Cleansing balms [1] really do give us the best of both worlds: a luxurious texture and experience, and an even better performance when it comes to removing leftover makeup, SPF, and grime from the day. Thanks to the rich texture, balms are incredibly effective at gently removing makeup, all while calming the skin and never leaving it feeling stripped or tight. Plus, they're actually less faff to use than they sound.
Simply scoop out a 10p coin-sized amount of balm into your hands and rub together until the balm warms up slightly, and massage into dry skin for at least one minute. Once you've worked the balm over your entire face (and your eyes if you want to remove your eye makeup, too), just wipe off with a wet muslin cloth and you're finished. When using a balm especially, the last step of using a cloth is super important in making sure that: 1. your makeup is completely removed and 2. you aren't left with a greasy film on your face. You can then either follow up with a cream or gel cleanser or continue with the rest of your routine (moisturiser and SPF). Whilst we would recommend double cleansing (which means following up with a second, lighter cleanser) if you're wearing heavy makeup and SPF, if you're a little lazy when it comes to skin care, it's much better to just balm and go, than to use a landfill-polluting makeup wipe.
Cleansing balms are great for most skin types. Yes, even oily and combination skin. In fact, balm-textured cleansers can actually be more effective than more potent or exfoliating cleansers, but always check with a dermatologist if you're worried about clogging your pores or exacerbating a condition. Balms are also perfect year-around, but they're particularly ideal if you have dry skin and it's cold outside.
We rounded up our all time favourite oil-packed, buttery cleansing balm formulas that hydrate as they clean without ever leaving the skin feeling greasy — promise!
Then I Met You Living Cleanser Balm
Dubbed as Caroline Hirons' best product of 2020 [2], you know the Then I Met You Living Cleanser Balm [3] (£37) is going to be good. And guess what? It's more than good. The delicious, buttery texture melts instantly into skin gently but effectively removing makeup, SPF, and grime from the day. The scent is citrusy (reminding us a little of orange starbursts — we're here for the nostalgia) and sweet but also subtle and never overpowering, which we love. The formula contains a powerful blend of ingredients such as sea buckthorn oil, grapeseed oil, olive oil, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and persimmon extract, which work together to hydrate skin, support the skin barrier function whilst cleansing. If you're looking to go a little spenny with your cleanser you won't regret massaging this beautiful balm into your skin after a long, busy day.
e.l.f Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm
e.l.f Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm [4] (£10) has it all in my opinion. The formula is packed full of hydrating hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and peptides, which makes it an ideal option for all skin types that won't clog pores. The lightweight formula turns into a silky milk texture once water is added and whilst it's not fragrance-free, it has barely any scent to it at all. Best of all, it leaves skin feeling incredibly smooth.
Pixi Double Cleanse
Pixi Double Cleanse [5] (£24) takes the guesswork out of double cleansing and also does its job really bloody well. The first step is a balm cleanser (or as it's called the solid cleansing oil), which contains a cocktail of oils including camellia, evening primrose, and avocado to melt away makeup. The second step is an ultrahydrating creamy cleanser containing ingredients like glycerin, allantoin, and peptides. It is great for all skin types, is fragrance-free, and cruelty-free.
Beauty Pie Plantastic Apricot Butter Cleansing Balm
Formulated with cold-pressed rosehip seed oil, apricot butter, and vitamin E, the Beauty Pie Plantastic Apricot Butter Cleansing Balm [6] (£14 for members) smells delicious and is incredibly hard-working. Not only does it remove every scrap of makeup, but it's also one of the cleansing balms that's an absolute treat to use because of its fresh and fruity scent and buttery texture.
Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm
Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm [7] (£26) is a total classic for a reason. The balm-to-oil formula removes even the toughest of makeup residue (even waterproof makeup) without leaving your skin feeling stripped or tight. If you're a little slap-dash when it comes to skin care, this is perfect because a little goes a long way and the formula doesn't require much time or effort massaging into your skin to get effective removal.
Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup Melting Butter Cleanser
Drunk Elephant Slaai Makeup Melting Butter Cleanser [8] (£29) does exactly as it promises: the buttery cleanser effectively melts away all traces of dirt and makeup from your skin. If your skin is sensitive to essential oils, this one might be your ticket to happy skin because it's free from any essential-oils, as well as silicone and fragrance.
Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm
If you want to get the full at-home spa experience with your nightly skin-care routine, the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm [9] (£47) will do just the trick. The scent of orange and jasmine extracts will soothe your mind as much as it will your skin, all while removing stubborn, long-lasting makeup and washing away the day's grime.
Eve Lom Cleanser
Eve Lom Cleanser [10] (£55) doesn't come cheap, but it also provides a pamper session in a tub. This balm is on the oilier side and has a tiny bit of grit to it, which is ideal if you like that exfoliating feel of a cleanser. The formula contains Egyptian chamomile and cocoa butter to help soothe and eucalyptus and clove oils to reduce breakouts.
The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm
Sometimes you don't need all the bells and whistles, but simply a formula that is guaranteed to neither irritate your skin nor break the bank. Enter: The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm [11] (£10). The brand prides itself on straightforward products that deliver high-performance results, and that's exactly what this cleansing balm does [12]. The formula contains two incredibly soothing ingredients — oat kernel oil and colloidal oatmeal — and is a slightly thinner consistency than other balms because it comes in a tube. Best of all, the price for the amount of product you get is incredible. A little goes a long way, too, so it'll last you a while.
The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter
There's a reason the The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter [13] (£10) is one of the most highly rated cleansing balms [14] out there. And that's because. . . well, it does exactly what it promises on the tin. Best for dry skin types, this balm contains ethylhexyl palmitate, an emollient that gives the product it's buttery consistency and PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate, which gives it the oily texture without leaving a trace of makeup or greasy residue. Plus, the packaging gets a big thumbs up due to its fully-recyclable aluminium tin.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
A gold standard in the category according to beauty editors, the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm [15] (£44) has an incredibly smooth, buttery consistency which quickly turns into a thin oil once worked into the skin and then a milk when combined with water. This means that it quickly gets to work removing makeup, SPF, and grime from the day without too much effort and zero film-like residue leftover. Even better, for those who prefer balms without fragrance, the brand just released a fragrance-free version, the Elemis Pro-Collagen Naked Cleansing Balm [16].
Augustinus Bader The Cleansing Balm
Augustinus Bader The Cleansing Balm [17] (£55) is about as fancy as it gets when it comes to cleansing balms. The texture is ultrasilky, which not only removes makeup effectively, but also leaves your skin feeling very pampered. It's also fragrance-free, which is ideal if you prefer to avoid fragrance in your skin care.