Can Superdrug’s £7.50 moisturiser rival Elemis’s £65 cult cream

The formula

The ingredients in Elemis’s pro-collagen marine cream are undoubtedly impressive. The formula is chock full of antioxidants, vitamins and naturally-derived goodness; it sets out to soothe and revitalise with the added bonus of a refreshing essential oil scent.

In terms of its anti-ageing effects, the marine cream takes a three-pronged approach, combining collagen amino acids with the collagen-boosting abilities of algae, plus the vitamin A-adjacent properties of carrot root. Together, this promises to increase the skin’s elasticity and minimise the appearance of fine lines.

Performance

It’s worth noting that, as a 27-year-old, my skin isn’t exactly abundant with fine lines and wrinkles (if I do say so myself). That said, I paid close attention to the plumpness of my complexion, which can appear dry and lacklustre when I’ve not moisturised. However, the brand’s marine cream certainly transformed it from that state. While I do have oily skin, I was still impressed to find that a dollop the size of a 10p coin managed to saturate the entirety of my face and neck. And it sunk into the skin swiftly without leaving a greasy barrier on the surface.

I wouldn’t say the cream took my skin from limp to springy (I’m not sure anything can) but I could certainly see that my cheeks appeared youthfully dewy and the fine lines around my eyebrows and forehead looked less sunken.

After one week’s wear, I saw no surplus of blackheads or breakouts – despite the presence of a few moderately comedogenic ingredients (shea butter) – and my make-up always applied comfortably, without any separation or excess shine.

The formula

Superdrug’s optimum collagen day cream comes with the same key ingredients as the Elemis version, featuring collagen amino acids, antioxidant radish extract, glycerin, and vitamin E. These work together to soothe and revitalise the skin, much like the Elemis formula. However, where the high-end brand draws nourishment from ingredients like shea butter and chlorella, Superdrug’s cream opts for soybean oil and squalane.

Likewise, it swaps the hydration from algae – which is often the cause of high price points in skincare – for the lower-cost humectant abilities (drawing moisture from the air) of hyaluronic acid. And, on the whole, there are a lot of parallels between the ingredients of the two creams.

Read more: This £4 lip balm is as good as Clinique’s £25 black honey lipstick, according to our beauty writer

Performance

When you first glance at the Superdrug collagen cream, it’s immediately apparent that the formula is thicker and has less of a whipped texture than its premium counterpart. But, dare I say it, the differences stop there.

The cream smooths into the skin beautifully, requiring the same 10p-sized amount and gliding across the surface of the skin without dragging. It hydrates and nourishes without leaving a sheen, and melds with make-up seamlessly.

When wearing both moisturisers under make-up, I asked team IndyBest to judge which side appeared better and, while some agreed the differences were undetectable, a few did state that the Superdrug side had a more flawless finish. In any case, an undetectable difference between a £7.49 and £65 moisturiser is a win in my book.

Regarding its plumping/anti-ageing abilities, my skin felt comforted upon application and, after one week’s use without any supplementary serums or actives, it appeared just as healthy and hydrated. Again, it’s not a miracle worker and the fine lines in my forehead didn’t vanish during the course of seven days, but they did mirror how they look when I’m using retinol, which is a product I swear by.