Skin deep: could Boots' 'world first' face cream really turn back time?

The latest Boots No7 range, Future Renew, was launched this week to considerable fanfare, not merely a new face cream, but a "world first breakthrough in skincare research"

- Hannah Devlin

Since 2007, when a Horizon documentary on the science behind its Protect&Perfect range prompted an unprecedented consumer stampede, the Boots No7 team has been taking the "here comes the science bit" to the next level.

Its latest collection of creams and serums was preceded by a presentation at the congress of the American Academy of Dermatology (ADD), in New Orleans, and the launch took place, not at an exclusive hotel, but at the Science Museum in London.

As a PR strategy, the science has done its job peerlessly. Glowing coverage has suggested the serum is so revolutionary that it could replace Botox or even pave the way for new treatments to heal scars and burns and a reported 88,000 people signed up for a waiting list to buy the product. But how miraculous is the cream itself? "The products are backed by a lot of fundamental science to really get a deep understanding of the skin ... to help the skin help itself," said Dr Mike Bell, the head of science research for No7 at Boots, citing a 15-year collaboration with the University of Manchester.