Elemis was founded in London in 1989 with a plain aim: skincare as close to nature as possible. This edit walks through the Pro-Collagen line, the Superfood creams and oils, and the resurfacing and body products I would put on the same shelf.
Elemis: A 1989 London Idea, Marine Cream, and the Rest of the Shelf
Elemis began in London in 1989, started by the entrepreneur Linda Steiner together with Sean Harrington, Oriele Frank and Noella Gabriel. The aim was a skincare range as close to nature as possible. I like that it began with a spa therapist among the founders. Gabriel started out working in spas, and in 2025 she was announced as the brand's CEO, which means the person who once put hands on faces now steers the company.
The product most people know first is Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. It debuted in 2003 as a lightweight gel day cream, at a time when gel cream textures barely existed. Think of it first as a texture: cool, slick, and easy to press into skin without a heavy finish. The Anti Aging Marine Cream and the SPF 30 version are the same idea, one for evenings and covered skin, the other for going out in daylight. I keep the SPF version by the door, next to my keys, so I do not forget it on the way out. Whichever you choose, apply it after serum and before makeup, and use enough to cover the neck.
The Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm and the Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm belong to that family too. They begin as a solid balm, warm to an oil in your hands, and rinse away makeup on damp skin. Use them dry, on dry hands, and do not skip the second rinse with warm water.
Superfood, oils and one enzyme wash
If Pro-Collagen is the daytime side of the brand, Superfood is the section I go to for comfort. The name promises richness, and it is friendlier to dry, tired faces.
The Superfood Overnight Prebiotic Cream is the one for bedtime, a creamy layer to leave on while you sleep. Superfood Midnight Facial has a similar role, a night treatment with a slightly more special feeling than a plain cream. The Superfood Facial Oil and the Hydrating and Nourishing Facial Oil are for pressing over moisturizer when skin feels tight, two or three drops warmed in your palms. Use fewer than you think you need, and let the oil sink in for a couple of minutes before you get dressed. On the nights I use the overnight cream, I skip the oil altogether.
The Superfood Glow Priming Moisturizer is the morning one, a light cream that sits nicely under makeup and gives a soft finish. I press it in with fingertips rather than rubbing, and wait a minute before foundation so nothing pills. I would reach for it on days when I want to look rested and not made up.
Dynamic Gentle Resurfacing Enzyme Cleanser sits a little outside the Superfood group, but I keep it beside them. It is a soft exfoliating wash, and using it once a week or so is a gentle way to keep the surface of the skin smooth before the creams go on.
Elemis Superfood and cleansing balms
Resurfacing, and something for the body
Elemis has a strong resurfacing side, and it is worth being careful with it. The Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads and the Facial Wash are the milder entry points, with the pads being a quick weekly swipe after cleansing. I use them in the evening and never in the same routine as a retinol.
Dynamic Resurfacing Vitamin C Dark Spot Serum and the Super-C Serum are for brightening and evening out the look of marks, and both make more sense in a morning routine under sunscreen. The Dark Spot Serum is the one I would pick if uneven tone is the concern, while Super-C is more general. Give either a month before deciding, since tone changes slowly. Take a photo in the same window light at the start so you are not relying on memory.
Then there is the body side, which I find quietly wonderful. Frangipani Monoi Body Cream is a soft, floral, holiday-scented cream I put on right after a shower. The Frangipani Monoi Body Oil is the heavier partner, best on damp legs and arms in cooler months. The scent is floral and warm, and it lingers for a while, so I skip it on days when I am wearing perfume.
What I would skip: using the resurfacing pads and the vitamin C serum on the same night, or applying either right before a beach day without sunscreen. If your skin stings, stop and let it recover, and see a doctor if redness lingers.
How I would build from here
Here is how I would build from here. Start with one cleansing balm and one marine cream, since that pairing already gives you a full routine. Add a Superfood oil or overnight cream when the season turns colder, and treat the resurfacing products as an occasional extra rather than a daily step.
Try one new product at a time and give it a fortnight. Keep the body cream next to the shower, where you will actually use it. If a cleansing balm leaves your eyes stinging, close them while you massage and rinse thoroughly. The point of a range like this is not to own all of it. It is to find the two or three things that make your skin feel calm, and let a brand with a long memory do the rest. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Building a Bedtime Shelf Around CeraVe Night Cream and The Eczema Cream Shelf I Trust.
