# ELEMIS Pro-Collagen vs Perricone MD Cleansing Balm **Question answered:** Should I choose ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm or Perricone MD Neuropeptide The Cleansing Balm? **Short answer:** Choose ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm if you want a balm that turns to oil and then milk with water, in sizes from 10 g to 200 g, and you enjoy an aromatic scent; it lists lavender, geranium, eucalyptus and clove oils. Choose Perricone MD Neuropeptide The Cleansing Balm if you'd rather skip essential oils; it's built on rice bran and flaxseed oils with a peptide, though it still lists fragrance. Both are first-cleanse balms for removing makeup and sunscreen. By Nora Ellison. Published 2026-10-25. Data is taken from manufacturer labels; the products have not been tested. ## What this means for you ### Start with what you notice If one face wash doesn't get your sunscreen or makeup off, a cleansing balm as a first step melts it away before your normal cleanser. ### The ingredient names, translated Cleansing balms are solid oils that melt on skin and dissolve oily residue such as sunscreen and makeup. When you add water they turn milky and rinse off. Both of these use plant oils as their base. The main label difference is scent: ELEMIS lists several essential oils plus fragrance, while Perricone lists fragrance without essential oils. ### How to decide - Enjoy an aromatic, spa-like scent and want a choice of jar sizes? ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm. - Prefer to avoid essential oils such as lavender and eucalyptus? Perricone MD Neuropeptide The Cleansing Balm. - Avoid fragrance altogether? Neither; both list fragrance (parfum). ### What to expect Either should remove makeup and sunscreen well as a first cleanse. Neither replaces a gentle second cleanser if you need one. Scented balms can bother sensitive skin or eyes. We haven't tested either product. General guidance, not a test of these products: [AAD: face washing 101](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/face-washing-101); [DermNet: allergic contact dermatitis to essential oils](https://dermnetnz.org/topics/allergic-contact-dermatitis-to-essential-oils). Each product's label source is linked on its product page. ## Two plant-oil balms with different scents [ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm](product:elemis-pro-collagen-cleansing-balm) starts with sweet almond oil and caprylic/capric triglyceride, with elderberry seed oil, oat kernel oil, starflower (borage) seed oil and mimosa wax. ELEMIS says it changes from balm to oil to milk with water, and lists jar sizes from 10 g to 200 g. The label lists fragrance (parfum) and several essential oils: lavender, lavandin, geranium flower, eucalyptus leaf, mint and clove leaf, plus allergens such as linalool, geraniol, limonene and citral. [Perricone MD Neuropeptide The Cleansing Balm](product:perricone-md-neuropeptide-the-cleansing-balm) is a 100 mL balm built on rice bran oil and flaxseed oil, with shea butter, macadamia and chia seed oils and acetyl hexapeptide-8. It lists fragrance (parfum), limonene and linalool, but no essential oils on the recorded list. ## How to use a cleansing balm Massage a small amount over dry skin to dissolve makeup and sunscreen, add water until it turns milky, and rinse. Follow with a gentle cleanser if your skin still feels residue. The [AAD's face washing advice](https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/face-washing-101) is to use fingertips and lukewarm water rather than scrubbing. Essential oils can cause allergic reactions in some people, as [DermNet notes](https://dermnetnz.org/topics/allergic-contact-dermatitis-to-essential-oils), so patch test a scented balm if your skin is reactive. Our [double cleansing guide](/articles/how-to-double-cleanse/) and the [ELEMIS Superfood butter vs Sunday Riley Blue Moon comparison](/comparisons/elemis-superfood-cleansing-butter-vs-sunday-riley-blue-moon/) cover more balms. ## Manufacturer sources - [ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm](https://elemis.com/us/product/pro-collagen-cleansing-balm) - [Perricone MD Neuropeptide The Cleansing Balm](https://www.perriconemd.com/p/neuropeptide-the-cleansing-balm/15763865/) Sources and label-check dates are recorded on the product pages. | Product | Key ingredients | Skin types | Fragrance | Flagged ingredients | Size | Source | Buy | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm](https://dermalguide.com/products/elemis-pro-collagen-cleansing-balm/) | Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract | Brand doesn't say | Scent ingredients flagged | Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Wax, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Linalool, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Geraniol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Limonene, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Fragrance (Parfum), Menthol, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Leaf Oil, Citral | Brand doesn't list it | [Manufacturer label](https://elemis.com/us/product/pro-collagen-cleansing-balm), checked 2026-10-11 | [Amazon (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/3TXSgUj) | | [Perricone MD Neuropeptide The Cleansing Balm](https://dermalguide.com/products/perricone-md-neuropeptide-the-cleansing-balm/) | Rice bran oil, flaxseed oil, shea butter, and acetyl hexapeptide-8 | Brand doesn't say | Scent ingredients flagged | Fragrance (Parfum), Limonene, Linalool | Brand doesn't list it | [Manufacturer label](https://www.perriconemd.com/p/neuropeptide-the-cleansing-balm/15763865/), checked 2026-10-11 | [Amazon (affiliate)](https://amzn.to/3TPFSpo) | ## Which to choose Consider Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm when: You want a balm-to-oil-to-milk texture and an aromatic scent; You'd like a small travel jar or a large 200 g jar. Consider Perricone MD Neuropeptide The Cleansing Balm when: You want to avoid essential oils such as lavender and eucalyptus; You like the idea of a peptide in your first cleanse. ## Questions ### Do I need a second cleanser after a cleansing balm? Often not if the balm rinses clean. Many people follow with a gentle cleanser at night, which is the double cleanse. ### Is ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm fragrance free? No. It lists fragrance (parfum) plus lavender, geranium, eucalyptus, clove and other essential oils, and allergens such as linalool and limonene. ### Does a peptide in a cleansing balm do anything? A cleanser is on the skin briefly before rinsing, so any peptide or extract has little time to act. Choose a balm for how it cleanses and feels.