You're Missing Out On Glass Skin Without This Key Cleansing Step—Try These Holy Grails

Your skin will thank you.

Mary L. Jean poses with fresh, even-toned skin

(Image credit: @maryljean)

If you have access to beauty content on popular social media platforms, then there's a good chance you've come across a mention of double cleansing. The practice has deep roots in K-beauty and requires using two different types of cleansers to rid the skin of impurities: first, an oil-based cleanser or micellar water to remove any makeup or sunscreen, and then, a second, gentle cleanser to melt away pollutants and debris that go unseen by the naked eye. Incorporating double cleansing into your daily skincare routine can deliver smoother, brighter, and more even-toned complexion. That's right—you've just discovered the cheat code to glass skin.

As someone who has spent hours keeping tabs on which products in my skincare collection deliver the results I'm after, my standards for cleansers tend to be sky high. That's why I've settled on using cleansing balms in my double-cleansing routine. Not only are their gentle formulas enriched with conditioning and hydration-boosting ingredients, but they also create the perfect canvas for the skincare and makeup to follow. Plus, cleansing balms are an excellent alternative to straight oils since they can break down and remove everything from mascara to sunscreen with ease.

The Best Cleansing Balms, Listed

Feeling ready to commit to the balm life? I've got you covered. To get you started, I've rounded up 16 of the best cleansing balms out there for all of your double-cleansing needs and desired glass-skin results with glowing five-star customer reviews and product intel. Happy scrolling!

Sisley Paris Triple-Oil Balm Make-Up Remover and Cleanser

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Balm

Goop Goopgenes Luminous Cleansing Balm

Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm

Furtuna Skin Cleansing Oil Balm

Megan Adelaide with flushed cheeks and healthy-looking skin

(Image credit: @meganadelaide)

Kora Organics Active Algae Calming Cleansing Balm

Chantecaille Rose de Mai Cleansing Balm

Augustinus Bader The Cleansing Balm

The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm

Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm

Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm

Fresh, dewy skin on content creator Symphani Soto

(Image credit: @symphanisoto)

Indie Lee Cleansing Balm

Sunday Riley Blue Moon Clean-Rinse Cleansing Balm

Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm

Bobbi Brown Extra Cleansing Balm

Tatcha The Indigo Cleansing Balm

How We Chose

At Who What Wear, personal recommendations come first. To determine which cleansing balms belong in your skincare product lineup, I scanned my collection and rated which cleansing balms stood out to me the most from one to four based on their texture, ease of distribution across the skin, scent, price point, and accessibility. From there, I cross-checked my selections with other top picks from my fellow beauty editors, customer reviews, and trending products that have gone viral via major social media platforms.

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This article was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Maya Thomas
Associate Beauty Editor

Maya Thomas is an Associate Beauty Editor at Who What Wear. Her strong love for all things beauty and fashion stems from a strong childhood interest in the fine arts. During a gap year spent in Paris studying the history of French fashion, she shifted her focus to English literature and journalism as a student at Loyola Marymount University. After graduating in May 2021, Maya began freelancing for Parade.com as a contributing commerce writer. When she's not writing, Maya spends her free time catching up on reading, perusing art galleries, and enjoying a night out at the ballet every now and then.