ELEMIS Review: Is it Worth the Money?

I am so excited to be writing this ELEMIS Review! The ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm has been all the rage over the past few months. I was hoping to snag one during the last Sephora sale, but they don’t carry ELEMIS. I decided to wait and see if it was worth the investment before purchasing from their site. Because I am very cautious about spending money on luxury skincare, I wanted to see what the product reviews were like before I made the leap.

Happily, ELEMIS was kind enough to send me a few of their top-performing products to share with my audience. I received the Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, along with the Superfood Facial Oil, the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF30, the Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads, and the Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask. In this review, I will share my experience using each of these products, and let you know if each one is something I would personally spend my money on.

ELEMIS Product Review – History of ELEMIS

But first, let me give you some more background on the brand. ELEMIS is a luxury skincare brand that was founded in London in 1989, so they’ve been around for quite a while. The brand made its presence known in the United States in 2018 when it launched in ULTA Beauty stores. Last year, ELEMIS was named The Best Premium Skincare Brand by the UK publication The Sunday Times Style. ELEMIS products promote skin wellness by working with our skin’s natural microflora and contain ingredients that are clinically proven to be effective.

The other key differentiating factor in this brand is their use of aromatherapy to engage all of the senses. You will notice this when you try any of their products, that there is a light fragrance that doesn’t feel overpowering and makes you feel like you are spending the day at the spa. This makes total sense when you realize that ELEMIS has its own day spa in London and their products are used in spas all over the United States. Finally, all of their products are developed in London, and ELEMIS makes safety and quality a priority. You can read more about the ELEMIS story here. 

My Overall Experience with ELEMIS Products

Now, getting to the individual products themselves, I have had about a week to test out all of the products that I was sent, and I will say that I was pleasantly surprised. When you think about plunking down $30-$128 on a skincare product, you better hope that it is worth the money. I have to say that every single product that I received was amazing. The textures are so rich that a little bit goes a long way, so that jar of face cream can make that $128 stretch for a couple of months.

I also noticed a positive difference in the texture and hydration of my skin after using these products, and though I am usually sensitive to fragrance, none of these products have irritated my skin (yet). I was kind of hoping that some products I received would be fragrance-free, but I guess the aromatherapy fragrance is all a part of the ELEMIS experience. At the time of posting, there is a Naked Cleansing Balm available that is specifically fragrance-free for all of you out there with sensitive skin! Without further ado, here is the ELEMIS skincare product review.

Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm

100g for $64.00

I received the regular Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. They also have Rose, Neroli, Mint Water and the fragrance-free naked cleansing balms as well, for the same price. This product is the brand’s number one best selling product. It acts as a balm, cleansing oil and cleansing milk all in one. It is mineral oil-free and contains 9 essential oils for the ultimate spa experience. When you open the jar, the product is semi-solid, kind of like the texture of lip balm. I used a large pea-sized amount and massaged the product into my face. It smells good and feels relaxing in the moment, but I do notice that it does feel like oil sitting on top of my face. It does not absorb into the skin.

I was worried for a moment, because the directions say to just rinse with the provided cloth and warm water, and I was concerned that an oily film would be left behind that I would then have to wash off with a traditional cleanser. Thankfully, this was not the case. The cleansing balm rinsed clean, and just left my face feeling soft and hydrated. No greasy residue was left behind. In terms of makeup removal, I don’t know if I was just not aggressive enough with the massaging or if I did not use enough product, but I still had some makeup left behind. To really feel good about clearing the skin of makeup residue, I would double cleanse either with using this product twice or following this product with a less expensive traditional cleanser. 

Overall Verdict: Buy (if it’s in your budget)

I can definitely see what all of the hype is about. It feels nice, but I think it is a lot of money to put down for a cleansing balm. It is really gentle and keeps skin hydrated, so if you’re prone to dry skin but want to really clean your skin well, this might be a great product for you.

Superfood Facial Oil

15ml for $55.00

I was not expecting to receive this product from ELEMIS, because I just assumed that all of their products were rich creams and balms. This product is rich and still nourishes the skin but in a different form. This is a highly concentrated blend of nine superfood oils: broccoli, flaxseed, daikon radish and rosehip oils among others. I think it fits best in the skincare routine after cleansing but before moisturizing. Because of my oily skin, I was, again, worried that this facial oil would leave a greasy film on my skin. It did not!

I put one drop on my forehead and one drop on each cheek before I massaged this facial oil all over my face and neck. This oil is rich and absorbs into the skin really well. I felt like my skin was plump and moisturized afterward, and it still allowed the moisturizer in my next step to absorb into the skin as well. It does have a strong vegetable smell, but it does not linger for long. I enjoyed using this both during the day and at night as part of both skincare routines.

Overall Verdict: Skip

This is a really nice facial oil and it feels really good on the skin. My only concern is that the price is a little high for the amount that you get. If I had a limited budget, I would get some of their other products and maybe purchase a cheaper facial oil somewhere else.

Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF30

50mL for $128

This is one of the more expensive products at ELEMIS, but, to give a comparison, it is about half the price of Crème de la Mer, in case you were wondering. This is a super luxury day cream with a chemical sunscreen added for daily sun protection. With marine and plant actives, this formula is clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles within 2 weeks.

The jar itself does not look like it holds a lot of product, but a little bit goes a long way. The cream looks very rich, but is hydrating and absorbs really well into the skin. ELEMIS calls this the “gel-cream texture”. This is by far my favorite product out of all that I have been given to review. I used a pea sized amount and massaged it into my skin. It feels like I am giving myself a spa treatment, and immediately my skin looks more smooth and hydrated (and not greasy)! With this product, I think I have noticed the most difference in my skin throughout the day.

Overall Verdict: Buy (It’s worth the money this time)

I have worn sunscreen daily since I was in high school and have tried both chemical- and mineral-based sunscreens. In general, mineral sunscreens tend to be less irritating so I prefer those. While I am disappointed that this is not a mineral sunscreen, I really enjoy this formula and I have not noticed any irritation since wearing this daily for a week. If you’re in the 30-40 age range and are looking for something anti-aging, try this formula instead of buying a separate anti-aging cream and sunscreen.

Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads

60 Pads for $59.00

These resurfacing pads surprised me. I assumed that these would just be AHA/BHA exfoliating pads, but these are much better and less irritating. These pads contain Lactic Acid (an AHA), Tri-Enzyme technology and a Probiotic Ferment Complex to gently exfoliate. These are gentle enough to use twice daily!  ELEMIS claims that this product accelerates the skin’s natural cell turnover. These pads have a very light and pleasant smell. They also have a textured side to help aid in exfoliation. Unlike some other exfoliating pads that leave a residue behind, the product absorbs into the skin really well, leaving it hydrated after use, not sticky. I like to use this after cleansing, but underneath my moisturizer. 

Overall Verdict: Buy! Gentler, effective exfoliation at a reasonable price.

In terms of pricing, these are actually about the same price as other peel pads that you can find at the beauty store. I love these because my skin does not feel irritated. I can tell that it is exfoliating at the same level as the other liquid exfoliants I have tried. 

Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask

15mL for $82.00

This is an under eye gel eye mask that contains Hyaluronic Acid, Watermelon Snow Algae and Bush Clover to reduce puffiness, fine lines and wrinkles. This product has a jelly-like consistency. While it is called a “mask”, it really just seems like a glorified thick moisturizer. Instead of leaving it on and rinsing it off after a few minutes, I just applied this under my eyes as the very last step in my night time skin care routine. I noticed that it has a cooling effect under my eyes, but I haven’t noticed any difference in my crow’s feet. Perhaps I need to use it a little while longer to notice the effects.

Overall Verdict: Skip! 

Eye creams are rarely miraculous products. My thought process is to pick a cheaper eye cream that moisturizes well (like under $50) and focus on slowing down signs of aging. You could do this by wearing sunglasses, hats and sunscreen when I am exposed to the sunshine.

ELEMIS Review Wrap-Up

I am so happy that I was given the opportunity to try these top-selling products from ELEMIS and share this ELEMIS Product Review. I think I will use all of these until they run empty, because they are so good! The products I think I would spend my own money on are definitely the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream SPF 30, the Dynamic Resurfacing Pads, and(maybe) the Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. Definitely try some of these products. If you like to shop at Sephora and invest in quality skincare products, ELEMIS might be a great fit. Let me know what you think in the comments below!

ELEMIS Review – Coupon Code

Would you like to try ELEMIS Products? Save 20% on your next purchase with code LoveELEMIS20. Code is valid through 10/31/2021. Happy Shopping!

Disclosure: I am an ELEMIS partner. These ELEMIS products were received as a gift as part of a Shopstyle Collective collaboration. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post also contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from your purchase at no cost to you.

Interested in other skin care product reviews? Check out my Paula’s Choice Product Review here!