We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more.
We found nourishing, gentle, and effective cleansers for all skin types. Mask
Rebecca R. Norris is a full-time freelance writer living in the DC metro area. She writes for a variety of publications, covering everything from beauty and wellness to style and celebrity news. When she's not writing, she can be found out and about with her Jack-Chi, Cash, sweating her way through an Orangetheory class, or taking it easy with family and friends.
If your regular makeup routine includes liquid eyeliner, waterproof mascara, and a full-coverage foundation that promises to last all day, it can be a challenge to take it all off. Consider removing your makeup with a cleansing balm, a solid cleanser that melts away make-up when wet. We love this method for all skin types. According to skin expert and medical esthetician, Joie Tavernise cleansing balms are “excellent for anyone with redness and/or sensitive skin because they calm and soothe,” she says. “Cleansing balms are also good for those with oily skin who sometimes tend to dry out their skin with harsh products to attempt to clear the acne.”
We tested 30 of the most popular cleansing balms on the market to determine which are actually worth adding to your #shelfie. To narrow down the pool, we incorporated each cleansing balm into our routines for two weeks and ranked every product in five key categories: consistency, oiliness, hydration, cleansing ability, and appearance. In doing so, we were able to suss out the best formulas that are effective at removing all traces of makeup, while also moisturizing your skin.
What We Love: It begins as a firm consistency that transforms into a creamy balm capable of removing even the heaviest makeup.
What We Don't Love: The packaging isn’t the most durable and can crack easily if dropped.
The viral sensation Juno & Co. is an impressive Skin Clean 10 Cleansing Balm that's a bestseller on Amazon. Our testers thought it lives up to the hype with a simple-yet-effective formula that features just 10 ingredients, including nourishing and brightening pearl barley and anti-aging vitamin E.
Like most cleansing balms, it starts with a firm consistency and, once rubbed between fingers, transforms into a texture that melts into skin. This balm effortlessly dissolves makeup, even after we've baked and caked our face. What previously required a double cleanse can be completed in one go. Beyond its ease of use, this cleansing balm is also incredibly hydrating. Our complexion feels more moisturized and supple after using it.
Key Ingredients: Pearl barley and vitamin E | Size: 3 oz. | Scented: No
What We Love: It’s made with Jeju volcanic clusters, which absorb excess sebum.
What We Don't Love: It initially feels clumpy.
Formulated specifically with oily skin in mind, Innisfree Pore Clearing Volcanic Cleansing Balm works well to slough away pore-clogging makeup, dirt, and bacteria to reveal a clean complexion beneath. The makeup-removing capability was top-notch, and although it's technically for oily skin, it worked just as well on our very dry skin. Our face felt really hydrated without leftover or excess grease from the product.
The only downside is that it’s a clumpier cleansing balm (it’s infused with Jeju Volcanic Clusters to absorb excess oil), but overall, the results and price can’t be beaten.
Key Ingredients: Jeju volcanic clusters and mineral oil | Size: 1.05 oz. | Scented: Yes
What We Love: Made with luxury ingredients (like Egyptian chamomile oil and eucalyptus oil), it turns your cleansing routine into a calming experience.
What We Don't Love: It’s on the chunkier side, which is uncomfortable while removing eye makeup.
If you’re looking to elevate your cleansing routine, the Eve Lom Cleanser is as luxe as it gets. Made with difficult-to-source ingredients including Egyptian chamomile oil and eucalyptus oil, it instantly hydrates and softens the skin while effortlessly removing makeup. The balm left our skin feeling moisturized after cleansing — no tightness or dryness at all, feeling soft rather than stripped.
Something that sets this cleansing balm apart is the fact that it comes with muslin cloth for light exfoliation during cleansing. While some people seem to love it (including us), others choose to avoid it. As such, it’s not entirely necessary to enjoy the product.
Key Ingredients: Egyptian chamomile oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, and hops oil | Size: 3.3 oz. | Scented: Yes
What We Love: It has a unique texture that leaves skin feeling hydrated.
What We Don't Love: It may cause breakouts on sensitive skin.
Thousands of Amazon shoppers agree: Neutrogena Makeup Remover Melting Balm is a must. Unlike most cleansing balms, this product has a lotion-like consistency. The silky-smooth texture allows it to sink effortlessly into the skin, which was a blessing for us when we struggled to find hydrating products on our oily skin. After cleansing, our skin felt so smooth and soft, despite usually feeling tight after washing it with our normal cleanser.
The one downside is that it may cause breakouts for acne-prone skin, due to its rich coconut oil ingredient. If you fall into this category, perhaps read onto the next one.
Key Ingredients: Carnauba wax, coconut oil, and vitamin E | Size: 2 oz. | Scented: No
What We Love: It emulsifies into an oil before transforming into a cleansing milk that rids skin of makeup almost instantly.
What We Don't Love: It can feel too oily for those with oily skin.
Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm has earned hundreds of five-star reviews for its transformative formula that starts out as a balm before emulsifying into an oil and eventually a cleansing milk. The popular cleansing balm is formulated with rose and mimosa waxes, as well as elderberry, starflower, and optimega oils. Additionally, it’s infused with nine essential oils including lavender, chamomile, and eucalyptus to treat and nourish skin during the cleansing process.
We were surprised with how smooth our skin felt after using this cleansing balm — usually we feel a little dry post-cleanse. This also washed away waterproof makeup and sunscreen alike in one go. Because of the oil-like consistency, it's best suited for people with normal to dry skin.
Key Ingredients: Rose and mimosa waxes, lavender, chamomile, and eucalyptus | Size: 3.5 oz. | Scented: Yes
What We Love: It’s made with lactic and azelaic acids to gently exfoliate even the most sensitive complexions.
What We Don't Love: It has a strong natural smell.
With gentle lactic and azelaic acids and naturally exfoliating ginger and turmeric at the helm of this formula, this transformative balm works well to slough away dead skin cells as well as built-up makeup and oil to reveal silky smooth skin beneath.
Where some cleansing balms feel dense in the jar, we found that this balm has more of a whipped texture that melts into the skin. Our skin felt hydrated and felt much smoother to the touch after using this. It is very oily, again, so acne-prone skin might find it too clogging. Regardless, the balm was easy to spread across our faces, and worked well to remove all makeup without causing any redness in the process. While this cleansing balm is free of synthetic fragrances, it’s naturally scented with ginger root, mandarin, and neroli oils, so expect a fresh, citrus scent when you twist this skincare savior open.
Key Ingredients: Lactic acid, azelaic acid, turmeric, mango butter, and ginger root | Size: 3.4 oz. | Scented: Yes
What We Love: It’s made with minimal ingredients and is incredibly hydrating.
What We Don't Love: This product is quite dense at first, so you’ll need to spend some time massaging it between your hands before using.
We love a minimalist formula that’s built to deliver squeaky-clean, ultra-hydrated skin and that’s exactly what Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm does. Chock full of ingredients that are known for their moisturizing capabilities (like vitamin E, jojoba oil, and avocado oil), it works wonders for parched skin.
While it takes some time to soften the dense formula, the extra elbow grease is worth it for the results. We were shocked by how hydrated our skin felt with this. It was abundantly evident how much softer, brighter, and more moisturized our faces looked. When massaged into the skin it practically becomes invisible. What is visible, though, is a slightly greasy after-effect. It leaves behind a slightly oily feeling, even after you wash it off, but that's because it’s a hydrating formula the residue eventually sinks into the skin.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin E, jojoba oil, avocado oil, eucalyptus oil, and clove leaf oil | Size: 2.3 oz. | Scented: Yes
What We Love: The texture is incredibly smooth and leaves skin feeling clean and hydrated, never dry.
What We Don't Love: It’s infused with artificial fragrance, so it could be potentially irritating for those with sensitive skin.
Erborian Centella Solid Cleansing Balm is formulated with soothing Centella asiatica, softening sweet almond oil (which is rich in vitamin E), and hydrating shea butter. While it might not sound like the most oily-skin-friendly formula, it performs similarly to a typical foaming cleanser.
It removed some oiliness but did not strip our skin or make it feel dry and taut. In fact, it worked so well that it performs perfectly on its own, ridding the need for a double cleanse. Our skin looks and feels great after using this, as though we've done no damage to our skin since we barely even needed to scrub. It has a faint floral scent, something sensitive-nosed skincare lovers might want to note.
Key Ingredients: Centella asiatica, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil, beeswax, sweet almond oil, and shea butter | Size: 2.8 oz. | Scented: Yes
What We Love: It’s unscented, comes in a tube for extra convenient use, and leaves skin feeling clean as can be.
What We Don't Love: While it cleanses pretty effectively, it’s still best used in a double cleanse scenario.
Paula's Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm comes in a squeeze tube, which makes it more convenient than most of the other cleansing balms on this list. Additionally, it’s fragrance-free, so it’s very gentle on all skin types, but especially those that are more sensitive or reactive.
From a consistency stance, the balm is silky, with a hint of graininess. It left us feeling cleaner and really helped to get both makeup and sunscreen off our face. Unlike the previous options, this one wasn’t super oily, which is a common feature of cleansing balms. It didn't leave any kind of residue on our faces. Despite this, the cleansing balm made our skin feel hydrated without feeling stripped. And still, it was extremely easily for the balm to take off a full face of makeup with just a dime-sized amount for the whole face.
Key Ingredients: Omegas 3 and 6, jojoba oil, and meadowfoam seed oil | Size: 3.5 oz. | Scented: No
What We Love: This balm melts into a serum-like consistency that removes makeup of all kinds.
What We Don't Love: It feels a bit chunky at first.
Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm is a viral bestseller for its efficacy. The thick balm bonded exceptionally to thick foundation and our most pigmented red lip, pulling our makeup off. It's a little chunky at first, but melts to a manageable serum, and only a small dollop was needed to cleanse the whole face.
Just to see just how well it works, we followed up with micellar water and found no further traces of makeup.
Key Ingredients: Safflower seed oil | Size: 3.8 oz. | Scented: No
What We Love: It’s silky smooth and requires zero harsh rubbing to remove makeup.
What We Don't Love: It has a faint scent that might not be pleasing to all.
The Keys Soulcare Nourishing Cleansing Balm is a fan favorite for its silky-smooth consistency that instantly melts away makeup without any harsh rubbing or tugging.
Where many cleansing balms begin firm, this one is creamy from the get-go. We were really impressed with how soft this felt on our fingers and faces. It was the perfect balance of oil and balm and was very effective at removing waterproof sunscreen and makeup. Rub-proof graphic eyeliner didn't stand a chance against this cleansing balm. One thing to note is that the charcoal and shea butter-based balm is infused with natural-but-noticeable oat milk and sage scent profile, with hints of bergamot, pink pepper, and cedarwood.
Key Ingredients: Charcoal, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, and macadamia seed oil | Size: 2.8 oz. | Scented: Yes
What We Love: Infused with vitamin C and rosehip oil, it works to brighten skin over time.
What We Don't Love: It doesn’t leave skin feeling very hydrated.
IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Makeup 3-in-1 Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm is infused with brightening vitamin C and rosehip oil to not only cleanse the complexion, but boost it, too. So beyond removing makeup effectively, it also minimizes dullness so you look glowy after each use.
Like many cleansing balms, it feels firm in the pot, but beautifully melts on contact with skin. We didn't need to rub vigorously for it to soften. Once melted into skin, it worked extremely well at removing makeup, as well as the multiple layers of sunscreen we wear on a daily basis. As soon as it touched our face, all traces of product melted away. It neither overly nourished or dried our skin out, making it great for all skin types.
Key Ingredients: Vitamin C, rosehip oil, ceramides, and shea butter | Size: 4 oz. | Scented: Yes
What We Love: It feels like petroleum jelly, which makes it easy to rub in.
What We Don't Love: It doesn’t fully remove waterproof makeup.
If you love the ritual of a double cleanse and want to add a cleansing balm to your routine, look no further than the Wander Beauty B.O.M Voyage Cleansing Balm. Designed with a texture similar to petroleum jelly, the balm emulsifies effortlessly into skin to remove all non-waterproof makeup and sunscreen. The texture makes it easier to rub around the eyes as well, but it didn’t remove our waterproof mascara as effectively. It did, however, make our skin feel very soft and supple.
This cleansing balm comes in a tube, which makes it convenient for daily use as well as during travel. You don’t need a little spatula to scoop it out — just squeeze and go.
Key Ingredients: Pear fruit extract, jojoba seed oil, and evening primrose oil | Size: 3.38 oz. | Scented: Yes
Pond’s Cold Cream Cleansing Balm works well to remove makeup (including heavy eye makeup). Our tester was surprised by its greasy skinfeel. That said, the extra-oily texture makes it easy to massage into skin, and it does eventually sink in.
A viral bestseller, Farmacy Green Clean Meltaway Cleansing Balm is an undeniable cult favorite. It’s formulated with exfoliating sunflower and ginger root oils, as well as papaya enzymes to slough away built-up debris, making it especially great for oily, acne-prone skin types. Our tester found that the balm was more chalky than oily and felt clumpy during use. Additionally, she found that it wasn’t the most effective at removing a full face of makeup, as she had to follow up with micellar water during both of her tests. Though our tester didn’t have the best experience, we felt it was important to mention it because many of our editors swear by this balm and think it’s still a stellar option.
The Banila Co. Clean It Zero Original Cleansing Balm is beloved for its creamy consistency that melts instantly into skin. As popular as the cleansing balm is among shoppers and editors, our tester found that while it’s incredibly effective at removing makeup, it feels a bit drying. As such, it might not be the greatest choice for those with dry skin. Other than that, though, she loved it.
While you probably apply regular face wash to damp or wet skin, cleansing balm is best applied to dry skin so that it can get the most grip possible. For best results, Dr. Hammerman says to use a quarter-sized amount. When dislodging it from the jar, use the included spatula (if your balm comes with one) or the back of your nail to keep the product as sanitary as possible. Then, rub the cleansing balm between your fingers and massage it into your skin for about 30 seconds.
“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).
Yes! That’s one of the biggest perks of cleansing balm. “A cleansing balm will not irritate your eyes like a traditional soap,” Dr. Hammerman explains. In fact, since cleansing balms are made with oils designed to lift away other oils, dirt, and debris, they actually tend to be the most effective on the most stubborn makeup. “With the formulation, it can be more effective at removing waterproof sunscreen, and waterproof and heavy-duty makeup than a traditional cleanser,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu, adds. Just be sure to fully rinse away the balm post-use to avoid any potential irritation from lingering oils, Tavernise says.
Absolutely! Just because cleansing balm works especially well to remove makeup doesn’t mean it can’t be used as an effective cleanser on bare skin. According to Dr. Liu, cleansing balms offer a gentle solution for removing sunscreen, oil, dirt, and any other lingering debris, too — all without over-drying the skin, like so many classic gel and cream cleansers do.
You don’t have to use them for just cleansing, either. “I love applying a balm to dry skin and leaving it on for 20 minutes as a mask to give my dry skin a little TLC,” Tavernise says.
Cleansing balms are great for all skin types. “They are excellent for anyone with redness and/or sensitive skin because they calm and soothe,” Tavernise says. “Cleansing balms are also good for those with oily skin who sometimes tend to dry out their skin with harsh products to attempt to clear the acne.”
On that note, Tavernise assures us that it’s a common misconception that ultra-hydrating, oil-based cleansing balms will wreak havoc on oily skin. “Oily skin actually needs oil in order to be healthy; if you strip it too much your body produces more oil to counteract this and can lead to even more breakouts,” she explains. In that way, she says that cleansing balms are a great choice, especially in the colder months, because they help balance oil production while simultaneously clearing away built-up oil, dirt, and makeup.
That’s not to say that cleansing balms aren’t beneficial for dry skin, too, though. “Since cleansing balms are rich in nourishing oils, they are especially great for dry skin, and you do not have to worry about them drying out or stripping the skin,” Dr. Hammerman says.
Anti Aging Vitamin C Serum InStyle beauty writer Rebecca Norris has been honing her beauty knowledge for nearly 10 years. She forever has her finger on the pulse of the trendiest and most innovative products and formulas, which allows her to sort through the many, many launches that inundate the beauty market. For this particular story, she spoke with two board-certified dermatologists (Dr. Karen Hammerman and Dr. Jenny Liu); NYC-based skin expert and medical esthetician, Joie Tavernise; and over a dozen other InStyle testers for everything there is to know about cleansing balms. With their help, she was able to rank 13 of the most popular cleansing balms based on how each rated on a standardized scale, considering everything from texture and scent to ease of use and performance.