New Haul: My Elemis Skincare Review

Sarah

4 years ago

New haul alert! I’m sharing my recent (HUGE!) Elemis skincare review and you won’t want to miss it!

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Here it is, my friends: my huge Elemis skincare haul! I’m reviewing all my favorite new Elemis products, so if you’re looking to add something new to your skincare routine, read on (or scroll down to watch my review on YouTube!)

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what is elemis?

Elemis is a luxury skincare brand originating in Great Britain, which uses scientifically proven ingredients sourced from nature. Founded in 1990, they were an early adopter of focusing on a natural and holistic approach to skincare. Their products are formulated with active plant extracts that are responsibly sourced, and they strive to continually create products and packaging that remove waste and unnecessary materials. This is so much easier to do with companies like Impacked supplying wholesale dropper bottles and other forms of packaging that are made with recyclable and bio-based materials. They also formulate their products without a whole host of chemicals such as artificial dyes, formaldehyde, DEA, parabens, phthalates, retinyl palmitate, and more. These are all pros in my book!

Why do I love Elemis? So many reasons:

They use third party sources to conduct both clinical and consumer trials on their products, which makes me feel like their products have gone through a rigorous review process before they even hit the site.
They have a lot of great ingredients that really help rejuvenate skin and keep it looking young and healthy, like peptides, collagen, essential oils, etc.
They really give you a spa-like experience, with a beautiful and calming aromatherapy component to many of their products.
I love that I can buy them easily from my favorite store, Nordstrom! (You can also purchase online from the Elemis website or from Ulta.)
They are cruelty-free!
They focus on minimizing waste in their products and packaging.

1. elemis balancing lime blossom cleanser

The balancing lime blossom cleanser is a purifying cleansing milk that soothes, balances, and repairs problematic skin areas.It is ideal for balancing out skin that is prone to acne and blemishes shown on the page
Lime blossom helps balance and repair skin.
Pros: hydrating and moisturizing; gentle; good for sensitive, dry, and mature skin types.
Cons: fairly scented; not good for oily skin types; does not do a good job removing makeup on its own;
My thoughts: I really love how gentle and hydrating this is! And it is perfect to use after having microbladed my eyebrows since I am currently unable to wet my whole face!)

2. elemis balancing lavender toner

The balancing lavender toner is an alcohol-free purifying facial toner that helps to rebalance skins pH after cleansing and softens, soothes, and purifies the skin.
It contains lavender, which is helpful as an anti-anxiety agent.
It also contains saponins like sweet betty flower, which acts as a natural soap-like compound.
Pros: Very gentle; it has a lovely scent; good for all skins types (especially for combination skin); the spray feature allows for even coverage.
Cons: Heavily scented, so if you don’t like lavender, I would probably avoid this product!
My thoughts: I’ve been looking for new toners to test out recently, and this one is a winner in my book! It’s a fantastic luxury toner that is gentle but powerful at its job, and helps to rebalance my skins pH while prepping it nicely for my other skincare products and makeup. Plus, I love that it comes in a spray bottle!

3. elemis hydra balance day cream

The hydra-balance day cream is an ultra-light day cream for normal to combination skin that helps balance and hydrate your face.
It contains hyaluronic acid for hydration; meadowsweet extract to regulate oil production and firm the skin; aromatics such as petitgrain, neroli, and mandarin to provide a lovely calming scent.
Pros: anti-oxidant rich; contains hyaluronic acid; not as scented as some of the other Elemis products.
Cons: None, really!
My thoughts: I think this is aa great cream for the day. It’s firming and moisturizing, and perfect for prepping my skin for my makeup!

4. elemis herbal lavender repair mask

The herbal lavender repair mask is a soothing clay mask that purifies, soothes, and rebalances the skin.
It contains rosemary, thyme, and lavender essential oils that help to soothe and calm skin.
It also contains kaolin, which is a mineral-rich white clay that helps purify dull, blemished, and congested skin.
Pros: Ideal for sensitive, blemish-prone skin, but okay for all skin types; it has a nice tingling sensation which makes me feel like its really working!
Cons: Not a strong aroma (so that would be a pro for anyone who doesn’t like heavily scented products, but I personally love lavender!)
My thoughts: I use this mask about once a week in my morning routine – usually on the weekends when I have a bit more time. I like to use it before showering so it’s easy to just rinse off in the shower. I think it does an excellent job exfoliating and smoothing out my complexion, and I love that all the essential oils make it great for soothing tired, dull and irritated skin!

5. elemis superfood cica calm cleansing foam

The superfood cica calm cleansing foam is a foaming micellar cleanser that helps to lift away makeup residue and dirt while calming and hydrating the skin.
It contains a ton of great superfoods like cica and kefir to help soothe and calm the skin, mango and olive extracts to cleanse skin, fermented agave to hydrate skin, and fermented green tea seed oil to nourish skin.
Pros: It does a great job hydrating skin and smoothing skin; can remove any makeup residue easily; vegan-friendly; 100% sulfate-free.
Cons: doesn’t work well with a facial cleansing brush; shouldn’t be used for dry skin types.
My thoughts: I absolutely love the aroma, I love how lightweight and fresh the product feels on my skin, and I love the foaming action because it suds up so nicely and easily on my skin!

6. elemis pro-collagen marine cream

The pro-collagen marine cream is a daily anti-aging moisturizing gel-cream with SPF 30 that helps to reduce the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin firmness, and hydrate skin in just 14 days.
It has won over 30 awards since it debuted in 2003!
Contains padina pavonica to help firm skin, and ginkgo biloba which is anti-oxidant rich and improves suppleness and elasticity of the skin.
Pros: suitable for all skin types; has SPF 30 protection against UVA/UVB, which is great for days when I don’t want to wear makeup; firming action; anti-oxidant rich; the gel-cream has a great consistency that gives it a nice luxury fee; great aromatherapy factor; a little goes a long way.
Cons: expensive; some people report it pills under their makeup; some people report it is too heavily scented but I lovvve the aroma, so not a con for me!
My thoughts: this is a must-have in my skincare routine! I use this last after washing my face, prepping it with toner and serum, and using any eye creams I prefer. I use this every morning before applying my makeup.

7. elemis absolute eye mask

The absolute eye mask is a hydrating eye mask specifically formulated to help firm and tone sensitive under-eye skin and minimize appearance of dark circles.
Contains mimosa; cornflower extract which is rich in flavonoids and antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties that help calm and soothe puffy, irritated skin, as well asa tone, lighten, and brighten the skin; camellia oil (tea seed oil), which has long been a staple in Japanese skin care and is anti-oxidant rich with omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids and helps to nourish, hydrate, and condition the skin; and rose, which is a natural fragrance that helps with its calming properties.
Pros: it has a lovely tingling sensation that makes you really feel how it is working; it is mildly scented, so good for sensitive skin or noses; a little goes a long way; and I have definitely noticed a difference in firming the skin under my eyes!
Cons: those with dry or sensitive skin may experience dryer skin from this product.
My thoughts: I use this 2-3 times per week after I’ve washed my face in the evening, and before I apply any toner, serums, or creams. I’ve definitely noticed an improvement in terms of the firming action under my skin which I am very happy with!

8. elemis peptide4 thousand flower mask

The peptide4 thousand flower mask is a revitalizing face mask that helps to illuminate and smooth skin
It is formulated with peptide4, which is a tetra-peptide made from amino acids which helps support the skins natural processes of rejuvenation for a revitalized and replenished appearance.
It is mineral-rich and contains: nordic peat, which helps revitalize dull skin; Brazilian black clay, which helps smooth skin and minimize pores; and willow complex and lactic acid, which help to gently exfoliate to remove dead skin cells.
In independent user trials:
- 98% agreed their skin appeared healthy-looking and felt nourished
- 97% agreed their skin appeared more youthful-looking.
- 96% agreed their skin looked brighter and more luminous.
- 96% agreed this product reduced the appearance of lines & wrinkles.
Pros it helps restore moisture in the skin; it helps brightens skin; it works to reduce pore appearance; and it is good for all skin types.
Cons: it doesn’t have the greatest aroma when compared to other Elemis products; some users with dry skin said their skin became dryer with use of this product; it’s recommended to use a dark cloth to remove or else it will stain white washcloths.
My thoughts: I use this about once per week for 15 minutes before bedtime. I find that it leaves my skin feeling soft and super rejuvenated afterwards!

9. elemis papaya enzyme peel

The papaya enzyme peel is a non-abrasive gentle cream exfoliator that helps to purify tired skin, leaving it radiant and rejuvenated. It helps to create a brighter, clearer complexion for your skin.
It contains papaya which is exfoliating; pineapple which is calming; bladderwrack, which is a type of seaweed that helps to smooth irritated skin, helps minimize the appearance of aging, and nourishes and hydrates the skin; vitamin E, which is antioxidant rich; and marine algae, which helps to moisturize.
In independent user trials:
- 98% agreed the product left their skin feeling soft and smooth.
- 97% agreed that the product effectively exfoliated skin without discomfort or harsh side effects.
- 96% agreed that the product left their skin instantly feeling soft and smooth.
- 96% agreed they saw improvement in the texture of dull, lackluster skin.
Pros: it is good for sensitive skin or mature skin; it is a very gentle exfoliator, so it is not too harsh.
Cons: because its so gentle I feel like it does take longer to notice a difference in the skins complexion; it is not strongly aromatic so wouldn’t bother sensitive individuals.
My thoughts: I use this 1-2 times per week for about 15 minutes, as part of my evening routine after I wash my face and before I put on my toner and creams. I love that it leaves my skin feeling super-nourished!

10. elemis dynamic resurfacing facial wash

The dynamic resurfacing facial wash is skin refining facial cleanser that promotes the skins natural cell renewal process and also helps to gently exfoliate away dead skin cells.
Pros: works nicely with my facial cleansing brush; gently exfoliates; good for all skin types.
Cons: Really no cons in my book, but some people who report they have dry skin said it made their skin dryer.
My thoughts: Overall, a great base facial wash to have in the weekly rounds!

11. elemis frangipani monoi body oil

The frangipani monoi body oil is a rapidly absorbed, highly moisturizing body oil for dry and/or mature skin.
Monoi oil is a term for a traditional way of soaking Frangipani flowers in coconut oil, which originated in the Polynesian Islands.
Contains coconut oil , which smells amazing and also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.
Also contains frangipani flowers, which work to moisturize the skin and also contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Pros: leaves skin very moisturized and not oily; good for all skin types; you can also use it as a weekly moisturizing treatment for your hair, by massaging it into your scalp and covering with a warm towel for 15 minutes before jumping in the shower to wash it out.
Cons: definitely not for anyone who is sensitive to aromas, like coconut; it can will solidify if kept too cool, and Elemis recommends reheating in a small bowl of warm water until liquid again.
My thoughts: I love putting this oil on after a hot shower! I feel like it soaks into the skin very quickly, doesn’t leave me with an oily feeling like I was concerned about when I first tried it, and is very hydrating. The aromatherapy is fantastic too!