Avroy Shlain CRT Youth Gel Review: Honest, After Months of Use

Is the Avroy Shlain CRT Youth Gel worth it? Short answer: if you already cleanse and moisturise daily and your concern is firmness, it's a well-made R499 treatment gel that earns its place — and the R599 Duo (2x50ml, save R399) makes it a genuine bargain per bottle. If you don't have a routine yet, it isn't where I'd start. That's the honest Avroy Shlain Youth Gel review I wish more people wrote, so let me take you through exactly why.

I'm Liza, a Group Manager with Avroy Shlain, and I sell this gel. So you're not getting a "neutral" review here — you're getting a straight one from someone who has a bottle on her own bathroom shelf and answers customer WhatsApps about it every week. If you want the full ingredients breakdown and the step-by-step how-to-use, that lives in my separate post, Avroy Shlain CRT Youth Gel: ingredients, price and how to use it. This one is purely the "is it any good?" review.

First impressions: texture and feel

The CRT Youth Gel is a 50ml gel, not a cream — and that catches some people out. It's water-based, clear, and it sinks in fast. No greasy film, no heavy scent, no waiting five minutes before you can put your moisturiser on. If you've only ever used rich creams, the first thing you'll notice is how light it is.

The immediate effect the brand publishes is a tightening, lifting sensation — and yes, you do feel that within the first few minutes. On my forehead there's a subtle "smoothed" feel not long after application. I want to be clear-eyed about what that is: it's partly the film-forming ingredients doing their job on the surface, which is normal for a firming gel and part of the appeal. It's a nice sensation and it's real, but it's not a structural change to your skin, and I'd never sell it as one.

A little goes a long way. A pea-sized amount covers face and neck, which matters when we get to the price maths further down — a 50ml bottle lasts me a good while at twice a day.

The results timeline — what actually happened

Here's the honest arc, because "does it work" depends entirely on what you expect and how consistently you use it.

• Day one: the immediate tightened, refreshed feel. Pleasant, but temporary.
• First week: this is where the brand's clinically-tested one-week firmness claim sits, and it's based on continuous twice-daily use. In my experience skin looks a touch more "toned" and even by about the two-week mark, not overnight.
• Month one and beyond: the honest reality of every cosmetic gel — results show while you use it and soften if you stop. The people who are happiest with the Youth Gel are the ones who use it every day without fail. The people who message me disappointed almost always used it three times and left it in the drawer.

So does it "work"? For its actual job — the appearance of firmer, more toned, refreshed skin while you use it consistently — I'm comfortable saying it delivers. What it will not do is change your age, replace a good moisturiser, or fix skin you aren't otherwise looking after. Any product promising more than that is over-promising.

The honest cons

A real review has to include what I'd change:

• It's a gel, not a moisturiser. You still need a day cream and a night cream over it. Some customers assume R499 buys them a do-everything product — it doesn't, and if that's what you want you'll feel short-changed. It's the treat step, not the whole routine.
• Results are use-dependent and cosmetic. If you're the type who won't do twice a day, every day, save your money.
• The lifting feel can be mistaken for the whole benefit. That immediate tightness is lovely but it's the surface effect — judge it on how your skin looks over a month, not on minute fifteen.
• It's not the cheapest way to start skincare. If you have no routine, a treatment gel over unwashed skin is money down the drain.

None of those are faults in the product — they're mismatches between what it is and what some people hope it is. Sold honestly, it's a good gel.

The price: R499, or R599 for the Duo

The single CRT Youth Gel is R499 for 50ml (code 72050) — the live September 2026 catalogue price. But the one I actually steer regulars towards is the CRT Youth Gel Duo, 2x50ml for R599, save R399 (combo code 2600). Do that maths: two full 50ml bottles for R599 works out to roughly R300 a bottle versus R499 on its own. If you already know you like it — or you want to split one with your mom, sister or a friend — the Duo is the obvious move. It's the difference between "is this worth R499?" and "two bottles for R599, yes please."

A practical delivery note: PAXI collection to any PEP store is free on orders from R750, and the R599 Duo is close enough that adding one more CRT item tips you over into free delivery. Door delivery is never free, so PAXI is the money-saver.

If you're pricing up the wider range, my Avroy Shlain price list and CRT range explained posts have the full current line-up so you can see where the Youth Gel sits.

Who I'd recommend it to

Buy the Youth Gel if you already cleanse and moisturise daily, you'll genuinely use it morning and night, and your concern is the look of firmness, sagging or puffiness. That's exactly the job it was built for, and used properly it does that job.

Skip it for now if you don't have a routine yet — start with a cleanser, a toner and a moisturiser, run that for a month, then add the gel as your treat step. And if you're on the fence, the Duo removes most of the risk from the price question.

FAQ

Is the Avroy Shlain Youth Gel worth the R499? For someone with an existing routine who wants a firming treatment, yes. If you're starting from scratch, put that R499 towards a cleanser and moisturiser first.

Should I buy the single or the Duo? The Duo — 2x50ml for R599, save R399 — is far better value per bottle if you already know you like it or can share it. The single R499 is fine as a first try.

How long until I see results? The brand's firmness claim is one week of continuous twice-daily use; realistically I'd give it a fair month, with a day-one photo in the same light to compare against.

Does it replace my moisturiser? No. It goes under your day or night cream. It's a treatment step, not a moisturiser.

Will it work for my skin specifically? I can't promise a specific result on your face — skin varies with age, hormones and genetics. Patch test first, introduce it on its own, and judge it over a month.

Ready to try it?

Order the CRT Youth Gel or the R599 Duo from my online shop — stayravishing.com/shop/liza-truter. Get to R750 and PAXI delivery to any PEP store is free. New to ordering? My how to order Avroy Shlain guide walks you through it.

Rather ask first? WhatsApp me on 084 990 0030 — tell me your skin type and your routine, and I'll give you a straight answer, even if it's "start with the basics and save the Youth Gel for next month."