Superfood Facial Wash

At first glance, the Elemis Superfood Facial Wash looks like peak wellness-era skincare — a bright green gel packed with kale extract, wheatgrass, broccoli seed oil, and chia seeds, as if someone threw a smoothie bowl at a lab bench and a formulating chemist said 'yes, that.' The branding leans into this energy with an enthusiasm that borders on parody. And yet, beneath the green marketing, there is a genuinely interesting cleanser here — one whose best feature has nothing to do with the superfoods printed on the box.

Alpha-glucan oligosaccharide is the ingredient that deserves attention. It is a prebiotic — a sugar that selectively feeds the beneficial bacteria living on your skin's surface. This matters because every time you cleanse your face, you are not just removing dirt and oil — you are disrupting the delicate microbial ecosystem that helps defend against pathogens, regulate inflammation, and maintain barrier integrity. Traditional surfactants are indiscriminate; they wash away the good with the bad. Including a prebiotic in a cleanser is a conceptually elegant solution — it offsets the microbial disruption of cleansing by providing fuel for the bacteria you want to keep. It is the kind of formulation thinking that separates a thoughtful product from a marketing exercise.

The surfactant system is identical to the Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash — sodium lauroyl sarcosinate as the primary cleanser, supported by cocamidopropyl betaine and coco-glucoside. This is a proven, gentle, sulfate-free trio that cleanses effectively without compromising the skin barrier. Glycerin provides humectant hydration during cleansing. Sodium lactate adds moisturizing and mild pH-buffering properties. The cleansing experience is reliable and pleasant.

Now, about those superfoods. Broccoli seed oil is rich in sulforaphane, a compound with documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Kale leaf extract provides vitamins C and K alongside flavonoid antioxidants. Wheatgrass leaf extract contributes chlorophyll and additional antioxidants. Pumpkin seed oil delivers zinc and essential fatty acids. Chia seed oil is one of the richest plant sources of alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). Avocado oil provides oleic acid and phytosterols. Carrot seed oil adds carotenoid antioxidants.

Individually, every one of these ingredients has legitimate skincare value. Collectively, they create a formidable antioxidant and nutrient complex. The honest caveat is that this complex is dissolved in a product that gets rinsed off your face in under a minute. The brief contact time inherently limits how much these botanical actives can deliver. The prebiotic likely has more functional impact than the superfood complex, because microbiome-modulating prebiotics can influence bacterial populations even with brief exposure, whereas fat-soluble vitamins and antioxidants need sustained contact for meaningful penetration.

The sensory experience is where this cleanser truly shines. The gel is genuinely green — not a vague tint but a vibrant, living green from chlorophyllin-copper complex, a water-soluble chlorophyll derivative that also happens to be an antioxidant. It looks fresh, alive, and unlike anything else in your medicine cabinet. The scent is a bright, herbal-citrus blend from orange peel oil, rosemary, palmarosa, and amyris bark oil. It is energizing rather than perfumey — the kind of fragrance that makes a morning cleanse feel like a small wake-up ritual. The gel lathers into a light, gentle foam and rinses completely without residue or tightness.

The fragrance, of course, is the familiar trade-off. The formula contains fragrance (parfum) plus multiple essential oils and their constituent allergens — limonene, geraniol, and linalool. For a brand that positions this product for all skin types, the fragrance load is a limiting factor that will exclude fragrance-sensitive consumers from the fun.

At $36 for 200 mL, this is moderately expensive for a cleanser but generous in size — it should last three to four months with twice-daily use, working out to roughly $0.15-0.20 per wash. In the context of luxury cleansers, this is reasonable. In the context of what the superfood extracts actually deliver in a rinse-off format, you are paying for the prebiotic, the gentle surfactant system, and the sensory experience — the kale and wheatgrass are along for the ride.

Elemis built this product at the peak of the superfood skincare trend, and it could easily have been pure gimmick. Instead, they anchored a genuinely fun, green, energizing cleanser around a functionally relevant prebiotic ingredient and a proven gentle surfactant base. The superfoods are the sizzle; the prebiotic is the steak. Both contribute to a cleanser that is surprisingly enjoyable to use twice a day.

Formula

The Science

Alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, the prebiotic in this cleanser, has been studied for its ability to selectively promote the growth of beneficial skin microbiota. A 2008 study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science demonstrated that alpha-glucan oligosaccharide could shift the skin's microbial balance toward beneficial species (particularly Staphylococcus epidermidis) while inhibiting pathogenic bacteria. This is particularly relevant in a cleanser, as surfactant cleansing has been shown to temporarily reduce microbial diversity on the skin surface. The zinc gluconate and copper gluconate contribute trace mineral support — zinc has well-documented anti-inflammatory and sebum-regulating properties, with a 2014 review in Dermatology Research and Practice establishing its role in wound healing and anti-acne activity. Broccoli seed oil contains sulforaphane, a compound that has shown cytoprotective effects through Nrf2 pathway activation in in vitro studies. However, the bioavailability of these active compounds from seed oils in a rinse-off product is limited — the brief contact time (30-60 seconds) means that only surface-level antioxidant effects are likely achievable. The gentle surfactant system, led by sodium lauroyl sarcosinate (an amino acid-derived anionic surfactant), has been shown to maintain stratum corneum integrity better than traditional sodium lauryl sulfate in comparative studies.

Dermatologist Perspective

Dermatologists increasingly recognize the importance of the skin microbiome in overall skin health, and the inclusion of a prebiotic in a cleanser is viewed as a thoughtful formulation approach. Board-certified dermatologists note that the gentle surfactant system is appropriate for most skin types and is unlikely to cause barrier disruption. The superfood botanical extracts, while offering antioxidant properties, have limited functional impact in a wash-off format. Dermatologists would typically advise fragrance-sensitive patients to choose fragrance-free alternatives, but for patients who tolerate fragrance, this cleanser offers a reasonable balance of gentle cleansing and microbiome support.

Guidance

Launched in 2018 as part of Elemis's Superfood range, this cleanser reflects the broader wellness-meets-skincare trend that was peaking in the late 2010s. Rather than following the typical 'clean beauty' approach of removing ingredients, Elemis took the opposite tack — packing in as many nutrient-dense botanicals as possible, anchored by a prebiotic that supports the skin's microbiome during the inherently disruptive act of cleansing.

About Elemis Legacy Brand (20+ years)

Elemis was founded in London in 1989 and has over 35 years of heritage in professional spa skincare. The Superfood range represents the brand's approach to nutrient-dense, plant-powered formulations, complementing their marine-focused Pro-Collagen line.

Brand founded: 1989 · Product launched: 2018

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

Superfoods applied topically provide the same benefits as eating them.

Reality

Topical application of superfood extracts delivers antioxidants and nutrients directly to the skin surface, but the mechanisms differ significantly from dietary intake. In a wash-off cleanser, the contact time with these botanical extracts is brief — typically 30-60 seconds. The primary skincare benefits in this product come from the gentle surfactant system and the prebiotic, with the superfood extracts providing supplementary antioxidant support.

Myth

Prebiotics in skincare are just a marketing trend with no real benefit.

Reality

Alpha-glucan oligosaccharide, the prebiotic in this cleanser, has been shown in research to selectively promote the growth of beneficial skin bacteria while inhibiting pathogenic strains. Given that traditional surfactant cleansing can temporarily disrupt the skin microbiome, including a prebiotic in a cleanser is a logical and science-supported formulation choice.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Leaves skin feeling clean and soft without stripping"

"Fresh, herbal green scent that energizes the routine"

"Gentle enough for daily use on most skin types"

"Good for combination and oily skin"

"Attractive green gel color makes the routine feel special"

Common Complaints

"Expensive for a cleanser at $36"

"Contains fragrance and essential oils"

"Superfood benefits may be minimal in a wash-off product"

"Green color can initially look surprising"

"Some users find the herbal scent too strong"

Notable Endorsements

Part of Elemis's popular Superfood skincare rangeRecommended by spa professionals for daily cleansing

Appears In

best prebiotic cleanser best luxury cleanser best gel cleanser best cleanser for combination skin

Related Conditions

dullness oiliness dehydration

Related Ingredients

avocado oil probiotics prebiotics zinc