Makeup, Skincare, Fragrance and a Bit of Fashion
Designed to exfoliate and purify the skin, Elemis‘ Papaya Enzyme Peel mask is one of the brand’s more noted products. To celebrate the product’s 10th anniversary, Elemis has launched a limited-edition packaging today, and, in this review, I will be looking into the ingredients of this product.
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Targeted at those in their teens and twenties, Elemis‘ Freshskin range is a major launch from the British skincare brand. It includes daily basics (cleansers and moisturizers) as well as treatment products (an exfoliator and facial masks). Today I am highlighting several products from the range.
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Over the years, I have tried quite a few cleansing oils (and variations of them, such as Clinique’s Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm) from both Japanese and western brands. Overall, except Boots’ Botanics Essential Oil Wash Off Cleanser (which was discontinued), I have not come across a cleansing oil from a western brand that is as good as any of the better ones from Japanese brands.
Launched last month, Melting Cleansing Gel from Elemis is yet another variation of an emulsifying cleansing oil (although it is marketed as a morning/evening cleanser, not a makeup remover).
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(image from www.elemis.com)
For the holiday 2010 season, Elemis has released a collection of seasonal gifts as well as a seasonal candle collection. (See all the items here.) Today I am highlighting the Enriching Body Treats.
The set includes five body cleansers and one body moisturizer (from left to right in the photo above):
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Earlier this year, British spa and skincare brand Elemis debuted its first fragrance, Elemis Eau de Parfum, a citrus marine that is summery and relaxing. As we are heading into autumn and winter, the brand has launched another olfactory creation, Elemis Eau de Parfum Exotic.
Top notes: pink pepper, clove bud, cinnamon bark
Middle notes: ylang ylang, tuberose, Indian jasmine sambac
Base notes: frankincense, cedarwood, Somali incense, sandalwood
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Elemis is a UK-based skincare brand with a considerable variety of products for the face and body. Last month, the brand set foot in the world of fragrance by releasing its first scent, Elemis Eau de Parfum.
Top notes: elemi, sweet grass
Middle notes: vetiver, marine accord
Base notes: patchouli, gaiacwood, oak moss
I would describe Elemis Eau de Parfum as a citrus marine. Even though, strictly speaking, there are no citrus top notes, the scent opens with a citrusy sensation, which appears to be from elemi. (According to Wikipedia, aromatic elemi oil has a pine and lemon-like scent). Citrusy top notes generally appeal to me, and the freshness of elemi certainly does too.
Then the scent swiftly takes on a breezy and airy marine dimension. The marine accord is what characterizes the scent. It is slightly sweeter than the top notes, but it is a fresh, green, and somewhat dry sweetness and not a fruity, syrupy, or floral sweetness. (Notice that there are no floral notes in this fragrance.)
The woody note is soft and subtle. It adds substance to the scent to prevent it from being one-dimensional, but it is a low-key supporting note and doesn’t overtake the lilting and relaxing marine feel of the scent.
Elemis Eau de Parfum is a very pleasing daytime scent for summer that reminds me of a carefree afternoon by the beach with the scents of sea air, driftwood, and zesty lemonade.
The way the scent is presented conveys an on-the-move summer holiday feel as well. The travel-friendly 28ml eau de parfum comes in a compact and slender bottle. It comes with a drawstring pouch in turquoise, and the color seems to reflect the character of the scent. The fragrance seems to be gently whispering, “Take me away with you…”
(The product featured in this article is provided by Elemis.)
Other summer scents:
Stella McCartney Sheer Stella 2010
Other posts on Elemis:
Pro-Collagen Marine Cream & Oxygenating Night Cream
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(image from www.elemis.com)
The cleanser has a very creamy texture and is applied onto dry skin. It is then left for one minute and removed with the cotton mitt (which comes with the cleanser) and warm water. (The cotton mitt also gently exfoliates the skin while removing the cleanser.)
(The Elemis website mentions that warm water can be mixed with the product before application. I think this way of applying the product may suit those who think it is too densely creamy.)
The product contains quite a few ingredients that are in many typical moisturizers, such as caprylic/capric triglyceride, shea butter, cetearyl alcohol, and beeswax. It is mainly these emollients that help dissolve makeup.
The cleanser removes light makeup effectively. However, it is not able to remove waterproof mascara. (I tested it on Maybelline’s Volum’ Express Waterproof, and it was not able to remove it.)
After removing the cleanser with the cotton mitt and warm water, I find that there is an emollient film on the skin, which would not fare well with my oily skin. (I use a face wash to wash off the residue.)
Because of the occlusive emollients that this cleanser contains, I would suggest this cleanser to those with dry or very dry skin. Also, because of the exfoliating action of the cotton mitt, I would suggest this cleanser to those whose skin is not particularly sensitive and can cope with gentle daily exfoliation. (The cleanser itself is relatively gentle. It is the exfoliating action of the cotton mitt that may not appeal to those with sensitive skin.)
(During the launch period, Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser and the cotton mitt come with a 15ml Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (reviewed earlier here).)
(The product featured in this review is provided by Elemis.)
Posts (on other facial-cleansing products):
Can’t Live Without: RMK Cleansing Oil
My Current Staple: Simple Moisturising Foaming Facial Wash
L’Oréal De-maq Expert Velvet Creme Wash Expert Make-up Remover
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(image from www.elemis.com)
Exotic Lime & Ginger Hand and Body Wash
The body wash has a liquidy gel texture. It doesn’t foam as easily as some of the other shower gels that I have used, but, once it foams up, the lather is quite dense and frothy. It leaves the skin squeaky-clean without drying out the skin, and it doesn’t leave any filmy residue.
Elemis does not use sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) in this product. Some of the main cleansing agents in Exotic Lime & Ginger Hand and Body Wash are cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium cocoamphoacetate, and lauryl glucoside.
(According to Paula Begoun, sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) is not a potent skin irritant while sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is. (For more information, please check out this article on Paula Begoun’s website.) SLES is very commonly used in face and body cleansing products while I have very rarely come across skincare products that contain SLS.)
It is delicately fragranced and the lime and ginger scents are pleasant and refreshing. On my skin, the ginger scent is slightly more pronounced.
This product is paraben-free. It contains benzyl alcohol but the small amount of it is unlikely to cause irritation.
Exotic Lime & Ginger Hand and Body Lotion
It has a light lotion texture (which is not watery or runny) and spreads very easily.
The main moisturizing ingredients include sesame seed oil, hexyldecanol (fatty alcohol (emollient)) and shea butter.It is very nicely absorbed and leaves the skin soft and silky.
Even though it feels light-weight on the skin, the moisture is long-lasting. It has the same fragrance as the Body Wash.It should be a good body moisturizer for most skin types in summer and fall. It can work as a decent and non-greasy hand lotion but it might not be moisturizing enough for some people.
The product doesn’t contain alcohol, silicones, parabens or mineral oil. The fragrancing agents may cause skin irritation for some people.
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ESPA Detoxifying Salt Scrub{ 0 comments }
(image from www.elemis.com)
It has a pleasant light and non-sticky gel-serum consistency. It absorbs very easily and doesn’t leave any greasy/filmy residue. According to the directions on the packaging, it is supposed to be used both morning and evening and it can be paired with Pro-Collagen Radiantly Smooth Body Cream for enhanced results.
Some of its moisturizing ingredients are glycerin, caprylic/capric triglyceride and jojoba seed oil. (According to Paula Begoun, caprylic/capric triglyceride is derived from coconut and is considered to be a good emollient and thikening agent in cosmetics.)
I think it can be used alone in warmer weather as it leaves the skin gently moisturized. For drier/colder weather and for drier skin, it can be used under your usual body moisturizer as an extra boost of moisture. (It alone will not be sufficient.)
This product is free of alcohol, silicones, and parabens.
I have mentioned a couple of times on my blog that I generally don’t believe in the skin-firming benefits that many skincare/bodycare products are claimed to have. I review “anti-aging” moisturizers simply as moisturizers, and, in this case, as a light body moisturizer for summer, the Elemis Pro-Collagen Body Serum is a competent one.Related posts:
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream & Oxygenating Night Cream{ 2 comments }
(images from www.elemis.com)– Pro-Collagen Marine Cream
This is the first product in the Pro-Collagen range and it is among Elemis’ most popular products. It has a cream consistency that is on the light side, and it absorbs well without leaving any greasy residue.
Some of the main moisturizing ingredients include glycerine, propylene glycol, wheat germ oil, shea butter, and jojoba seed oil. The “marine” ingredients are chlorella vulgaris extract, padina pavonica extract and porphyridium cruentum extract, all of which are algae extracts that act as emollients. (The anti-aging properties of algae can sometimes be exaggerated.)
The product contains ginkgo biloba extract, which is a potent antioxidant.
Even though this product is mainly marketed as a daytime moisturizer (that complements the night cream reviewed below), it does not contain any anti-UVA/UVB ingredient and should be paired with an adequate sunscreen product for daytime.
– Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream
The Night Cream has a richer consistency but it still absorbs relatively well. The main moisturizing ingredients include glycerine, shea butter, jojoba seed oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, and wheat germ oil. It also contains three algae extracts: laminaria digitata extract, padina pavonica extract and corallina officinalis extract.
One ingredient I am concerned about is rosa damascena flower oil, which is a fragrant plant oil that may cause skin irritation. It is high enough in the ingredient list (among the various emollients) to warrant some concerns. (I would worry less if it were among the preservatives towards the end of the list.)
It is worth mentioning that this product contains no silicone derivatives. I am not opposed to a moderate amount of silicone in skincare products (as it can preserve the efficacy of some skin-benefiting ingredients better than water), but I am aware of the fact that some consumers look for skincare products that are silicone-free.
For me, I prefer the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, as it is lighter in consistency and leaves the skin feeling more quenched. (Even though the Oxygenating Night Cream is richer, it can actually leave my skin slightly tight.) Overall, I would recommend the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (as a nighttime moisturizer) to those with slightly oily, normal, and slightly dry skin.
(Some of the ingredient information above is based on Paula Begoun’s Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary.)
Related posts:
Crème de la Mer Skincare Review
Elizabeth Arden Intervene Radiant Serum & Night Cream
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Kanebo Milano Collection 2025 for Holiday 2024 (image from www.fashion-press.net)
