I’m going to spoil this review for everyone and say this : I don’t know if I can use another cleansing balm after this Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm, simply because I love it so much!
I have enjoyed using it so much, I’m toying with the idea of repurchasing. This, despite knowing that I have other cleansing balms or creams in my stash waiting to be used up. I don’t even want to consider using another, and just want to savour every last bit of this balm.
It is that good, and that addictive! 😀
Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm
Elemis first released the Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm as a limited edition release a year or two back. I bought it together with a friend when there was an online deal, and I let it sit for a while, while I used up other bits and bobs I had lying around.
Elemis, for those who don’t know, is a spa/salon brand of skincare from the UK. It has been sold in Malaysia and then disappeared and then returned, so at this moment, I don’t know if it’s available here.
I was first introduced to Elemis back in 2009. I remember quite liking some of their products back then, but 10 years is a long time when it comes to aging, and now, at 45+, I find that I appreciate the products better today then I did back then.
The original Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is one of their iconic bestsellers, and when I tried it, it was not hard to see why it was so.
RELATED READING: I love the original Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm too! It’s one of the best products in the market READ HERE
A year or so ago, Elemis formulated the Rose Cleansing Balm, infusing their bestselling Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm with rose, that soothes and calms skin as it deep-cleanses. It started out being a limited edition product, so I did not think it worth writing a review about.
What’s the point of writing a review about a product you won’t be able to get anyway, right?
But then, I noticed that it was so popular, they now sell it as a permanent product, and I knew I had to tell you all about it! 😀
Thick, balmy, yet light on skin
For some reason, I find that the texture of the Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm feels lighter and less waxy. It is a soft balm that melts into an oil in the palm of your hand.
Unlike the original Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, I don’t have to store it in the fridge, so it sits prettily in my bathroom at room temperature, without melting. It is worth noting that I live in the Tropics. I don’t know how it performs in cooler temperatures.
I find it easy to scoop out product from the tub, and it holds its shape, until I spread it between my palms, turning it into a thick balmy oil that I massage all over my skin.
Deep-cleansing balm yet gentle
I use the Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm every evening, as the first step in my skincare regimen. This forms the first step of my double-cleansing routine.
I love massaging the balm into my skin, because it glides so easily over my skin like an oil, yet feels thick enough as a buffer for a good massage.
It removes all the grime of the day, my sunscreen, and if I’m wearing light makeup, all my makeup too. My skin feels clean, comfortable and wonderfully nourished.
It does not feel dry, tight, nor is there any residue on my skin. It feels so gentle, almost as if I was pouring a rose-scented oil on my skin, nourishing it, even as I cleanse.
It is so therapeutic and relaxing!
Can be cleaned off with just water or with a face flannel
I usually massage the balm all over my face with dry hands and face, and then leave it on a little while, before removing. I like how it seems to soften my skin, and nourish it.
Then, wet your hands, and using the tips of your fingers, massage warm water all over your face. The balm will not emulsify, as a cleansing oil would, but it will soften further. Repeat this gentle cleansing technique, gently rubbing the balm, until it feels light enough to rinse.
Using this technique, I find that my skin will feel cleaner and softer. But it will take a longer time.
For a similar result, but quicker, I use a face flannel. Wet it with warm water, wipe it over my face to remove the balm, repeat as necessary and rinse. Voila! Soft, smooth, clean skin! 😀
RELATED READING: I swear by a face flannel for cleaner, clearer skin – find out why it’s a must-have for me READ HERE
Rose scent can be a little strong
I’m quite vocal about my dislike for fragranced products, and rose-scented products are usually top of my list.
The Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm does smell a little strong. The scent of fresh roses wafts out into the room the moment you open the cover of your tub.
Thankfully however, the scent is that of freshly plucked roses, slightly dampened by rain. It is strong, but pleasant, and will fade quite quickly. For that reason, I forgive the scent.
Besides, it does feel quite nice at the end of a hot, sticky, humid day, smelling that fresh floral scent in the bathroom, as you massage in the thick balmy goodness into your skin. Close your eyes, and you could be in a spa or a facial salon – luxuries now that we’re all practising social distancing!
Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm is a top 3 favourite!
I personally use cleansing balms, and prefer using cleansing balms to cleansing oils. I have used so many, I have a repository of all the cleansing balms I’ve ever used, and I keep adding to it as I go! 😀
RELATED READING: Do you need a cleansing balm? When would you use a cleansing balm vs a cleansing oil? READ HERE
The Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm has quickly leapfrogged its way to the top 3 of my favourites, and that’s saying something about how much I love it! In fact, my tub is almost done, and I am torn between buying a new one, or digging in my skincare stash. I’m leaning towards the former, despite not wanting to spend unnecessarily at this time 😛
My current Top 3 favourite cleansing balms so far (in no particular order) are:
- Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
- Antipodes Grapeseed Butter Cleansing Balm
- Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm
Special mention must be made of the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm which is affordable and effective, and the Three Aiming Cleansing Balm, which isn’t affordable, but is lush as hell! 😀
IN A NUTSHELL
The Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm is a balm type cleanser that is nourishing and a joy to use. The thick balm softens in the warmth of the palm of your hands, and spreads easily over the skin as you massage it in. The balmy texture removes the grime and oils of the day, deep cleansing your skin, and the oils nourish your skin as it goes on. The fresh scent of roses lift the senses and makes your evening skincare routine a treat. Removal is easy either with water, as you gently loosen it with warm water before rinsing, or with a face flannel. What you are left with is clean, smooth, nourished skin that glows. Love!
PROS:
Relaxing smell
Melts in the warmth of skin
Easy to spread on skin without tugging
Oils in the balm soften skin and help cleanse without stripping skin of oil
Easy to emulsify and rinse off with warm water
Skin feels incredibly soft, smooth and clean after rinsing off
A little goes a long way and a tub will last a long whileCONS:
A little pricey
Hard to find locallyWHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who enjoys using cleansing balms
PRICE: £44 for 105g
WHERE TO BUY: SpaceNK, Lookfantastic, Elemis.com, Beauty Bay, Asos
For those interested, this is the ingredients list for the Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm.
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-8 Beeswax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Sambucus Nigra (Elderberry) Seed Oil, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Fragrance (Parfum), Silica, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Cera (Wax), Glycerin, Lecithin, Borago Officinalis (Starflower) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Citronellol, Geraniol, Acacia Decurrens (Mimosa) Flower Wax, Rosa Multiflora (Rose) Flower Cera (Wax), Tocopherol, Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Fruit Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Benzyl Salicylate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Rose Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Oil, Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena (Rose) Extract, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Citric Acid.
Should you pick the original Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm or the Rose Cleansing Balm? I think it’s a toss-up between the two. Both are good. Both are lush, both are a joy to use. I’d use them interchangeably, because I love them both and I can’t choose – don’t make me 😛
Have you tried the Elemis Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm?
My biggest dilemma now is this – do I repurchase or do I go back to my skincare stashg and use another cleansing balm after this? 😛
Paris B
Which reminds me – I have a new tub of Darphin Aromatic Cleansing Balm with Rosewood which I have yet to to dig into 😛
Timely post Paris ! I had just finished the BB extra balm rinse, it took 4 months or so to finish it gosh. Eagerly tried the Elemis cleansing balm, loved the texture and effect but the herbal/ grassy scent didn’t quite appeal to me. I love citrus and rose scent. Happy to know that Elemis makes a rose scent version. Thanks Paris !