Which Cleansing Balm Makes Your Face Radiant?
Photo: Camerique/Corbis
My skin is my everything. I might go weeks, even months without a manicure or properly conditioning my hair, but I will never miss a day of washing my face. In the past, I’ve been a devout disciple of cream cleansers because of the dry nature of my complexion; however, about a year ago, I started to embrace the world of cleansing balms.
Formulated with a blend of essential oils and some sort of solid (often beeswax, other times mud), the formula polishes skin (especially when used in conjunction with a muslin cloth) while leaving it feeling hydrated and soft. Usually encased in a jar, owing to its waxy texture, these face washes are best for people who are truly devoted to their skin. This isn’t a pump-and-rinse situation. Instead, you’ll unscrew the jar, rub the balm all over a dry face, then wash and rinse with water and a face cloth.
I tested eleven different kinds of cleansing balms to see which one would reign supreme in my medicine cabinet. Scent played a huge factor; the heavier and more medicinal it was, the less likely I’d be to use it often. Texture was also important because I needed the product to glide smoothly over my skin. Many of these cleansers come with their own spatula; however, I didn’t try any that weren’t soft enough for a quick scoop with my fingers, or come off easily without a face cloth (this is one step I’m willing to skip). While all of these cleansers are meant to remove makeup, I always do a prerinse with cleansing water on makeup-heavy days. That’s just personal preference and allows me to feel I’m doing my clogged pores a service. Click through to see which of these cleansers won out the tour of balms.
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Not recommended I found it really difficult to coax the thick formula out of its tube, squeezing until my knuckles turned white. I'm torn on what...
Not recommended I found it really difficult to coax the thick formula out of its tube, squeezing until my knuckles turned white. I'm torn on what exactly the pungent stuff smells like; it's a little like old leather, but also a bit like oatmeal mixed with vodka. Once the paste is on your face, it's difficult to wash off because it will leave behind an oily residue and you'll keep on rubbing and rinsing, to no avail.
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Not recommended Mostly unscented, this balm still had a certain smell to it, almost like a honeycomb, but it wasn't overly intrusive. Chances are...
Not recommended Mostly unscented, this balm still had a certain smell to it, almost like a honeycomb, but it wasn't overly intrusive. Chances are, you won't even notice. However, the yellow-green tinge to the balm gives it a snotlike appearance. Like when you have a cold. The stuff itself is difficult to rinse off and you'll only feel clean if you use the cloth. Otherwise you'll feel like you're left with thin layer of Crisco over your face. Photo: Courtesy photo
Not recommended Cleansing balms are supposed to be, well, balms. However, this one is very liquid in consistency (hence the tube packaging) and s...
Not recommended Cleansing balms are supposed to be, well, balms. However, this one is very liquid in consistency (hence the tube packaging) and seemed better suited to the cream-face-wash category. So if you're looking for an essential-oil-based, emulsifying cleanser, this is not it. Also, the scent on it reminded me of men's deodorant or a teenage boy.
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Recommended with reservations Baby food is the first thing you'll think of when you screw the cap off this tub, because it looks like the smoothe...
Recommended with reservations Baby food is the first thing you'll think of when you screw the cap off this tub, because it looks like the smoothest of peach purees. The scent is herbal and calming, owing to its garden blend of essential oils (geranium, lavender, chamomile, jojoba), which makes it extra nice as part of your evening regimen. It slides around nicely on the face and delivers a clean rinse-off without any leftover residue on skin. The one downside is that there will be some separation between balm and oil, especially if you store the jar on its side, which means you'll end up swirling your finger around in it or shaking it like a fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt cup.
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Recommended with reservations The black balm, made with Hungarian moor mud is cool-looking and waxy to the touch. You'll scoop some out with the ...
Recommended with reservations The black balm, made with Hungarian moor mud is cool-looking and waxy to the touch. You'll scoop some out with the included spatula (but more likely with your fingertip) and it'll collapse into a smooth oil on your face. During the rinse process, however, you'll find yourself not knowing when to stop because it leaves an oily slick on your face. A washcloth is the only way your face will feel "clean." The subtly lemony scent is nice, but having a heavy glass jar and wet hands is a potential recipe for disaster.
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Recommended I've always been a fan of Darphin products, due to their subtly floral, divine (in a French kind of way) scent. Surprisingly, this ba...
Recommended I've always been a fan of Darphin products, due to their subtly floral, divine (in a French kind of way) scent. Surprisingly, this balm had a lightly smoky, almost camphorlike scent to it, which I didn't mind at all. The consistency of it is like a thick honey that smooths over the face and melts into skin. As soon as water is applied to the face, it transforms into a milky, cleansing liquid, which will leave your face feeling very clean and soft.
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Recommended Everyone knows Ren for its collection of Moroccan rose products, and while this cleanser isn't a part of that family by name, it stil...
Recommended Everyone knows Ren for its collection of Moroccan rose products, and while this cleanser isn't a part of that family by name, it still includes the same healing and sweet-smelling oil. There's a slight residue-y finish, but on a hot summer's day, I was happy to not add extra moisturizer but slip into bed with the remnants of rose and chamomile essential oil on my face.
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Recommended You know when you step into an old church and it has that distinct incense and full-of-history kind of smell? Open this jar of cleans...
Recommended You know when you step into an old church and it has that distinct incense and full-of-history kind of smell? Open this jar of cleanser and you'll get the same notion. Imagine rubbing that all over you face. It wasn't terrible, but I didn't love the odd, medicinal scent. You're going to want to use the included spatula to scoop out the thick, dense balm, which really just made it feel like the company melted down a church candle and poured it into a jar. However, the cleanser emulsified into a milky liquid, which left my face feeling clean and fresh. Zero residue. No lingering scent.
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Highly recommended Unlike its older sibling, the original Eve Lom Cleanser, this formula is softer in texture and gentler on the skin. I find thi...
Highly recommended Unlike its older sibling, the original Eve Lom Cleanser, this formula is softer in texture and gentler on the skin. I find this particularly great for mornings when I forgot to wash my face off the night before and for nights when I like to just use a mild cleanser followed by a tougher exfoliating scrub. Like the original cleanser, it maintains Eve Lom's signature calming, eucalyptus scent. Skin also feels fresh and soft, without any leftover residue.
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Highly recommended The brand is known for its dedication to unscented, non-irritaing skin-care products and this cleansing balm stays true to its...
Highly recommended The brand is known for its dedication to unscented, non-irritaing skin-care products and this cleansing balm stays true to its roots. The soft, smooth texture glides over the face with ease and rinses off the day without leaving behind any sort of residue. This product is very Clinique in every way.
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All around winner I've been using this balm since I first met Amanda Lacey, and I really went into this process not wanting to love this one; I h...
All around winner I've been using this balm since I first met Amanda Lacey, and I really went into this process not wanting to love this one; I honestly tried to be as subjective as possible; however, every other balm seemed to pale in comparison slightly. The calendula-and-camphor blend melts into the skin and manages to rinse off without stripping my skin, but leaving it soft and hydrated. The texture is only just slightly granular, which feels like the gentlest of scrubs and the reason why I feel like I look so glowy post-wash. And while some might not appreciate Lacey's ceramic container in the bathroom, I love its milky white, smooth jar. My whole skin-care regime feels a bit more elegant and ladylike when I have this tub in rotation. Yes, it's pricey, but just know that Lacey makes these in very small batches to ensure loving care, quality, and efficacy. Plus, it's coming to you all the way from her scientist's lab in the U.K.
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