Superdrug shoppers have been heaping praise on an affordable own-brand cleansing balm, with many saying it’s as good as - or better than - high end brand Elemis. And as a regular user of the luxury Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, it was a dupe I knew I had to put to the test.
And that’s not the only premium product it’s said to be better than, either. The Melting Cleansing Balm was featured on ITV’s This Morning last year, and in a blind test, Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield preferred it over the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm.
Available in two sizes, it’s currently on offer for as little as £4.89 for 65g, which is much cheaper than Elemis, which is £12 for 20g, or £48 for 100g.
READ MORE: Boots slash price of Elemis products to £11 each in latest premium skincare box
In order to see which one came out on top, I removed half of my makeup with the budget drugstore brand, and the other half with the Elemis balm - and shoppers could be saving a fortune if they switch.
The Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is the brands number one best-seller, and features a blend of nine essential oils including lavender, chamomile and eucalyptus, which smell like heaven in a jar. I always look forward to using it at the end of the day, as it’s like a miniature spa-treatment.
By comparison, the Superdrug balm is relatively fragrance free, so is ideal for those who prefer less of a sensory experience when it comes to cleansing.
In the pot, the Superdrug cleanser looks milky in colour, and reminds me a lot of coconut oil. It has a similar texture, too, which is unsurprising as it is one of the ingredients, along with shea butter.
The Elemis balm is thicker in consistency, and breaks down into three unique textures as you cleanse. I worked both cleansers into dry skin at first, before adding water and rinsing away.
The Pro-Collagen cleanser first nourishes as a balm, easily removes makeup as a cleansing oil and hydrates as a cleansing milk, while the Superdrug version is super buttery, melting away makeup and tackling stubborn mascara with ease. In fact, I had more of a ‘panda eye’ on the Elemis side, whereas the Superdrug balm appeared to vanish my makeup.
Melting by name and melting by nature, my makeup came off so easily with no residue, however, the main difference between the two was that the Superdrug one did feel quite stinging around the eyes.
I love the Elemis balm because it is really gentle around the eye area, but the Superdrug version did have me quickly reaching for the cold tap to relieve my peepers. I do have quite sensitive eyes, so this may not be the case for everyone, though.
A number of shoppers have claimed that they think it’s better than Elemis, with one five-star review reading: “LOVE better than the Elemis cleanser. I am usually a massive Elemis fan and all my skincare is Elemis. However, I was persuaded into trying this rather than my Elemis Pro-Collagen cleansing balm and I won't turn back. This is AMAZING!”
Another added: “I used to use the Elemis Pro-Collagen cleansing balm and got recommended to try this. Aside from the fragrance it is just as good for a fraction of the price.”
A third said: “I normally use the Elemis balm but this was just as good for a cheaper version. I couldn’t smell a scent.”
“Amazing cleansing balm,” said a fourth. “Melts your makeup off and leaves your skin soft and makeup free! I've tried elemis cleansing balm and it's basically the same. Vegan and cruelty free.”
For me, Elemis is undeniably a more premium product, but Superdrug’s cleanser does a fantastic job for a fraction of the price, despite the stinging around the eyes. But there’s only one way for you to be sure, and that’s to try it for yourself - and you can currently do so for free with a deal from money-saving site TopCashback.
New members of TopCashback who sign up through this link will be able to shop the Melting Cleansing Balm at Superdrug, and receive a maximum of £10 cashback on their qualifying order.
The large 120g tub of the product is currently £7.99 instead of £16.99, meaning that, while you will have to pay full price for the product initially, with the refund appearing in your TopCashback account within seven days, making the product essentially free if you don’t mind waiting. You can shop the TopCashback Superdrug deal here.
Or you can buy it directly from Superdrug from £4.89 here.
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