Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair: Is it worth the money?
LAUNCHED in 1982, Estée Lauder's Advanced Night Repair (ANR) has gained a cult following among celebrities and regular folks alike.
As one of the most popular skincare products in the world, we decided to put the “little brown bottle" to the test to determine whether it's worth your hard-earned cash.
This article and featured products have been independently chosen by Sun journalists. It contains links that are ads, and if you click a link and buy a product we will earn revenue.
- Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex, $79.00 for 1 oz. from Estée Lauder - click here
Since it was created in 1982, the product has only gotten better with age.
👉 For more insights, check out this resource.
The brand unveiled a new and improved formula for its hit product in 2020.
While the original was revolutionary in its approach to overnight skin repair, the new serum claims to reduce the look of fine lines faster than before, in just three weeks.
👉 Discover more in this in-depth guide.
With a recommended retail price of $79 for a 1 oz. bottle, it isn’t cheap.
So does it live up to the hype?
Fab Daily got its hands on a bottle to give you the scoop on what’s really inside the iconic formula.
Our Editorial Beauty Consultant Shannon Lawlor put it to the test.
The story so far
Forty years ago, Estée Lauder released Night Repair, the first-ever skincare serum that worked overnight to reduce the visible signs of aging.
It promised to add radiance, soothe dry, patchy skin, hydrate, even out skin tone and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
It was the first skincare product to use plumping ingredient hyaluronic acid and innovative packaging — the dark brown bottle with a pipette to give the “allure” of a luxury product.
This scientific approach to skincare is what put ANR on the map.
However, over the years, the demand for ingredient-driven skincare has sky-rocketed, and Estée Lauder has faced fierce competition from more affordable brands.
The company has updated the ANR formula four times since its launch.
The 2013 version saw ANR renamed Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II, and this is when Estée Lauder’s scientists really took things up a notch.
The brand shouted from the rooftops that it now included powerhouse ingredients such as squalene to restore the skin’s natural protective barrier and high levels of antioxidants to minimize the damage caused by pollution and UV rays.
But it didn’t take long for these same ingredients to be used in cheaper products elsewhere.
Estée Lauder then used all-new ChronoluxCB to set its serum apart in another bid.
The patented technology was said to work with skin’s natural rhythm, aiding repair at night and protecting against damage during the day.
The new formula was praised by the industry, and some consumers claimed the results were “even better than before”.
However, others insisted cheaper brands using simpler ingredients were comparable.
This left experts wondering whether patented technologies in skincare confused consumers rather than impressed them.
So is ANR really at the forefront of ground-breaking skincare research, or is Estée Lauder just attempting to charm us into paying a premium price tag with scientific gobbledygook?
The new claims
Since its last ANR launch nine years ago, the pressure has been on for Estée Lauder.
No7 launched a sell-out, age-reversing retinol serum range, and The Ordinary offered up potent anti-aging products with just one or two hero ingredients for a fraction of the price.
Estee Lauder had no choice but to up its game.
And today, consumers can get their hands on the brand’s newest formula — the Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex.
Dr Nadine Pernodet, vice president of Skin Biology and BioActives at Estée Lauder Companies, said: “Our research has been inspired by the scientific understanding that only about 25 percent of the aging process is genetic, and nearly 75 percent is influenced by the environment.
“This means how our skin visibly ages is largely within our control.”
This is where things get a little complicated.
The new formula contains the updated Chronolux Power Signal Technology.
Estee Lauder’s scientists found a specific micro-signaling molecule in skin cells essential to its natural repair.
Dr Pernodet adds: “For the first time, it provides youth-generating power, supporting the creation of fresh, new skin cells and production of collagen.”
It has the same texture and still claims to provide 72-hour hydration, so the key difference between this and the previous ANR is that it increases the natural renewal of skin cells and collagen for plumper skin.
So, does it actually work?
DURING testing, the latest ANR did show to boost collagen production after 72 hours.
The previous ANR had previously been criticized for its lack of instant results after other products with more aggressive anti-aging ingredients (like the recently launched No7 Advanced Retinol 1.5% Complex Night Concentrate) showed visible changes within days.
Consumer testing of the new serum over four weeks found 88 percent of women said their skin looked plumped and more youthful, while 85 percent said lines appeared diminished.
But we didn’t want to take their word for it.
Over the last three weeks, I’ve been testing out Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi-Recovery Complex for myself. Before this I’ve been an avid user of the Synchronized Recovery Complex II.
I have overly sensitive, break-out-prone skin, and I have always sworn by it to keep things in check.
Despite only being 26, years of sun damage and smoking plagued me with fine lines.
After three weeks of testing the product, I can safely say it’s as good as, if not better than, its predecessor – see pictures above.
It took a while for the results to show, so claims that you will see a difference within 72 hours are optimistic. And this is where my main issue lies.
The 72-hour claim was tested in vitro (in a test tube), which isn’t to say any changes would be visible. Having said that, after three weeks, my skin feels plumper and more hydrated, and noticeably smoother.
I admit I am a convert.
My biggest gripes? The overly confusing marketing risks putting people off a great product. It’s pricey, too.
But if $79 is the price to pay for long-lasting skin health that means avoiding costly treatments later in life, I’m in.
- By Shannon Lawlor
The celebs who love it
Eva Mendes
During a Q&A on Facebook, actress Eva, 48, revealed she’s a fan of a simple evening skincare routine, of which “incredible” ANR is a key feature. She was the face of Estèe Lauder in 2015.
Molly-Mae Hague
At 23, Love Island star Molly-Mae is yet to show signs of aging but she recently told her YouTube followers that she’s been using ANR for six months to future-proof her complexion.
Read More on The US Sun
Liz Hurley
Actress Liz, 57, last year revealed she has been using the “excellent ANR serum” twice a day since the 1990s when she was made one of the brand’s ambassadors.
Kendall Jenner
In 2017, supermodel Kendall, 26, told Vogue Arabia that she applies ANR before bed and wakes up with “refreshed, glowing skin”, even with little sleep.
