While many people prefer to double-cleanse (using a cleanser following a balm), this product is effective enough to be used alone if desired. After use, the skin looks not only clean and free of makeup but also has a a nice sheen to it. Our only complaint: we wish it came in a larger size, as we can see ourselves reaching for this product every single day, whether we're wearing makeup or not. The balm will transform into an oil that helps remove dirt, oil, and makeup,” Dr. Hammerman says. At that point, you can add lukewarm water to emulsify the oil and fully rinse the product (and all the debris with it) away. Once you’ve finished washing your face, pat dry with a towel (ideally one that’s microfiber, as they’re the most gentle).

This product helped me with my oily skin, which is interesting to me because [I wouldn’t expect to] fight oily skin with a slightly oily feeling product,” she says. “After cleansing, my skin felt so smooth and soft. Usually, it feels tight after washing it with my normal cleanser, but with this, there was no tightness — just soft, supple skin,” she marvels. I was surprised by how smooth my skin felt after using this cleansing balm — usually I feel a little dry [post-cleansing],” says our tester, noting how it seamlessly washes away waterproof makeup and sunscreen alike. “I think it's due to the abundance of oils in the formula.” We appreciated that this gel-like cleansing balm felt soft and comforting on our skin, but it wasn’t oily enough to effectively break down and remove makeup. Our tester double-cleanses on a daily basis, even after wearing face sunscreen only. However, the Elemis balm did a great job of breaking down sunscreen and even waterproof makeup with ease on its own. As a result, we're giving this the award for Best for Eye Makeup as it completely melted away even stubborn waterproof mascara. We recommend this splurge with the caveat that it may not fully remove all makeup; however, the delivery system, quality of ingredients, and the way it left our skin feeling is worth the trial.Unlike similar products we've used in the past that left our oily skin feeling even more oily, we loved that this cleansing balm left the face feeling clean, balanced, and hydrated. Those of us with dry skin also loved how gentle and hydrating it felt while still providing the adequate cleanse we needed. It takes very little effort to remove a full face of makeup, has a nourishing formula, doesn’t leave a greasy residue behind, and is affordable, making it a product we can't recommend enough. Our tester has a balanced skin type (not too dry, not oily) and it made her skin feel very soft and moisturized. "I could go much longer without a moisturizer compared to other cleansing products that make your skin dry after you use them," she says.

Unlike surfactant-based cleansers (those which foam up), cleansing balms are non-irritating and won’t dry out your skin, compromise its moisture barrier, or disrupt its pH.Not only was the consistency smooth leaving our skin super hydrated, but we were also impressed by how well it worked to completely melt away even waterproof mascara without needing to rub the eye area. It effectively cleansed excess oil and didn’t leave our skin feeling taut or dehydrated. Formulated with volcanic clusters to absorb excess oil and impurities, this cleansing balm is a deep-cleansing product. While it's formulated for more oily skin types, our tester has self-proclaimed dry skin, but it was just as effective for her: "My face felt really hydrated... there was no leftover or excess grease from the product. It didn’t strip me of any oils or cause any dryness after cleansing." Ever since testing it, she’s been using it every day as a new go-to (though, she prefers to use it with another cleanser because she prefers a double cleanse to ensure her skin is as clean as possible). Need we say more?

Moreover, JUNOCO upcycles ingredients. Upcycling reduces waste and repurposes material that would otherwise be wasted. Aside from some textural inconsistencies in the form of little clumps (they did dissolve during application), it easily broke down makeup and left our skin feeling calm and balanced. It effectively broke down all face and eye makeup—aside from waterproof mascara, which we needed to use a warm cloth to fully remove—and it didn’t feel stripping or too greasy on the skin. We also noticed a reduction in facial rednessover the period that we tested this product because it completely removed the need to harshly rub skin to remove makeup and sunscreen. It removed some oiliness but did not strip my skin or make it feel dry and taut,” she assures us. In fact, she says that it works so well that she feels it performs perfectly on its own, ridding the need for a double cleanse. “My skin looks and feels great after using this,” she marvels. “I feel like I've done no damage to my skin since I barely even needed to scrub.” One thing she points out, though, is that it does have a faint floral scent. So, sensitive-nosed skincare lovers, beware. The cleansing balm only has 10 ingredients but heavily depends on its star ingredient, Japanese Barley Magic. This particular ingredient is a source of vitamins and antioxidants to help regulate the skin’s melanin production.To see just how well it works, our tester followed up with micellar water and found no further traces of makeup — it’s that effective. This includes brightening the skin’s complexion and reducing dark spots. The implemented technology deeply cleanses skin without stripping natural oils. Though cleansing balms are inherently more moisturizing than, say, gel cleansers, they can still be a great option for all skin—not just dry types. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, look for cleansing balms with lightweight oils, like jojoba oil and safflower oil, as well as gentle exfoliants like AHAs and BHAs, says Dr. Fahs, to help keep pores clear. Pond’s Cold Cream Cleansing Balm is pretty much the OG cleansing balm. It’s marketed as a makeup cleanser that intensely moisturizes skin and our tester agrees that it meets the mark in that category. While it works well to remove makeup (including heavy eye makeup), our tester was surprised by just how greasy it feels. That said, the extra-oily texture makes it easy to massage into skin, and it does eventually sink in and remove all traces of makeup.

For this story, she evaluated the testing insights from our testers, who tried 30 cleansing balms during a two-week period. She also sought expertise from Mona Mislankar, MD, FAAD, a board certified dermatologist and co-founder of Oath MD, celebrity makeup artist Kristine Studden, and L.A.-based makeup artist and content creator Ourfa Zinali. This product is quite dense at first, so you’ll need to spend some time massaging it between your hands before using. This cleanser was effective at removing SPF, foundation, eyeshadow, and mascara (non-waterproof) in one go. We applied it to dry skin and then removed it with a warm, damp towel — no rinse necessary. Sometimes, formulas similar to this can leave makeup smudged around the eye area, but we were pleasantly surprised by how well this one dissolved and lifted dark pigments. Though the product contains no synthetic fragrance, we found the scent to be slightly unpleasant, almost chemical-like.

“They wanted to create ‘luxury-quality’ skincare that was transparent, interesting and accesibles.”

Gently massage the product into skin with gentle circular motions. Rinse with lukewarm water or wipe off using a warm, damp washcloth. Makeup and grime easily melted away, though some waterproof mascara remained and needed a separate eye makeup remover to fully get off. "I've used other cleansers before that do take off the same mascara without fail. However, I would use this balm before those because of how well it [moisturizes]," our tester says. The best part? It’s super hydrating, too. “I have dry skin — like, DRY, dry skin,” our tester says. “I haven't tried many cleansers that don't leave me feeling stripped (yes, even cleansing balms), but this one left me feeling soft with some of the most minimal drying that I've ever experienced. I'm a huge fan.” Even the most natural scents can cause irritation if they’re not truly natural, or if they’re the byproduct of ultra-strong essential oils. With that in mind, consider your complexion and how it reacts before opting for a product that has a notable scent. Generally speaking, no scent is the best scent. On our list, Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm, Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm, Neutrogena Makeup Remover Melting Balm, and Juno & Co. Skin Clean 10 Cleansing Balm are unscented. If your regular makeup routine includes liquid eyeliner, waterproof mascara, and a full-coverage foundation that promises to last all day, we’d bet that you’ve felt challenged to remove it at least once in your life. On one hand, that’s great, because it means that you’ve finally found products that live up to their all-day claims; on the other, it’s not so great, because it might prompt you to rub and scrub your complexion to smithereens in hopes of getting it clean.