Review: Elemis Superfood AHA Glow Cleansing Butter

Elemis is a British brand with a long history of combining aromatherapy principles with effective science-led skincare, so late last year when Mecca ran an online seminar with one of their leading trainers to introduce the brand and their new Superfood range I was more than a bit excited. I listened dutifully and took notes on so many of the exciting launches, and then I placed an order for… you guessed it, a cleanser. It was actually the Elemis Superfood Cleansing Butter and boy is a goodie!

What Makes It Special:
I’ve said before that cleansers are my favourite step in my skincare routine and one of the many reasons why is because it’s often overlooked as merely a necessary chore to get the day off your face before you get to the ‘good bit’ of your routine; when in reality it’s the first opportunity you have to get great ingredients on your face. The Elemis Superfood Cleansing Butter is a prime example of that, it’s packed with Omega Fatty Acids, Mango Butter and Chia Seed Oil to provide hydration and nourishment, as well as the skin-softening exfoliating properties which come courtesy of the AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) in the fermented Pumpkin Enzyme and Acerola Cherry. It somehow manages to find the sweet spot between exfoliating, brightening, hydrating and nourishing while achieving them all simultaneously, which is no easy task.

Why I Like It:
Can we just take a look inside this little orange pot? Inside is the most gloriously thick and indulgent, creamy and sunshiny butter. The Elemis Superfood Cleansing Butter is a real hybrid texture, it’s light and jelly but also thick and creamy, put simply, it’s a joy to use. It contains fruit enzymes that help to lightly exfoliate your skin to reveal a bright and healthy glow, but it also leaves my skin feeling so soft and smooth and not at all dry or tight. I also love how easy this is to remove. Often with cleansing balms and butters, they need to be removed with a washcloth to get every bit off, and even then they can leave an oily residue behind. This does nothing of the sort, just a rinse with warm water and you’re good to move on to the next step.

What I Don’t Like About It:
When I purchased this last year I read on the website that this particular product is fragrance-free but considering the ingredients include Cherry and Pumpkin I, incorrectly, assumed that to mean free from ‘added’ fragrance and thought that the ingredients would have given it a ‘natural’ scent. I was wrong, this product actually has zero fragrance, which for a cleanser that looks so tropical is a bit of a letdown in my opinion. I do wish it had at least a bit of fragrance, I just think it would add to the whole experience of the product, but I understand that fragrance-free products suit a bigger range of consumers so I get why the brand wants to offer something that more people can use.

Additionally, my skin doesn’t seem to love it as a leave-on mask, which is one of the recommended ways to use it, even for just ten minutes. I think the combination of the AHA’s are just a bit too stimulating for my skin to be left on, but as a rinse-off cleanser, it’s ace.

Application:
Apply a small amount to a dry face and massage in, then rinse with warm water. This can be used as a first or second cleanse. This can also be applied and left on the skin for ten minutes as a brightening mask. Personally, I don’t use it like this, and prefer it just as a first cleanse.

Product Claims:
Melts away every last trace of makeup – agree, but I don’t use this near my eyes
Provides a brightening boost with chemical exfoliation and clarifying ingredients – agree
Provide nourishing hydration and skin-softening benefits – definitely

Ingredients:
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Aqua/Water/Eau, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polysorbate 80, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Copolymer, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Lactobacillus/Acerola Cherry Ferment, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Fruit Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Sodium Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Beta-Carotene, Capsanthin/Capsorubin, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Ascorbic Acid.

Available From:
Mecca
Elemis
Cult Beauty

Details:
90gm – $58

Repurchase:
I think the next Elemis purchase I’ll be making will be one of their original, and world-famous, cleansing balms. I enjoy a fragrance to my cleansers, it adds to the ritual, and those originals have an incredible cult following, but I do love the softening effect this has on my skin and the instant glow it gives my complexion. Here’s hoping the other balms are just as good, if not better!