Wednesday 19 October 2011

Elemis Fresh Skin

Brit spa brand, Elemis is one of  my all-time favourite beauty brands. In fact, I love their Exotic Frangipani Monoi Moisture Melt so much that I panic slightly when I start running low. Although I still like it, I'm less obsessed with their skincare but I know it's hugely popular, particularly the bestselling Pro-Collagen Marine Cream which mother Skin Deep and many of my fellow beauty writers swear by. I always sit up and listen whenever they have a new launch and the introduction of their Fresh Skin range caught my attention earlier this year. Aimed at teens to early twenties, Fresh Skin is the more affordable younger-sister to Elemis' mainline. I'm not exactly in their target market but I was keen to try out some of the products nonetheless. The bright pink, fun packaging is appealing and I love the concept of introducing good skincare habits at an early age.

Skin Glow Exfoliating Face Wash
I normally prefer chemical rather than physical exfoliants but I enjoyed trying this product. I think most people expect an exfoliator to include some sort of physical buffer so I don't feel that a chemical exfoliant would prove popular for this range, it simply remains too niche. The granules provide a very gentle scrub which left my skin feeling softened but not stripped.


I absolutely loved the fresh grapefruit scent, ideal for adding a touch of sunshine into your morning regime. Plus, the tube packaging is functional.
I feel that £12 is a fair price for this product, which is going to last quite a long time.

Make-up Away Cleansing Wipes
As a general rule, I'm not a fan of cleansing wipes but recognise that they serve a purpose. For this reason, I'm divided in my thoughts on the inclusion of wipes within the Elemis range- I think it's realistic to acknowledge that they're a popular option for many & in keeping with the late nights, etc. that this age range are likely to be experiencing but if the idea behind Fresh Skin is to encourage good skincare habits from an early age, then I'm not sure I agree with the inclusion.
At £8, the wipes are more expensive that your average high street offering but on a par with other young skin ranges such as Face Boutique. I think the ingredients are slightly more gentle than your standard wipes but I didn't find these particularly luxurious to use. Also, they felt drier upon removing from the packet than other wipes I've tried, resulting in less of a freshened feeling.

Loving Lips Quenching Lip Balm
I wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be a popular product with those not in the key target market. After all, you can get lipbalms for a lot less than £8 which I think are more likely to appeal to teens, yet this is a nice way to experience the quality that Elemis offers without the usual price tag.
I like the packaging- I always prefer lip balms that you don't need to apply with your finger for hygiene reasons. It's a buttery texture which feels comfortable on the lips and has a slight mint hint.

Magical Moisture Quenching Face Mask
Three sachets of Magical Moisture Quenching Face Mask are presented along with three sachets of Deep Clean Purifying Face Mask in a handy duo pack. I like the idea of this as there are times when you want a moisture mask and others when only a purifying one will do- this kit allows you to try both without a bit financial outlay (and is anyone else thinking stocking stuffers here?!) It's also a fun treat idea for sleepovers but I'd like the option to buy full sized tubes as well.
Magical Moisture Quenching Face Mask is ideal for morning-after, dehydrated skin. It feels soothing and conditioning and the creamy formula encourages a massage technique when rinsing off. I was definitely able to detect the scent of almond oil, which I personally found very pleasant.

Deep Clean Purifying Face Mask
As aforementioned, this comes in a set with the sachets of Magical Moisture Quenching Face Mask. It costs £15 for a box of six sachets. Now, it's been years since I bought a face mask in an individual sachet format so I'm not entirely sure how this compares although £2.50 does seem pretty pricey per use compared to the value for money benefits of a tube (assuming you finish the tube). Having said this, I did feel that I was putting a quality product on my face.
I liked that it felt cooling upon application and I especially liked that, unlike many clay masks, it didn't have exfoliating granules making it feel surprisingly smooth to apply & gentle. As you might expect, it's dark grey colour and as tends to be the case with clay based masks, wasn't the easiest to remove. I was impressed that it didn't dry out my skin but left it feeling soft.

Overall, based on the products I've tried I feel that this is a fab introductory skincare range. It stays true to the Elemis brand by offering quality, desirable products which feel pampering to use. My top picks? The scrub and the masks.
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