The body care market is booming – currently worth $69.53bn and predicted to reach $97.27bn by 2032. And it’s not just growing in size, but in sophistication, too. Increasingly, beauty brands are applying the same level of innovation once reserved for facial skincare to body formulas, with a focus on strengthening the skin barrier and optimising skin function.
It makes a lot of sense. The face accounts for just 3.5% of the body’s surface area, yet historically it’s where most of our skincare attention (and investment) has gone. Now, that imbalance is starting to shift, with a new wave of lotions and potions designed to treat mature skin from the neck down with the same level of care.
Just this week alone, four new body care products landed on my desk. Among them was Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Body Cream. Fans of Elemis will already be familiar with its best-selling Pro-Collagen Marine Face Cream, a long-standing favourite that’s loved for its hydrating and smoothing results, which has now been reimagined as a top-to-toe treatment.
Inside the Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Body Cream – and what it does for your skin
The Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Body Cream is, in essence, a body-first extension of the brand’s best-selling moisturiser. While it borrows the same lightweight texture and signature rose-and-mimosa scent, the formula has been adapted for the thicker, often drier skin found on the body – where concerns like dullness, dehydration and crepiness tend to show up first.
At the core of the formula, you’ll find marine actives typically associated with facial skincare. Chlorella vulgaris, a type of algae, is included for its firming properties, while padina pavonica ferment helps support hydration over time. The result is a cream that feels more treatment-led than your average body moisturiser – designed not just to soften skin, but to visibly smooth and subtly firm it with consistent use.
The launch also sits alongside a new body iteration of the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm – another of the brand’s most recognisable formulas. Reimagined as a shower product, it transforms from a balm into a milk and then a light foam on contact with water, leaving skin feeling clean, soft and comfortably hydrated. This will be especially welcome if you have a dry skin type or have rough or crepey skin in places.
As for the Pro-Collagen Marine Body Cream’s texture, it has a gel-cream hybrid feel. It absorbs quickly, leaving skin feeling hydrated but not sticky, which makes it a good option for daily use – especially if you don’t like heavier, oil-rich formulas. The brand claims it can double hydration in a single use and improve firmness over four weeks, although, as always, results will depend on consistency and skin type.
If your main concern is dryness, it will tick that box immediately. But is it worth the £70 splurge? If you’re already a fan of Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and want that same lightweight hydration in a body formula, it’s an easy addition to your skincare routine. Equally, if you have specific skincare concerns on your body and want to tackle them head-on, such as crepiness, or you simply want your body care to feel a bit more results-driven, it’s a strong contender. Albeit, all those results come at a far more premium price point than your standard moisturiser.
