Skincare rituals are essential for maintaining a healthy, glowing complexion, and incorporating the Elemis cleansing balm into your routine is a brilliant move towards achieving that. Elemis, a British skincare brand, offers balms that are not only efficacious in removing daily grime and makeup but are also a pleasure to use thanks to their luxurious textures and aromatic properties.
Understanding how to use the Elemis cleansing balm properly can elevate your skincare routine from a mundane chore to a mini spa experience right in your home... and who wouldn't want that?!
What is the Elemis Cleansing Balm?
The Elemis Cleansing Balm is a luxurious skincare product that simplifies the way you cleanse your skin. It combines science with natural ingredients to deliver an effective cleanse that maintains the skin's natural balance.
At the heart of this balm is the Pro-Collagen formula, designed to support your skin's resilience and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This blend of unique ingredients and technology gives your complexion both immediate and long-term benefits - an essential for those of us working on preventing and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles!
The rich texture of the balm is part of its charm. It transforms from a solid balm to a silky oil upon contact with your skin. Once you apply it, you'll find that it's adept at melting away makeup and daily impurities.
The Elemis Cleansing Balm includes:
- Natural Ingredients: Elemis takes pride in its careful selection of botanicals and other natural extracts. These ingredients work together to nourish and condition your skin.
- Botanicals: Enriched with a medley of botanical oils like lavender, chamomile, and eucalyptus, the cleansing balm not only cleanses but also soothes and calms your complexion.
The beauty of this balm doesn't stop there; it's a versatile product that's suitable for all skin types. Whether your skin is dry, oily, or somewhere in between, the Elemis Cleansing Balm can be an inviting addition to your daily routine, and once you've tried it, you won't want to use anything else.
Benefits of Using a Cleansing Balm
When you choose to include a cleansing balm in your skincare routine, you're opting for a product that offers multiple benefits for your complexion. A few of those benefits include:
- Deep Cleansing: Unlike some cleansers that only remove surface dirt, cleansing balms are adept at deeply cleansing your pores. They effectively melt away makeup and the daily grime and pollution that builds up on your skin.
- Nourishing Ingredients: Cleansing balms are often infused with nourishing oils that don't just cleanse but also replenish your skin's natural oils, leaving your face feeling soft and supple.
- Gentle for Sensitive Skin: If you have sensitive skin, these balms are a godsend. They are typically formulated to be gentle, minimizing the risk of irritation while still delivering thorough cleansing.
- Moisturising: A key benefit is their moisturising properties. While cleansing your skin, these balms help to maintain hydration levels, preventing that tight and dry feeling which can sometimes be experienced after washing your face with other types of cleansers.
- Improved Texture and Glow: Regular use of a cleansing balm can enhance your skin's texture, making it smoother. Many people who use a cleansing balm regularly in their routine also say that their skin began to look more glowing and lively with the consistent use of cleansing balms.
- Skin Repair: Some cleansing balms may contain ingredients that help to repair the skin's moisture barrier, reinforcing your skin’s defence against environmental stressors.
Preparation for Cleansing
Before you begin your skincare routine with the Elemis cleansing balm, it's important to prepare for a thorough cleanse. Proper preparation ensures effective removal of dirt, oil, and makeup, including resilient eye makeup, without causing stress to your skin.
- Start by washing your hands. This ensures you're not transferring any additional oils or dirt onto your face.
- Prepare a soft, clean facecloth or cotton cloth. You’ll need it to gently wipe away the balm after application (The Elemis Cleansing Cloths do a great job!).
- Tie back any long hair and secure any loose bits around the front, so they don't get in the way or pick up any product.
Remember, your skin should be dry when you apply the cleansing balm as it's designed to cling to the dry skin surface, attracting oil and dirt before being wiped away.
Initial Application
- Scoop a small amount: Begin with dry skin. Using a spatula or your fingertips, extract a pea-sized amount of the Elemis Cleansing Balm. A little does quite a lot, so there's no need to overuse the product.
- Warm the balm: Gently rub the balm between your fingers to warm it up. This helps it to melt into the skin more effectively, allowing you to enjoy its full benefits.
The Cleansing Process
- Apply to your face: With circular motions, massage the balm onto your face, paying particular attention to areas with makeup. Don't forget to include the neck and the delicate eye and lip areas.
- Emulsify: Add water to your fingertips and massage the oil into the skin until it emulsifies.
- Relax: Once the balm is applied, take a moment to relax and let it do its magic. This step is essential for a spa-like experience at home.
Finishing Touches
- Remove with Warm Water: After a few moments of relaxation, it's time to remove the balm. Soak a cloth in warm water and gently wipe away the balm from your face. Ensure that all the product is removed, leaving your skin feeling clean and refreshed.
Careful and gentle massage during application is key to dissolving makeup effectively, especially when addressing sensitive areas like around your eyes. Avoid rubbing harshly, as the balm will do most of the work for you once properly applied.
The Double Cleanse Method
Adopting the double cleanse method into your skincare routine is recommended as an evening cleanse. This technique cleanses your skin in two phases which ensures both surface impurities such as SPF, makeup and pollution as well as deeper-seated dirt are thoroughly removed.
Step 1: Surface Cleanse
Firstly, start with a cleansing oil or balm—like the Elemis cleansing balm. Apply it onto dry skin, gently massaging to break down makeup, SPF, and excess sebum. This stage is about removing the day’s surface impurities.
Step 2: Deep Cleanse
Next, follow with a water-based cleanser, such as a cleansing milk or gel cleanser, to tackle sweat, bacteria, and remnants of the oil based cleanser. This step helps cleanse deeper into the pores.
- Rinse off the oil or balm with lukewarm water.
- Apply your chosen cleansing milk/gel (or other chosen cleanser).
- Massage and rinse with cool water to close pores. You can use the other half of the cleansing cloth you used in Step 1 to remove the cleanser.
Using this method, you not only ensure a pristine cleanse, but you also prep your skin to better absorb the products you apply afterwards.
Key Ingredients and Their Benefits
When you're using the Elemis Pro-collagen Cleansing Balm, you're treating your skin to a blend of specially curated ingredients, each with their own set of benefits to offer. Here's a breakdown of what you'll find inside and what each does for your skin:
- Essential Fatty Acids: Your skin loves these! They help to hydrate and plump up the skin, minimising the look of fine lines. Essential fatty acids such as Starflower Oil are a true friend to your face, keeping it looking youthful and well-nourished.
- Flower Oils: Including oils from flowers like lavender and chamomile, these not only leave your skin smelling delightful but are also known for their soothing and calming properties.
- Padina Pavonica: A brown algae found in the Mediterranean Sea, this powerful ingredient supports the feeling of hydrated, firm skin, and adds to this balm's anti-ageing qualities.
- Elderberry Oil: Laden with antioxidants, elderberry oil is fantastic for defending your skin against environmental stressors and is also believed to enhance your skin's radiance.
Special Considerations for Sensitive Skin
When using an Elemis cleansing balm, if you have sensitive skin, it's important to use a gentle application techniques to avoid irritation.
Here is a breakdown for your routine:
- Patch Test: Always start with a patch test on a small area of your skin to ensure there's no adverse reaction.
- Scooping: Use a clean spoon or spatula to scoop out the balm, preventing contamination.
- Application: Gently apply and massage the balm on your face, avoiding harsh rubbing, which could trigger redness. (The eye and lip areas are particularly delicate, so take extra care around these.)
- Rinsing: Use a soft, damp cloth to remove the balm. Rinse in lukewarm water, as hot water might cause irritation.
- Drying: Pat your skin dry with a soft towel instead of rubbing.
One of the newest additions to the Elemis Cleansing Balm selections is the Elemis Naked Cleansing Balm which was designed with sensitive skin in mind. The Naked Cleansing Balm is unscented and delicate on sensitive skin.
Maximising Benefits with Complementary Products
When you're incorporating the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm into your skincare routine, pairing it with complementary products can enhance its efficacy. Some of these can include:
After Cleansing:
- Toner: A toner prepares your skin to absorb the next skincare products effectively. It helps in re-balancing the pH levels of your skin after using the cleansing balm. A personal fave is the Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner, or the Elemis Rehydrating Ginseng Toner.
Nourish and Moisturise:
- Hydrating Serums: Apply a hydrating serum to help lock in moisture and keep your skin supple. A serum especially rich in hyaluronic acid can be beneficial to help lock in hydration.
- Moisturisers: Post-serum, use a moisturiser to create a barrier that seals in all the good stuff. A night cream would be great as it typically contains more nourishing ingredients perfect for overnight recovery. Elemis have two different versions of the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, one containing SPF which is perfect for day time and one without which could be used as a night cream if you prefer that over the Elemis Pro Collagen Night Cream.
Weekly Pampering:
- Face Masks: Once a week, treat yourself to a nourishing face mask. It can help replenish your skin and give it an extra boost of hydration or treatment as needed.
Tips for Removing Eye Makeup
When tackling eye makeup, it's super important to treat the area with extra care. Your eye area is delicate, so a gentle approach is key. Here's a simple, yet effective method to remove your eye makeup using Elemis products.
- Cleanliness: Before using the Elemis cleansing balm, ensure your hands are clean to avoid transferring any dirt to your eyes.
- Application: Take a cotton pad and dampen it with a few drops of eye makeup remover. This helps dissolve stubborn makeup such as waterproof mascara and eyeliner.
- Wipe Away: With the makeup remover-soaked cotton pad, gently wipe over your eyelids and lashes without rubbing. Press it lightly over the makeup and hold for a moment to break it down before sweeping it away.
- The Rest of Your Face: After you've used the makeup remover, cleanse the rest of your face using the Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm (avoiding the eyes). Following this, use the second cleanser over your entire face. A gel cleanser which complements the Balm perfectly is the Elemis Pro Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser.
Maintaining a Healthy Complexion
Achieving a healthy complexion is all about consistency and using the right products for your skin. Elemis cleansing balm can be an excellent addition to your skincare routine, particularly if you're aiming for that glowing look.
Once a week, treat yourself to a deeper cleansing experience by leaving the balm on your skin as a nourishing mask for 10 minutes before rinsing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Exploring the proper use and benefits of the Elemis cleansing balm will help you maximise its potential in your skincare routine.
How do you apply the cleansing balm to remove makeup effectively?
Warm a small amount of the cleansing balm in your fingers and massage it onto your dry face, gently over the eyes and lips to break down makeup. Use a warm, damp cloth to wipe it away gently.
In what way can the Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm be used as a facial mask?
Apply a thin layer of the Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm to your face, leaving it on for 10 minutes before gently wiping away for an intensive nourishing treatment.
Is it safe to use the Cleansing Balm around the eye area?
The Elemis Cleansing Balm is formulated to be safe for use around the delicate eye area, effectively removing makeup without harsh rubbing.
Should you rinse your face after using the cleansing balm or leave it on?
After massaging the balm onto your skin, it's important to rinse thoroughly or remove it with a warm, damp cloth to ensure all impurities are cleansed away.
How often is it recommended to use the cleansing balm in your skincare routine?
Using the cleansing balm daily, as part of your nighttime routine, helps to ensure your skin is free from impurities and retains moisture.
Do you use the cleansing balm before or after a face wash for the best results?
For an effective double cleanse, start with the cleansing balm to dissolve makeup and sunscreen. Then, follow with a face wash to deeply cleanse the skin.
Where can you shop the Elemis Cleansing Balms?
The Elemis Cleansing Balms are available at a variety of retailers including LookFantastic (Use code MISSBOUX to get additional discount), Boots, Cult Beauty, Sephora UK, Space NK and QVC.