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Lip balms are a classic beauty staple, but in recent years, a different kind of balm has been gaining popularity: cleansing balms. With their rich, silky textures and effective cleaning powers, cleansing balms are a worthy newcomer in the face cleanser category. Are you ready to learn more? Let’s dig into some basic questions about cleansing balms, including:
A cleansing balm is an oil-based cleanser with a semi-solid texture. Cleansing balms are formulated to help break down and wash away dirt, makeup and sunscreen, especially waterproof formulas with serious staying power.
You may have heard about cleansing oils or oil cleansers, which are similar but not exactly the same. Cleansing balms and cleansing oils are both types of oil-based cleansers. Cleansing balms have a solid or semi-solid texture at room temperature, while cleansing oils are liquid.
You can use a cleansing balm as the first step in your morning or evening skin care routine. We recommend scooping out a small amount of cleansing balm and combining it with a few drops of water in the palm of your hand before smoothing it onto your face. After massaging it into your skin, you can rinse with warm water and dry with a clean towel.
You can also use a cleansing balm as the first step of a double cleanse routine, which involves first washing your face with an oil-based cleanser (either a cleansing balm or cleansing oil) followed by a water-based cleanser. You can read more about whether the double cleansing method might be a good fit for your needs on the LovelySkin Blog.
“Many people assume they should avoid oil-based products like cleansing balms and cleansing oils if they have oily skin, but that’s not necessarily the case,” says LovelySkin Medical Director Dr. Daniel Schlessinger, a board-certified dermatologist, Mohs surgeon and cosmetic surgeon. “Oil-based cleansers generally do a good job of cleansing your skin effectively without stripping away natural oils, which is helpful to keep your skin in balance.”
You may like to use a cleansing balm if you have acne-prone skin, but there are other types of cleansers out there that may work better for acne treatment and prevention. “For my patients with acne, I typically recommend an exfoliating cleanser,” says LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger, a board-certified dermatologist, Mohs surgeon and cosmetic surgeon. “A gel-based cleanser with salicylic acid and glycolic acid, such as LovelySkin Clarifying Gel Cleanser, can help resolve existing breakouts and keep new acne from forming.”
Are you looking to give cleansing balm a try? Here are some of our favorite formulas to consider adding to your skin care routine.
This cleansing balm helps melt away makeup with a blend of plant-derived oils, including safflower, raspberry seed, grapeseed, bilberry seed and acai berry oils. It’s meant to be applied to dry skin and removed with a water or a damp washcloth. For extra nourishment, you can even use it as a mask by leaving it on your skin for a few minutes before rinsing.
With a luxurious texture that melts on warm skin, this cleansing balm makes for an indulgent start to your skin care routine. It’s made without artificial fragrance and instead gets its light scent from tangerine peel oil, sandalwood oil and wild orange leaf extract. The addition of bisabolol, a chamomile-derived ingredient that soothes inflammation, makes this formula a good option for sensitive skin.
This face cleanser combines the skin-softening effects of a traditional cleansing balm with additional anti-aging benefits thanks to TFC8, Augustinus Bader’s proprietary blend of amino acids and vitamins designed to nourish and renew aging skin. Fatty acid-rich coconut oil and vitamin E also leave skin feeling as soft as it is clean after use.
Every time you use this cleansing balm, vitamin C-rich kakadu plum extract helps brighten skin while dirt, excess oil and makeup is swept away by a blend of oils derived from meadowfoam and abyssinian seeds as well as herbs such as clary sage and lavender. What’s especially neat about the Indie Lee Cleansing Balm is each tube comes with a metal key, which you can use to dispense every last bit of product, leaving nothing to waste.
Chia seed oil, which is rich in omega fatty acids, is a hero ingredient in this moisturizing, makeup-dissolving cleansing balm. It also contains antioxidant-packed vitamin E to help protect skin from UV damage and nourishing shea butter to help replenish lost lipids.
The name “vitamin F” in this cleansing balm’s name stands for two fatty acids, linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, that help support skin health by reducing moisture loss. Cranberry seed oil lends antioxidant benefits while avocado oil, jojoba oil and sunflower oil work together to break down and cleanse away makeup, dirt and other impurities. This formula also contains Centella asiatica, which may help improve skin barrier function.
A blend of fragrant citrus and floral oils—think neroli, mandarin, jasmine and rose—join together in this Emma Hardie cleansing balm that helps moisturize skin as it cleanses. It’s meant to be applied to dry skin and removed with the provided Emma Hardie Dual-Action Cleansing Cloth, which features a microfiber side for cleansing and an exfoliating side for polishing.
Are you curious about ice rollers? You can learn more about the relaxing and restorative benefits of using an ice roller on the LovelySkin Blog.
Aaron serves as Editor at LovelySkin. Since graduating from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2016 with degrees in Creative Writing and English, he has immersed himself in the beauty industry. When he’s not writing about the latest beauty trends, he spends time cuddling his dogs, scouring antique stores, playing tennis and hiking.
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