When this product was first launched on the unsuspecting British public in 2007, it produced quite a brouhaha in the press. Following a TV programme which concluded that Boots Protect and Perfect was pretty much the only face cream which actually did back up its claims with results, sales of the product sky rocketed by about a gazillion percent and, I was one of that number who switched allegiance from good old Oil of Ulay (or whatever it calls itself nowadays) to embrace this miracle cream.

Boots have always been at the forefront of good quality, reasonably inexpensive skin care products so I knew their claim that the cream reduced the appearance of wrinkles would be backed up by good research and development and wasn't just the result of a clever marketing campaign, so I rushed out to buy some of this fabulous cream which was going to keep me looking young and wrinkle free. Of course, as everybody else was seeking out the same fountain of youth, I had to wait until stocks were replenished but eventually I was rewarded for my patience and began using the cream immediately. All I had to do now was sit back and watch those little laughter lines - oh alright, wrinkles - disappear!


Price

A 30ml bottle of this product is currently retailing at Boots stores and also on their website for £21. The Protect and Perfect range are occasionally available during Boots 3-for-2 promotions which considerably reduces the cost.


My opinion

The first thing I should do is correct myself because this isn't actually a cream at all but a serum. I'm not absolutely certain of the difference other than that a serum is in a more highly concentrated form. The ingredients list is long and full of chemical names which mean very little to me so I'll skim over them. I will mention, however, that this serum does contain parabens which have been linked to the possible increase in breast cancer in women, although research so far has proved inconclusive. Personally, although I wouldn't recommend products containing parabens to young women under thirty, certainly not until their safety has been proved one way or the other, I feel that I'm so well stricken in years that it's unlikely to significantly increase the odds of my developing breast cancer. This product is, of course, hypo allergenic.

The Protect and Perfect range are packaged in a pale aqua blue and gold box and the product itself is contained in an attractive semi opaque glass bottle with a pump dispenser covered by a pearly white cap which wouldn't look out of place on any dressing table.

The pump dispenses the product in small blobs of serum holding very little fragrance and what scent there is soon dissipates. The serum is slightly oily in both appearance and consistency with a silky feel when massaged into the skin. This slight slipperiness makes the serum very easy to apply and it sinks into the skin almost immediately leaving behind absolutely no vestige of oiliness whatsoever. The skin simply feels soft and well moisturised.

No 7 claim that this serum "restores skin's structure, visibly improving deep lines and wrinkles by up to 50%" and I can't dispute this claim. My own experience is that as a moisturising face serum it works perfectly and provides a good base upon which to apply my make up. As an anti-wrinkle preparation, after several years of constant use, the jury is still out. I feel fairly lucky in that I've been blessed with a relatively good set of genes and don't look my age or so I've been told.. My genes, coupled with the fact that I've never been much of a sun worshipper may have contributed to this but I like to think that my daily application of this serum has also helped to keep my wrinkles at bay. I'd be a liar if I said I didn't have any lines - my laughter lines around my eyes could more correctly be described as crows' feet now - but I do feel that using this serum has helped to prevent the fine lines that I do have from deepening into more defined wrinkles. I'm not sure, however, that it has reversed the ravages of time and neither do I feel it's lessened the depth of any of my lines.

So do I recommend this product? Yes. For women with more mature skin, I'm sure this product helps to maintain the skin's moisture levels which, in turn, goes a long way towards keeping deeper lines and wrinkles at bay. However, don't expect huge miracles. If you already have deep lines, it isn't going to make them go away but it may very well stop finer lines from becoming any deeper. This is certainly an effective tool in a woman's armoury against the steady march of time and, to my mind, the price of this preparation is money well spent.