Written by Alicia Lartey
Image by @versed
If you wear sunscreen consistently or a full face of makeup, you may benefit from having a cleansing balm or oil in your routine! Both formats of cleansers help to break down layers of product applied on your skin through the day, without making your skin feel as though it is being roughly cleansed or stripping the skin barrier.
Cleansing balms tend to be my go-to when removing makeup as the more solid texture offers more control, whereas cleansing oils are used in my daily routine to break down layers of sunscreen. You do not have to use a cleansing balm or oil in your routine as cleansers in general contain ingredients called surfactants that help to emulsify and remove build-up from the skin. A cleansing balm or oil makes removal processes a lot easier.
How to use a cleansing balm
When using a cleansing balm it is best applied to a dry face and gently massaged in circular motions across the face. Once you have distributed the balm across the face and melted away your makeup or sunscreen, add some water to emulsify and rub in for a little bit longer. You can either rinse your face in the shower or use a cloth to remove.
1) Elemis pro-collagen cleansing balm
The pro-collagen cleansing balm remains a staple in my routine and clinic! Elemis (in my opinion) created one of the most easy to use, residue-free cleansing balms on the market. The pro-collagen cleansing balm comes in four iterations, offering different sensory experiences due to the variation in fragrance. What makes the Elemis pro-collagen balm so special is that it is rich in fatty acids and nourishing oils to really protect your skin barrier whilst cleansing.
2) Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
We could not have a conversation about cleansing balms without mentioning the people’s favourite, Clinique take the day off! From makeup lovers, to causal skincare fans – Take The Day Off offers a thorough cleansing process to ensure your pores remain debris free. For the best results, I recommend cleansing before your shower and using a micro-fibre flannel to remove.
3) Byoma Cleansing Balm
Finding a cleansing balm at an affordable price that actually does the job became a never ending quest until Byoma dropped their cleansing balm. The issue with a lot of affordable cleansing balms that I’ve found is the texture usually feels a bit off or there is a distinct residue that is left behind. The Byoma cleansing balm thankfully delivers and is formulated with their classic blend of skin barrier loving oils and ceramides to maintain healthy skin.
4) Tatcha Cleansing Oil
My favourite everyday cleansing oil, happens to be from one of my favourite brands – Tatcha! Tatcha’s entire range offers amazing product textures, but this is particularly apparent with the cleansing oil. The best way to describe this oil cleanser is that it has a slighty wet gel-like feel. Tatcha blends botanical ingredients, with skin soothing ingredients to make the perfect oil cleanser!
