If there’s only one beauty lesson that everyone should know, it’s that you should always remove your makeup. Leaving makeup on or even *shudders* sleeping in it can cause a whole host of skin problems, from breakouts and dryness to inflammation and irritation. Not properly cleansing your face to remove makeup is a situation you really don’t want to find yourself in.
And I’m not talking a quick pass with a face wipe or micellar water, either. Makeup should be properly removed with deep-cleansing formulas. But honestly, I get it. Taking off your makeup every night with a proper cleanser feels like a lot of effort, and it can be all too easy to slip into bed with the promise to yourself that you’ll totally do a mask in the morning, right? The truth is taking makeup off after a long, hard day seems like such a chore because it’s a really boring, time-consuming thing to do. Luckily, the humble cleansing balm is here to save your face.
That’s right. Makeup removal no longer needs to be such a chore. You can wave goodbye to having to remove your eye makeup with a specific formula in order to keep heavily fragranced, soapy cleansers out of your eyes. The cleansing balm can be used all over (with some exceptions—always read the back of the product), tackling every last trace of makeup on your face to leave a glowing complexion. Plus, on top of all of that, it really helps put the luxury back into your skincare regime. With beautifully scented formulas and rich textures with slip so great you won’t be able to help giving yourself a little facial massage, you’re never going to want to skip your evening cleanse ever again.
Interested? Keep scrolling for everything you need to know about cleansing balms and to shop the best balms out there.
What Is a Cleansing Balm?
Simply, a cleansing balm works to cleanse your skin, but unlike a gel or cream formula, a balm tends to be slightly oilier with more slip. Celebrity facialist and skin expert Michaella Bolder explains, "Cleansing balms offer a nourishing deep clean, helping to feed and nurture the skin while the oily balm acts as a magnet to attract dirt and grime, drawing it to the surface.”
What truly sets cleansing balms apart from other forms of evening cleansers is that they usually come jam-packed with nourishing, skin-loving ingredients. "Cleansing balms are a world away from oil-stripping facial wipes or basic micellar waters, both of which offer no nourishment or hydration to care for and maintain a healthy skin condition. Short-term benefits of using a balm are a healthy, clean and hydrated skin condition,” says Bolder.
How Do You Use One?
Using a cleansing balm is actually quite different in comparison to other, more traditional cleansing methods. Unlike gel or cream formulas, balms are usually applied to dry skin, massaged in and then removed with a damp muslin cloth or flannel. (This also helps with a gentle exfoliation, by the way.)
Bolder says, "Cleansing balms are made to be used as often as needed, but twice daily is what’s recommended. You should be cleansing your skin both in the morning and evening, and a double cleanse in the evening is a bonus to keep your skin super clean and free of congestion build-up. A balmy texture allows enough slip to massage this product into the skin to stimulate blood circulation and tone the facial muscles.”
Anything to Consider?
While I absolutely love a cleansing balm (I use one every single night to remove my makeup and haven’t touched a face wipe in years), it is worth highlighting that, just like all beauty products, balms aren’t for everyone.
"Some skin types (oily and acne-prone in particular) may find a balm cleanser too rich and sticky for their skins needs, and this can result in congestion and leftover, unwanted residue,” warns Bolder. If you find that your cleansing balm is causing unusual congestion, try adding in a second cleanse using a gel, cream or foaming cleanser that will help remove any excess oil or residue that could be causing breakouts.
Shop the Best Cleansing Balms
1. The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter
This rather uninspiring tin actually houses my desert-island beauty formula. I can never be without a tub of this stuff. It melts away makeup and grime in no time at all, smells divine and leaves skin feeling the best it can. It’s the absolute perfect product for sensitive skin. And have you seen that price?
2. Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
If you worry about cleansing balms being full of potentially irritating essential oils, here’s one for you. This simple but oh-so-effective balm is a go-to for makeup removal. This lightweight, non-fragranced balm gets to work in a matter of seconds.
3. Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
Quite possibly one of the most well-loved cleansing balms around, this rich formula from Elemis is one of the best introductions to cleansing balms there is. Not only does it feel and smell amazing, but it’s also full of Padina pavonica, a particularly powerful skin-firming algae.
4. Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin Cleansing Balm
Price shown is member price.
If luxurious skincare if your thing, listen up. This super-rich balm is jam-packed with nourishing oils. Besides the fact it leaves skin feeling beyond soft and supple, it's also fragrance-free, making it great for sensitive skin types.
5. Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm
Along with Elemis Pro-Collagen, this cleansing balm is one of the most well-loved out there, having won multiple awards. Not only does it smell absolutely divine (and I mean it), but it also seems to calm, hydrate, smooth and plump all in one. It’s like beauty wizardry.
6. Willowberry Nutrient Boost Cleansing Balm
Olivanna's best-selling cleansing balm makes cleansing feel less like a chore and more of a treat. The blend of rosemary, bergamot, rose geranium and eucalyptus essential oils help to melt away your makeup and lift your spirits.
7. Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm
Unlike other balms, this clever stuff actually helps to decongest and purify. Formulated with Hungarian moor mud and different clays, it actually works to clear congested pores while strengthening the skin barrier at the same time. I swear by this if I have a special event that I want to be looking my glowiest for.
8. Eve Lom
What’s fabulous about this balm in particular is the fact it promises to work for almost every skin type. And while I suggest it’s never a great idea to reach for a balm if you have sore, acneic skin, I know a huge number of people with varying skin types who swear by this balm. It’s a little expensive, sure, but the luxe formula makes it the ultimate treat for your skin.
9. & Other Stories Cleansing Balm
For £27, this cleansing balm is seriously impressive and rivals some of the others double its price. Once you start massaging it into the skin, it turns into a super-nourishing oil that helps to break down makeup and dirt. As soon as you add water, the oil turns into a skin-soothing milk, leaving skin looking plump and glowing as soon as you wipe it off.
10. Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser
With the majority of cleansing balms containing a hefty number of essential oils to give them that luxury, spa-like edge, Drunk Elephant believes essential oils are troublesome for the skin and therefore formulate without them. In fact, the brand also formulates without potentially drying alcohols, silcones, fragrances/dyes and SLS. This cleansing balm is no less effective for it, though, dissolving makeup and dirt with ease while leaving skin baby-soft. For a deeper cleanse, it also comes with a Bamboo Booster, which acts as a physical exfoliant.
11. U Beauty The Mantle Skin Conditioning Wash
This balm-to-oil cleanser is so luxurious, and transforms into a comforting milk upon contact with water. It's ideal for skin that's irritated, compromised or sensitive, as it helps to maintain a strong skin barrier and microbiome, which equals happy, healthy skin.
12. Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel
This stuff might not be labelled as a balm, but it’s about as close to a cleansing balm as you can get without actually being one. Dispensed as a super-thick, balm-like gel, it melts into a silky oil when massaged in and works to rid skin of makeup and impurities. On top of that, it also uses enzymes and vitamins to slough away dead skin cells for next-level radiance.
13. Wildsmith Skin Active Repair Nourishing Cleansing Balm
I know this stuff is very expensive, but trust me when I say this luxury brand knows a thing or two about feel-good skincare. This balm sits somewhere between a jelly and balm texture, meaning it massages into skin effortlessly with maximum slip. It contains a concoction of oils, butters and waxes to leave skin almost impossibly soft.
14. Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm
This stuff is rich. It contains a bunch of antioxidants to really leave skin glowing. The texture is thick, meaning it requires a bit of elbow grease to work in (this really helps get blood flowing and helps to plump), but it's sumptuous and totally beautiful. You could probably use it on your eyes to help remove mascara, but I prefer to go for something a little gentler.
15. Youth to the People Superberry Dream Cleansing Balm
This is a cleansing balm you can most definitely use on your eyes. It doesn't have a scent, but that doesn't make it any less luxurious to use. With prickly pear and hyaluronic acid to soften, hydrate and plump skin, it's an absolute dream to use.
16. The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm
Don't let the price fool you—this cleanser is just as effective as its luxury counterparts. Formulated with colloidal oatmeal and oat kernel oil, it comforts the skin as it cleanses to leave skin cleansed, not stripped.
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