Elemis – Collagen Marine Anti-Aging Luxury Skincare

When you hit the big 3-0 suddenly you start wearing your skin looser. Suddenly, late nights start to take their toll and your skin starts looking dull and tired and ohmygoodness! Is that a fine line I see on my forehead/ around my eyes / around my mouth?

Not that I’m not enjoying being in my 30s. I’m having more fun in my 30s than I ever did in my 20’s so yay to all 30-somethings! 😀

When I was introduced to the Elemis luxury brand of anti-aging skincare which originates from the UK, I was more than a little intrigued and not a little sceptical. Was this going to be another La Mer fiasco for me? I have used La Mer Creme before – it did zilch for my skin and instead turned me into a zit battleground from which I’m still bearing the scars of war.

Elemis is a brand from the UK that started out by being sold in spas. I call them a luxury skincare brand because their prices are steep and out of reach of the masses but I might find myself saving up for one or two products that have done wonders for me. If you are in your 20s or early 30s then it is too early to use anything anti-aging and Elemis will not be for you – its not bad for you but its just wasted on your young skin. But if you are mid-30s and up, then Elemis might be something you could be wanting to save up for.

The star product for me and it would appear, for many people is the Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. 

Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream – RM515 /50ml (link)

The cream feels quite thick but spreads very easily on the skin. I only use very little – 5 dots on my face – 2 cheeks, forehead, nose and chin – and gently massaged into the skin. I also only use this cream at night because I believe that anti-aging creams work best when the skin is at rest i.e. when you are sleeping. In the day I am usually so harrassed and stressed at work no amount of anti-aging will help 😛

The key ingredient in the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream is extract of Padina Pavonica a marine algae that helps increase collagen production thereby increasing skin elasticity. To test this cream, I’ve set aside my regular moisturisers and I’ve been using this cream at night for 1 month during which time I’ve been ill, lacking in sleep and having other worries on my mind. But unlike other times when I’m ill, my skin is hydrated and smooth and feels more firm and elastic. And pores… what pores?! I do find that it works a little better when I use it over my H20+ Face Oasis gel at night but I only tried that on alternate nights. It makes me skin feel and look plumper.

I don’t have many fine lines for which I count myself lucky, but I do have “laugh lines” or lines where I smile – after a month’s use at night these lines have lessened and smoothened out somewhat and are less obvious now. I love it! At RM515 for 50ml though, my wallet doth protest so this will be something I’ll save up for to get at some point. My sample came in a tube but it actually comes in a tub.

Pro-Collagen Oxygenating Night Cream – RM735 / 50ml (link)

I also tested this for a week or so. It was nice but to check out its effectiveness I let my mom try it instead. My mom is in her early 60s and has great skin for her age but there are lines – some of which were put there by me heh… – and I felt she was the best person to test this out.

She found that the night cream was rich so she only used a little but she reported that it was very effective in hydration as her skin felt more moisturised. Also, her facial skin looks firmer and there is a glow to her skin. I’m told that the Pro Collagen Marine Cream will work too at a pinch and its relatively cheaper. So maybe if she doesn’t ask for this for Mother’s Day I might indulge her in the Pro Collagen Marine Cream instead 😛 Similarly, my sample came in a tube but it actually comes in a tub.

Papaya Enzyme Peel – RM180 / 50ml (link)

Another popular Elemis product is this enzyme peel. It is a gentle exfoliator using papaya and pineapple enzymes and containing vitamin E, milk protein and marine algae. It smelt like pineapple yogurt – yummy! You just apply a thin layer on clean skin, leave it on for about 10 minutes then rinse off and marvel at your baby smooth skin. I couldn’t stop touching it 😛 The Rose Exfoliator (link) is more of a scrub. It is a clear gel with little granules in it and has a lovely rose scent.

Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules – RM500/box (link)

This is one more skincare product I particularly liked. What it is, is a tub containing 60 capsules of 2 colours – pink and green. The capsules contain Moringa Oil which has a high concentration of anti-oxidants. The pink capsule contains rose oil and is used in the day while the green capsule contains lavender oil and is used at night.

I only used these very sparingly and only once a week while at home because I did not want to waste them 😛 The capsule with the rose oil applies very light and after I warmed the oil bewteen my hands and massaged it into the skin, my skin did not feel oily at all. I used it under my sunscreen and to my surprise, after a while, my skin felt soft, matte and not oily. I was impressed. The rose scent is also really nice.

Ditto the lavender oil I used at night. The scent is wonderful and relaxing and I swear it gives my skin a glow. Again, although it was oil I was spreading on my face, it did not make it feel oily after it had absorbed. In the morning, my skin feels and looks refreshed and moisturised.

I took them with me on holiday recently because I knew I was going to Ho Chi Minh City, a city that I was sure was going to be hot and polluted. I took 2 sets with me and my skin drank it all up and if anything, looked better than it ever did so while on holiday! 😀 I absolutely love these… if I can afford the RM500 pricetag. le sigh…

Eyes Awake Recover Gel and Lip Revive (RM110/7ml)

The Eyes Awake Recover gel (link) was nice and light and is supposed to help reduce puffiness and ease eye strain. I must say that the light clear gel absorbs very well and works even under eye makeup without causing any slipping and sliding and it does what it says i.e. depuffs but for the price, I think I’ll be sticking to other eye gels for now.

I was not taken in by the Lip Revive (link) which is essentially a petroleum free lip balm. It squeezes out a watery liquid in warm weather which I find hard to control and there is an underlying oily minty taste which isn’t unpleasant but which I don’t quite like. In an airconditioned room or in colder climates, it is more of a smooth creamy balm. It does what it says – soothes dry and chapped lips but then so do many other lip balms for a smaller pricetag.

Elemis anti aging skincare works!

All in all, I’d say that Elemis’ star products lie in their pro-collagen anti-aging skincare range. They do what they say they do i.e. they hydrate, plump up wrinkles and fine lines and firms up the skin. They do all that and make my skin look good AND they did not cause my face or my hands to break out.

The only thing holding me back is the hefty price tag but then everything good comes at a price. I can see myself saving up for the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and the Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules. They are so expensive, but they do the job and importantly, I like how my 30-something skin looks after using these products! I suppose I have the time it takes to finish up my existing skincare to save up for the Elemis Pro-collagen marine cream 😀

Elemis is not tested on animals and is presently available in Malaysia at Parkson Sunway Pyramid and selected spas.

Grab a free sample of Elemis skincare to try!

Until 31 May 2009 Elemis has kindly offered readers of My Women Stuff some samples that you can pick up from the counter after undergoing a complimentary SkinLab Analysis. If you have the time, pop by the counter at Parkson Sunway Pyramid which is open only until 31 May 2009.  Thereafter Elemis will only be available in selected Spas and salons.

Seriously, 20-somethings need not apply because you might find its too rich for your skin or that it doesn’t do anything special for you, but you can always bring your mum. After all, good things should be shared! 🙂

Enjoy the samples and stay beautiful,

Paris B