you feel great is key and you shouldn’t feel any more bullied into not having Botox or whatever your feel like any more than you should feel pressured into feeling you have to look younger. What is very, very wrong, however, is that brands like Boots won’t support the notion that healthy, bright, clear, and glowing skin is beautiful regardless of age and regardless of whether there are any wrinkles on it or not. Beauty is not one thing, it’s many, many things and I hate the idea that this campaign is teasing our insecurities with clunky marketing that’s in many ways absolutely shameful.
Incidentally, as a behind the scenes moment, I tweeted something out about not liking Boots messaging to older women (well before this campaign) and was immediately contacted by the PR asking exactly what my issue was so she could feed back to her client. I’ve never heard from them since, so I think it’s safe to say that they’re not open to listening to any detractors.
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46 comments
Great insight Jane – although I do agree with some of your points fundamentally (I hate ‘waiting lists’ and excessive claims as much as the next person,) I do think it’s worth noting that there are many women who *want* to erase / reduce wrinkles. Including myself!
I do think it’s important to differentiate between being told your fine lines and wrinkles are ‘bad’ and need to be corrected (again, bad choice of language from them) and empowering women to make a choice about their appearance. From my understanding this is a product that’s been developed specifically for women like me – mid thirties, starting to see those deeper lines, considering more invasive treatments but a bit wary about the impact on their face. I personally think the product is great (I’ve been trying it a week and honestly have seen a big impact already) but some small changes could have made a big difference to the way it’s been received.
And re that ‘up to 5 years’ claim – it’s something used by so many brands (it refers specifcally to the measure of a wrinkle’s ‘age’ and is a clinical term) but I agree it would’ve been better to have said ‘wrinkles reduced by 50% in appearance’ or something.
These conversations need to be had to make change and ensure understanding, so keep questioning!!
There’s no right or wrong way to approach your own face! It’s completely up to the individual but there’s such a huge difference between being in your 30’s and in your 50’s in terms of skin. If you’re in your 20s and 30s then ‘anti-ageing’ is actually quite fun – it’s still quite fun in your 40’s but as you move on and realise that if you don’t or can’t accept your skin when you discover that despite all the ground work you’ve done through previous decades, you are still likely to look the age you are, the your path is not a happy one. Being in the right mindset from a younger age sets you up not to be chasing unicorns all your life.
This is what “anti-ageimg” is all about though, isn’t it. Marketing-wise it’s profitable to push it like it’s a sort of disease that needs eradicating. I also have trouble with the old “look ten years younger” thing. Everyone’s results are going to look different, if they see any at all, so that doesn’t make sense.
Your comment: “… such a huge difference between being in your 30’s and in your 50’s in terms of skin.” is so true. I’m now 56 and am finding myself becoming more and more annoyed at how older women are portrayed/ignored/marketed to. I’ve never had any problems with how I view myself, but I’m starting to have problems with how others view me!
This is what I’m afraid of now in my very early thirties. I have already accepted ageing thanks to women like Jane and other inspirational models from your generations. But I’d like to not be one of a few, I’d like to see the world channging in my lifetime to not consider ageing as something bad. It’s inevitable, it’s human. It may not be “beautiful” by the standard of fresh radiant skin, but it’s what every fresh radiant skin will face at some point. We enjoy it while we can, then we grow wiser about ourselves and our priorities. I guess the majority don’t get wiser, and current marketing is not helping this at all… 🙁
Hang on: Nobody from No7 knocks on people’s doors & forces anti-ageing products on them. Boots aren’t approaching people in the streets (or even the aisles) & telling women they need this product.
It’s a choice, just like having a haircut, gym membership or a new pair of shoes. We all have the right to choose to buy things that make us feel good.
Excellent run down Jane. It feels like Boots have done a “rinse and repeat” of the marketing campaign for their first serum in 2007 and have totally failed to notice how the landscape has moved on since then. More fool them.
Curiously you’re the first person that thinks Botox when looking at the container… From my customer point of view, the packaging is a nice and refreshing look when compared to previous and I can’t see anything wrong apart from the fact the unlock mechanism might be a bit tricky to use. Other than that it’s ok…
You are correct saying it’s up to you how you age, so if you don’t need it, don’t buy it scrooge… Anyway, if you are gonna waste people’s time reading this crap, go and review some channel or D&G creams selling for ridiculous values and still, nobody realized they do much less than serums like this… But at least you’ll get paid more for dumb boring review if something you haven’t even had to to review…
And you can choose to disagree with Jane without being rude. Unless Jane put a gun to your head and forced you to read her review, I do not see the meaning with being so unpleasant.
What an unnecessary and unpleasant comment. I happen agree with Jane in that my first thought on seeing the packaging was that it looks like a syringe, therefore like it’s mimicking an injectible treatment. Which isn’t necessarily bad, but perhaps a little unoriginal as a concept. I’m only in my early thirties so hadn’t really considered the fact that it is showing aging as a negative thing that needs to be ‘corrected’ but I actually think it’s a valid point. If you think reading someone else’s opinion on something is a waste of time then maybe just don’t.
DC, is it really necessary to be so verbally abusive to Jane? There is no need for it, it is possible to disagree politely and keep things friendly!
Gosh! Safe to say no-one will ever pay you to write a review…at least, not until you grasp basic spelling and grammar.
Incidentally, Jane does not get paid to review products she occasionally partners with a brand to work with them but always declares this. She is sent samples from brands and shares her own opinion. Now, her opinion may differ from yours but that does not excuse your choice of tone.
Wow. Unnecessarily aggressive comment. We all have a right to express opinions and, as this is Jane’s Blog, she has every right to set out her opinions on here. We are not obliged to agree; respectful discussion of differing views is healthy. Insults and rudeness is neither healthy nor welcome.
The container is plainly meant to resemble a syringe. Whether the formula is any good – who knows. I find the claims for many of these products so nebulous that I just test those I fancy for myself and don’t bother with the rest. However, I do value Jane’s opinion and the opinions of a handful of other balanced bloggers who don’t just rave about everything.
Boots has missed the point here – they have the potential to reach out to a significant demographic with more disposable income than younger customers. Instead, they are trying to make us bad for being a bit older. I’m not fussed about a few lines here and there. What I want is hydrated, fresh and radiant skin that looks rested. I want to be proud of being in my 40s with an amazing family and career; many don’t reach the age where they see a line on their face. We should be happy that we have. Boots need to move on with it’s marketing. I’m not 20, I can’t be bullied into feeling bad about my appearance any more!
Hi Jane, thanks for the thoughtful assessment, very well written. I won’t be buying this particular product as I already use an Estee Lauder serum that makes the same claims. I’ve actually just bought a photon therapy mask and am far more interested to see the results from this than a new serum!
Thank you, Jane. Excellent review.
I’m 49 and my skin has Never been so good.
Nothing needs ‘fixing’.
I don’t see the problems neither with the packaging nor with the message. I am 44 and do not look like I am 20 😉 probably I wouldn’t like people telling me I am not that beautiful anymore and definitely I am not, but if I look for a product that would address my problems including lines I want it to be clearly written that it is against the lines. I don’t need a bottle of cream saying omg yo are sooo pretty 😉
You know, some people with aging loose a bit of looks but gain a bit of confidence not to be insulted by what is written on a cream.
I looked at the container and thought pile ointment. Maybe they are pitching to the demographic that uses pile ointment?
Best comment yet.
Apparently pile ointment can have the same effect
So interesting. Particularly the comments about how your views on anti-aging marketing can change – something I had never considered. The marketing campaign does feel a little dated anyway, all jargon. I feel like customers are more informed than that. Talk to us about ingredients!
A good article. Very well done! We do definitely need to recognise that wrinkles and lines are also beautiful.
Anne B
I stopped by the No 7 stand to ask for a sample of this and the sales person actually used the words ‘like Botox in a tube’!
The number of negative nasty comments that on this article is interesting. Not usually the kind of comments your posts attract. Where have they come from??
Anyway, that packaging is 100% meant to look like an injectable and I have to agree with everything you said as usual. It’s not the product that’s the problem but the marketing and attitude towards older women, and people that can’t see that’s what you’re writing about are muppets.
As an aged beauty consumer, I am delighted there may be a product that will help me avoid the creases and wrinkles that may be the consequences of chronological ageing. If there is something that makes me feel better about my face – bring it on.
Now my fights about age discrimination are about refusal to invite me for mammograms etc etc
If you ‘flog’ beauty products it’s about making the buyer feel they look as good as they can. I am pleased there is no ambiguity about who this product is aimed at.
Here here!
No7 staff are trained to ask “What is the first thing you see when you look in a mirror?” It’s one of the first questions they ask in a consultation, and it is there to make you think about the ‘faults’ in your skin that need ‘correcting’ . Why must that brand (and many others like them) keep focussing on the negative?
No it isnt, Michael. It’s there to establish what is a focus/concern/priority for the customer. If wrinkles or any other sign of “ageing” is not an issue to them then more power to them! No7 aren’t a brand whose MO is to make their customers feel bad about themselves or force the newest product on them: Generally that’s not a good business model.
I completely agree with you Jane. It’s dreadful and Boots could and should be doing more. They are perceived to be a British national treasure on the High Street (albeit owned by the Americans) and really have the opportunity to turn the tide in a very big way. It is curious to me how they got here. They have a huge CMI department and some pretty good budgets yet they still seem to have missed the mark.
I’ve seen the Instagram campaign for this and it’s lovely – far gentler in approach – so how it all got so disjointed and such a mess I don’t really know. I think brands get so involved and inward looking – they need a Reality Checker as standard before these things launch who’s not bound to the brand and has the consumer front of mind. The missed opportunities of this campaign are just so sad.
I’ve just received an e-mail from Boots saying this is available on 3 for 2 and checking my local stores it seems to be available everywhere.
Exactly! How can there be a wait list if no one’s had to wait for it?
I actually was one of the home testers on this product although I didn’t get given the marketing guff on it. The applicator is a bit of a faff to use as you are meant to apply as if you are injecting given the way you need to hold the container and push the plunger. The product worked really well on a stubborn vertical forehead crease and slightly pronounced naso-labial lines. In fact seeing this piece reminded me I’d not used it for ages and that forehead line was back again despite my usual moisturising, acids, oils etc!
I agree that the language is waffly and the questionnaires given after 1 and 2 weeks had odd language where you have to put from 1-5 on how the product performed. I can’t remember the exact wording but that kind of thing is usually did your skin look more healthy, radiant, refreshed, did your skin feel more healthy, radiant, refreshed, did you notice fine lines were less noticeable etc which is totally subjective, hard to quantify and could lead people to opt for higher scores in the hope of being picked to test again seeing as no one measured before and after, no photos to be taken to compare etc. If I remember correctly as this testing was several months ago, there was a lot of talk about improvement in the look and feel of wrinkles and I’m pretty sure it was aimed at stubborn or deep wrinkles rather than fine lines. Personally, I like minimising any deeper lines as I feel they detract from how I want to look but corrector does sound as if it’s wrong for me to have them and they need to be removed.
Jane I am surprised by rude comments to your post are these people working for boots or number 7 it would be sad if that was the case. Sad that ageing is not seen as beautiful . I don”t want Botox or a serum in a fake syringe. Bravo for highlighting this.
It’s quite interesting this rant against Boots. I believe No7 has stopped mentioning in their marketing messages the term anti-aging for the exact same reasons you are supporting. And the TV adverts show they’ve been portraying strong older women from different backgrounds these past few years to promote this (a feminist writer, a fencer, a ballet dancer, a stunt woman and now a surfer).
About the product, the packaging seems to have been designed for targeted treatment. And it stops people using more invasive treatments like votox so i’d rather prefer that. Re the formula, if you have tried it and it didn’t work for you, I’ll understand your rant.
If not, well what can i say!
Yesss!
Hi,
I was one to of the women who tested the product last year and I can back up the claims that No. 7 are making 100%.
I’m EXTREMELY sceptical about any brand who claims to reverse the aging process and I said as much on my assessment questionnaire, but this stuff was amazing.
I was 43 at the time (and yes, I’m very good at knowing how to moisturise properly!) and I could see a definite improvement in my skin in a really short period of time. By the end of the trial, which was about 3 months, my skin looked better than it had in years.
The only downside was, when I stopped using the product, my skin became a bit spotty and it lost the smoothness that I’d experienced during the trial so it’s probably something that you should use on and off with other products, rather than “blasting” your skin. Which might may reduce the effects but hey ho.
I agree with your comments about how Boots choose to advertise the product but in reality, there is a market for this which is why they use the language that they do. If you want younger looking skin, then give it a go. If you’re happy with lines and wrinkles, and there’s no reason why any woman shouldn’t, then don’t.
But I can only really vouch for my own experience, which was extremely positive.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience x
I don’t see how they can possibly have had that waiting list when no one had heard of the product before!
If this stuff is so fantastic after using it for a while I developed baggy under eyes
They got worse and worse and now I’ve stopped using it they are normal again
I had 5 creases under each eye because of it.
I fell for the hype I’m livid with boots
It affected me so psychologically I booked eyed surgery and paid a deposit
Drastic I know but it aged me very quickly
I don’t need surgery now but I’m going ahead as a preventative
I don’t want to look so tired and worn out it was scary
I’m not sure a cream of that relatively low level can cause such a drastic change in your skin…. it’s not medical strength or even nearly so that’s a bit of a mystery. x
I have used two phials of this new serum and it makes no difference whatsoever,it’s a big con.
Same here and at a cost of nearly £90 for the two, it’s outragous. I want my money back
What a refreshing read! I’m 45 and noticed my v first wrinkle appear almost exactly on my 40th bday and have been tracking the changes in my skin ever since.
Well due to my career, it helps me to stay as young looking for as long as poss despite my personal feelings re aging/beauty/problems of the west etc so I finally delved into my pocket and bought the new no.7 booster serum, serum and moisturiser that all matched. I usually only moisturise my face with my husband’s facial moisturiser (You’re probably all hyperventilating by now, lol). I waited with baited breath for the promised results.
6 months on, I have religiously used the 3 items in the correct manner day and night.
Result? NADA. NOTHING. NO DIFFERENCE. My face is nicely hydrated, more so than before, but that is all. There are NO changes to my wrinkles/ fine lines whatever you call them.
HOW DO I KNOW? Because I do not want to spend that amount of money ever again unless it does what it says on the tin, I decided to test it out in the only foolproof way: for a full 6 MONTHS I have only been using it on ONE SIDE OF MY FACE!!!
This to me is the only real way to track change. Lighting, one’s own optimism or diet/lifestyle changes could affect one’s perception of results any other way.
So I did a proper scientific study on myself and I am really sad to say it is a total waste of money and time.
On the other side of my face I just used the no.7 moisturiser- but not either of the serums. There were a couple of times I forgot to do this (left) side of my face (I always remembered to use the booster on the other side, but cos it takes soooo long to be absorbed (or dry on!) I sometimes got distracted and went to bed).
When I didn’t use the moisturiser, I did notice my skin was drier, particularly by my hairline. So I shall continue to use the moisturiser but I shall NEVER AGAIN part with my cash for the serums! Honestly – both sides of my face are identical – lines look exactly the same on each side. What a load of rubbish.
I did use this same technique with an olay one too a number of years ago (one side of my face) same result. So disappointing. Should’ve known not to be sucked in by such massive claims by Boots
I’m going to try taking Vit A supplements and Vit C and D now. Think that’s the better way forward. Can’t see it turning back the clock, but will only do me good.
Wow – you certainly did put it to the test. Well done for that. I don’t think anything really dramatically changes lines if they’re deep other than Botox. I prefer the idea of making sure that your skin is vibrant and glowy because that’s a look that suits everyone, whether they have lines or not.
I received my no7 line serum today, but I can’t get the top of
that’s annoying.