Review: Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm

Do you remember my review on Elemis' best-selling moisturizer, the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream? From the same anti-ageing range of products comes another excellent addition called the Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. And this has become yet another favorite of mine (I don't think my love for Elemis will ever fade away).

The Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is more of a treat to the skin than just a cleanser. The balm is a fusion of aromatic relaxing oils and skin nourishing ingredients such as lavendar, eucalyptus, orange, starflower and elderberry oils to name a few. It also has the famous powerful anti-ageing ingredient called Padina Pavonica (included in the Marine Cream).

The moment I opened the jar, I was taken back to Cleopatra's Spa...actually, there's a distinct Elemis fragrance in the spa and that's exactly what the cleanser smelt like. It might be a little too overwhelming for sensitive noses, though.

Surprisingly, the balm's texture is not thick nor does it give you the waxy feel. It is quite a luxurious light-weight gel. I decided to use this cleanser on one of those days where I skipped the usual BB cream and chose foundation, blush and a light dusting of loose powder. Upon application, the balm turned into a smooth as satin oil. I treated this as I would any other cleanser i.e. I massaged it on my skin for about 60 seconds and washed it off with lukewarm water.

I still had to put this new cleanser through one more test. I took a cleansing wipe and wiped it over my skin to see if there was any make-up residue left. None. My skin felt soft and smooth for a few hours after cleansing.

Similar to the Marine Cream, a little goes a long way when it comes to this cleanser. It also helps prevent future breakouts by absorbing excess sebum. And as a bonus, you can use this cleanser as a nourishing face mask. Leave it on your skin for 10 minutes or so and wash it off.

This truly pampers the skin and can either be used individually or in conjunction with the Marine Cream for optimal results. The Cleansing Balm suits all skin types including oily skin.

Elemis is available across stores in the UAE.

*The product was sent by the brand/ its reps for a review. All reviews are based on my personal experience & outcome thereby presenting an honest opinion to the readers.

Visible Brilliance Facial At Cleopatra's Spa

I don't usually have the luxury of time to go in for frequent facials at spas so when I go in for a facial, I make a mental note of what products were used on my skin (the fragrance is a bonus!) and at times, I buy them so I can emulate the spa process at home.

But before that, I consider a number of things when selecting a spa. The place, the reputation, the feedback from friends/family, the products they use and the customer service. I find the last one to be significant because it determines if I will return to that spa. Having said that, Cleopatra's Spa has always been a favorite of mine. Always. I'm not sure if it is The Pyramids (location of the spa at Wafi Mall) or the fact they use Elemis in their facials. I think it's a combination of both because I am obsessed with ancient Egyptian history and Elemis is one of my favorite skin and body care brands (find your favorite from my reviews).

I headed to Cleopatra's Spa for the Visible Brilliance Facial. Visible Brilliance is a serum I love like crazy (here's why) so I could only imagine the wonders of the facial. And I was blown away by the result. No exaggeration here- I wasn't expecting such results because of all the facials I've been to, I haven't achieved this kind of result. Before I tell you about the result, let me take you through how my facial went and what was slathered on my face.

The facial began with the therapist, Mary asking me a few questions about my skin care routine and what I was expecting from the facial. I always look for something that will keep my skin hydrated. After this, she led me to the room and while I was lost in thought about a certain handbag I had my mind set on, she applied the Soothing Chamomile Cleanser to remove the day's impurities off my face. That cleanser's fragrance was soooo amazing and gentle on the skin. She then followed it with the Balancing Lavender Toner which is alcohol free(!) so it doesn't dry the skin. She applied the Soothing Apricot Toner on my eye area- yes, you can use this specific toner for an eye treatment. So now my face was ready for the next step- exfoliating.

My therapist recommended the Papaya Enzyme Peel instead of a previously agreed upon granular exfoliator because I had two zits on my face (I hate them so much!) and she didn't want to aggravate them. Bonus points to her for scrutinizing my face to such an extent. I use the Papaya Enzyme Peel at home so I was no stranger to how it works on the skin.

Then came what I love- face masks! I was told this was a 2-mask phase...I had no idea what I was in for. The first mask was an Amino Acid Peel Off Mask. It comes in a fine powder format where you have to mix it with a little water to create a paste. When it was applied to my face, it felt cold and thick like cream- I'm not complaining, because it felt amazing! Silk Eye Compresses were put on my eyelid and I kid you not, a few minutes later I almost dozed off because it was so relaxing (this is embarrassing). When the mask was 'peeled' off, it literally felt as if a layer of gunk was taken off my face. I've used peel off masks at home before but this was something else. My face even felt cooler for some reason. The Amino Acid Peel mask among other things, contains donkey's milk. I laughed when I spotted that within the ingredients list but then it hit me why my skin felt amazing post the peel off. The milk has moisturizing properties and leaves your skin as smooth as silk- even Cleopatra used to bathe in donkey's milk! I inquired if I could purchase it, unfortunately it's only for professional use.

The 2-mask phase was complete with a Herbal Lavendar Repair Mask. To conclude the facial, the SOS Emergency Cream was applied to the zits. I have used this at home before so I was quite happy I knew about some of the things being put on my face. I don't remember if a moisturizer was applied.

Ok, time to reveal the results that I have been going on about! Mary handed me the mirror and here's what I noticed- my face was radiant and (obviously looked) hydrated. I was pleasantly surprised because I have been to facials at several spas before and while I have noticed a difference on my face (more like smooth skin), this facial really made my face look brighter. I actually realized how radiant my face was when I got home. The lighting at home is different than that of the spa room so I was extremely happy because my face was actually glowing. No wonder it's called Visible Brilliance! And you know why I love this even more? The results of the facial lasted for 48 hours instead of 24 hours. The next morning when I woke up, my face still looked radiant and moisturized. I didn't apply moisturizer when I went to sleep the night before.

I can't get over the fact that this facial truly imparts the said radiance/brightness and it is the perfect facial for a bride to be or for those attending special occasions. All I expected from this facial was a squeaky clean smooth skin and moisturized face but I got a lot more. This facial has become my favorite and I don't think there's any on the list at Cleopatra's Spa that does the same.

The Visible Brilliance Facial is an anti-ageing facial and although I am not in dire need of anti-ageing products, the therapist mentioned it would, for my skin serve as a an excellent hydration and clarified complexion treatment.

This facial has my seal of approval and I can't wait to get it done again (most probably the evening before Eid!).

An Evening With Elemis

Elemis is one of my favorite skin and body care brands (along with Clarins and L'occitane). I've been a fan of and use Elemis ever since I discovered their moisturizing cream. Of all the creams, body scrubs and foot soaks  I have tried, none have disappointed me. I love Elemis...it's quite luxurious to say the least- the packaging, ingredients used, the effect on the skin etc. is wonderful. My favorite? The Visible Brilliance serum. The name couldn't be more apt. You can read the rest of my Elemis reviews here; perhaps you will find your favorite too!

Last week, Elemis hosted an exclusive event at Seville's, Wafi Mall.

This was my first time visiting the Spanish restaurant and the food was pretty good. While I tried a few appetizers from the menu;  my favorite was the Croquettes with Chicken and Manchengo cheese.

There was the famous Gazpacho Andaluz i.e. chilled tomato soup...several liked this one...

...and the fried potatoes with spicy sauce serving.

Unfortunately, I couldn't take more pictures as my camera battery started to die and in turn I couldn't make use of the flash settings. And a Blackberry doesn't take good res images.

It was great meeting everyone at the event including the Elemis team along with the people from Cleopatra's Spa and Pharaoh's Club.

Elemis sent us home with a generous gift bag that included Freshskin (I've reviewed this previously) and their bestseller limited edition Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. I've given this to my mum to try because this cream works on mature skin so watch out for a review on this and other products including Bliss soon!

Thank you team Elemis for a wonderful evening!

Competition: Goodies from Elemis FreshSkin

Updated Dec 13, 2012:
Competition has concluded. Winner is Nouria Al Ali.
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I have an amazing gift to giveaway this week! One winner will take home a goodie bag filled with products from Elemis FreshSkin- a brand new product range for the youth. You must know by now that Elemis is one of my favorites and I can vouch for the effectiveness of FreshSkin products; read my review to know more.

What do you win?

1. FreshSkin Discovery Kit: Peachy Perfect Gentle Face Wash, Softly Softly Daily Moisturizer, Dreamy Sleep Night Time Moisturizer, Skin Glow Exfoliating Face Wash, Deep Clean Purifying Face Masks
2. 2 packs of FreshSkin Cleansing Wipes (each pack has 25 wipes)

Want to grab these goodies? Head to my Facebook fan page to find out how.

Winner will be announced in a week's time and will be chosen at random. This competition is open to UAE residents only. Good luck!

December Beauty Bliss

Here's a new section on the blog- my favorite beauty products of the month. Although this list is a never ending one, I'll try to select a few (*rolls eyes) monthly favorites.

The first is the latest perfume from Marc Jacobs called Dot. Ladybugs are pretty and I'm guessing they were the inspiration behind the design.

How cute is the packaging and the bottle (sample size)? It fits right in my palm and smells amazing. It's not too floral or fruity- it's subtle floral (does that make sense?). The fragrance is a combination of Jasmine, coconut water, red berries and vanilla among other things. It's a refreshing fragrance of the month!

Next up is Elemis's Royal Collection. It's perfect for the festive season and has a plethora of products fit for queens and princesses.

From amazing bath time treats to products that make the skin glow, the Royal Collection is a must see if you want to pick something unique for this season or gift it to someone (hurray for unique festive season gifts). The Royal Collection also includes a gem for men! The JetSet Travel Collection consists of 5 products (cleanser, shaving foam, skin scrub, moisturizer, body wash) that will replenish tired skin. See all gift sets here

The third product is Benefit Cosmetic's POREfessional.

This got an image makeover but the product delivers the same results i.e. zapping pores and making them look like you've got no pores whatsoever.

I don't have a pores issue but I got my cousin to try this out and it worked like magic on her skin. The POREfessional balm minimizes the appearance of pores and you can re-apply it throughout the day. It also acts like a primer and is light weight (no clogging of the pores).

That wraps up this month's beauty favorites. What are yours?

Review: Elemis FreshSkin

When Elemis announced it was launching a new range of products called FreshSkin, I couldn't contain my excitement. I'm a huuuge fan of Elemis and love every product I've tried (just so you know, I haven't tried everything from Elemis). So anyway, what is FreshSkin?

It's a skincare range consisting of 12 products specifically developed for the youth.

The Fresh Start Discovery Kit is your handy travel like kit. It contains:

Peachy Perfect Gentle Face Wash: This cleanser didn't strip moisture from my skin. You know sometimes after cleansing your face you feel that the skin tightens a bit and it goes back to normal once moisturizer is applied? This cleanser worked just fine and left my skin smooth.

 Softly Softly Daily Moisturizer: A light weight moisturizer that is absorbed immediately by the skin. It doesn't leave your face looking greasy/oily. One of the key ingredients is lavender that helps calm the skin and almond oil that provides optimum moisture. Score!

Dreamy Sleep Night Time Moisturizer: This smells amazing! This is my (first) favorite from the range. It contains Vitamins A, C & E and chamomile among other things. Did I mention it smells amazing?

Skin Glow Exfoliating Face Wash: It's an exfoliator with cherry powder among other ingredients to give you that polished look. I love it!
 
Deep Clean Purifying Face Mask: The mask seriously left my skin squeaky clean. It's got some amazing ingredients- goji berry extract, glycerine, clays...a total feel good mask.

This kit is perfect for someone who wants to try the new range or is looking to improve their skincare routine.

The FreshSkin range also has Make Up Away Cleansing Wipes.

I think cleansing wipes are one of the best skincare inventions! After a party/ long night out, I really don't have the patience to stand in front of the mirror and massage cleanser on my skin because I'm dead tired. That's when the FreshSkin cleansing wipes come handy. They wipe off eye makeup too without you having to rub the eye area.

The Super Boost Moisturizing Serum is my second favorite! It's a light weight moisturizing serum that primes your skin for makeup. At times I use it alone as a moisturizer and other times if I want double the moisture levels, I use the serum in combination with the Softly Softly Daily Moisturizer. Works like a charm.

And finally, the Loving Lips Quenching Lip Balm. It has different oils such as almond oil, peppermint oil, passion flower oil along with Vitamin E so you can kiss chapped lips goodbye!

There are more products within the FreshSkin range- go check them out at Bloomingdale's Dubai (also available at multiple locations. Find them here).

*The product was sent by the brand/ its reps for a review. All reviews are based on my personal experience & outcome thereby presenting an honest opinion to the readers. 

 

Winner: Elemis Pro Radiance Hand & Nail Cream

The winner of the Elemis Pro Radiance Hand & Nail Cream competition is:

Maura Hales

Congratulations!
 You will be receiving an email soon with regards to your prize.

Elemis Expert Touch Treatments

Elemis recently launched their Expert Touch Treatment services exclusively available at Bloomingdale's Dubai, which I was invited to (thank you Elemis team).

The services consist of facials and massages for the face and body that take 45 minutes and are really helpful if you want that quick glow or stress relief or if you don't want to spend an hour or so (think on-the-go services).

Here is the menu of services:

Facials

1. Plump-Up & Tone Facial
2. Power Resurfacing
3. De-Stress & Re-balance
4. Purify & Shine Fix
5. Moisture Boost
6. Recharge & Glow 

Massages

1. Hand & Arm Hot Stone Therapy
2. Stress-away shoulder to scalp

Prior to my facial, I was given a 10 minute Elemis Skin Lab analysis. The analysis gives you an insight as to how your skin compares when it comes to sun damage, skin texture, spots, hydration, wrinkles etc to others who have also had their skin analyzed. Mine was pretty much clear, i.e. hardly any damage or other skin concerns (hurray!) so I chose the Recharge & Glow facial which you can take advantage of if there's an event/party you are attending. This facial rejuvenates the skin to bring back that healthy glow.

The facial consisted of:

1) Cleansing with Rehydrating Rose Petal Cleanser
2) Toning with Rehydrating Ginseng Toner and Balancing Lavender Toner

3) Face mask first in the form of a Papaya Enzyme Peel followed with a Fruit Active Rejuvenating Mask.

4) Eye mask- Absolute Eye Mask
5) Eye serum- Absolute Eye Serum

My favorite product turned out to be the Fruit Active Rejuvenating Face Mask. The product is filled with strawberries, kiwi , strawberries, strawberries and more strawberries (which is one of my favorite fruits). The mask has a creamy consistency and also works to deep cleanse the skin and revive the complexion since strawberries and kiwis are packed with Vitamin C. I have the Papaya Enzyme Peel- read about it here.

I'm going to go back for a Moisture Boost facial pretty soon. The facials cost AED 120 and you need to book an appointment. With the summer soon approaching, I suggest you try out one of these to keep your skin balanced and happy.

Competition: Elemis Pro Radiance Hand & Nail Cream

Thanks to the Elemis team, one lucky reader will win the Elemis Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Cream. If you don't know what it is, read the review.

Answer the question in the comment box below:
 
Why do you want to win the Elemis Pro Radiance Hand and Nail cream? 

In order to be eligible, follow the steps:

1. Leave your name and email address along with your answer (pls wait for your comment to be approved)
2. Like my fan page and Elemis fan page
3. Follow on Twitter 
4. Follow the blog publicly through the 'Join This Site' button/ Google Friend Connect (located on the right hand side)

Winner will be announced in a week's time and will be chosen at random. Good luck!

Elemis Pro-Radiance Hand & Nail Cream

The latest from Elemis is the Pro-Radiance Hand & Nail cream. This product comes from the Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Kit which is part of the 'Spa @ Home' range. I tell you, this range is like a bonus. How many times have you visited a spa and wished you could buy a certain product but couldn't because it's exclusive to spas and salons? Happened to me once at a hair salon. Elemis's Spa @ Home range helps you replicate a spa experience at home be it facials or similar.

 The consistency of the cream is not too thick or too light- it's just right. It's neither sticky nor oily, it immediately absorbs into the skin, leaving the surface smooth with a pleasant fragrance.

 
Although I tried this cream, I asked my mom to try it for a period of 2 weeks in order to see the difference. However, we witnessed the results in 5 days. And I quote her, "You know, my hands feel softer...more like velvet". So there you have it- it took less than a week for the results to show. And my mom used it once every day. It has definitely made her hands smooth due to the conditioning properties of the ingredients. As for the effect the cream has on her nails- I think we'll have to give it some more time to see the results. I use some Elemis products and I can tell you, I have never been disappointed with them (read my other reviews here, here and here).

The hand and nail cream is filled with all things natural. A few things that make up this cream are: milk protein, omega 7, virgin plum, macadamia...this sounds more like a vitamin pill, right? Yes, you get the benefits of milk, omega 7 and others in the form of a cream. Plus, it is silicone free! Awesome, isn't it?

The Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Kit is specifically designed to rejuvenate the condition of hands and nails. It retails for AED 248 and is available at Bloomingdale's Dubai Mall and other select retailers.

*This product was sent to me by the Elemis team for a review. Thank you guys!

Elemis Visible Brilliance Serum

I have a handful of primers and skin illuminizers in my makeup case. I use the latter occasionally (parties included) but that's about it. Primers are usually handy when you want to create a smooth surface in order for your makeup to go on easily (think professional finish). Having said that, Elemis Visible Brilliance is quite a smart product.

 It's an extremely light weight serum that claims to give instant radiance and it's true because there are minute gold like/ sparse shimmer particles within the serum.

I've tried using this in two different ways; one is directly on my skin prior to moisturizer. I let it sink in for a minute or two and then follow with moisturizer. The second is mixing it with foundation- the end result is a subtle glow. I like this serum. It doesn't leave your skin looking greasy or like you have a light bulb for a face because of the shimmer particles.

The serum completely dissolves into the skin

Not sure if you can see the minute shimmer particles 

I've read in magazines that regular use will definitely show a difference on the skin. While at Bloomingdale's, I received three samples post my shopping spree (they usually don't give this but I guess because they were in a jolly mood, they decided to!).

The first is a Papaya Enzyme Peel which contains papaya and pineapple (hello, healthy mask!) which helps to improve the skin. The second sample is S.O.S Emergency Cream- this is one is a bit greasy in nature and states you should apply the cream only to problematic areas of the face. And the last one is an Exotic Cream Moisturizing Mask which on application feels exactly like a spa session at Cleopatra's Spa primarily because of the mask's fragrance. I really love this mask because due to winter, I've been experiencing dry patches of skin on my face and it's a pain to put on blush for example because it highlights the patches; this mask soothes the skin and doesn't irritate it.

Elemis reminds me of Body Shop because they use quite a few natural ingredients, don't test their products on animals (yay!) and encourage people to recycle the empty tubes/bottles (double yay!).

Say No To Muscle Pain

I'm a pretty sporty person and in the course of sessions, I have managed to pull quite a few muscles that have left me with sore arms and legs. There are times when I can't pick a glass of water off the table without wincing. Usually, I let the muscles heal by themselves but when the pain gets unbearable I reach out for a pack of ice. At times, my friends use painkillers.

I have another Elemis discovery to share with you and it's called the Aching Muscle Super Soak. It's not a spray or cream. It's liquid and smells amazing- like mint. It is said to relieve muscle/body ache. The other day I went to the mall for shopping. My legs took the brunt of it all as they always do and by the time I got home, I had feet that died (pretty sure women can relate to this). I made it a point to dunk my feet in the Super Soak. I mixed about 1-2 caps of it into the water . After about a minute or so, I felt a cooling, tingling sensation and it was pretty relaxing. The mint like fragrance helped as well. There's also chamomile in this apart from other ingredients- it's almost like a mask but for the feet (and body)!  My mom used this too and it has become her new favorite- I don't think she will be using that Deep Heat spray anymore.

I can see people who train, work out regularly and those that end up with sore muscles benefiting from this, not to forget people who sit all day on the laptops/computers and end up with aching shoulders because of the posture (me!). A friend of mine has been going for dragon-boat practice and I have a feeling she'd be quite happy with this. I also spotted this at Cleopatra's Spa the other day- so inquire for the  treatment they have using this product or just buy it either from the spa/ Bloomingdale's Dubai and use it in the luxury of your home. If you don't fancy this, then try out other similar products by Elemis (there's oil and gel based products).

Elemis Maximum Moisture Day Cream

I buy quite a few products from time to time and because I live in Dubai, I experience an on and off session of patches of dry skin on my face. I have a normal to dry skin type and I can safely say that it's during winter I notice a few patches here and there. Annoying. The best thing to do is drink water, exfoliate and moisturize; the first one of which I hardly do- I know, terrible habit. Last month, I aimed to drink 5 bottles of water and by the end of the day I was on bottle # 2.  So I rely on moisturizers.

I've blogged about another moisturizer that works and guess what? I found another one! It's by a UK company called Elemis. I was a bit skeptical about trying out another moisturizing cream but this definitely shows the results the moment you put it on. It has a subtle fragrance and it's light weight, so it sinks right in. It doesn't leave your skin looking shiny like a lightbulb so hurray! Can I just say it one more time out of the 100 times that I absolutely love this cream? I would definitely buy this again.

In case you want to know which one you should get for your skin, I suggest you head to the Elemis section at Bloomingdale's in Dubai Mall. They do a free skin test and the system shows the problematic areas on your face. You are then suggested a set of products to use. 

Cleopatra's Spa at Wafi Mall uses Elemis products for facials and other spa treatments. I have to book an appointment them which has been pending for so long!