SKINCARE | Battle of the 5 Cleansing Balms

Press samples marked with "*"

I am actually quite surprised that I haven't done a cleansing balm roundup before because I use them CONSTANTLY! As a staunch double cleanser, I generally use either a cleansing oil or balm as my first cleanse, but for about the last year and half, it has been cleansing balms! I started reviewing these five cleansing balms today last year and since then, I have so many more to add so it looks like this"battle" will be continued soon!

Peace Out Blemish Balm*

What makes this cleansing balm unique is that it exfoliates too. Say what? Yes, Peace Out is known for banishing blemishes into oblivion with patches and skincare with salicylic acid balanced with hydrating and soothing ingredients. Their patches have been great for me, but this cleansing balm was something I found odd with regards to my experience. It was very hard so you definitely need a spatula to scrape it out, but what makes this cleansing balm unique is the fact there is both a chemical and physical exfoliant in it! There is salicylic acid and biodegradable cellulose and while the cellulose is not super gritty, it means that this balm is a no-no around and on the eyes which sucks for me as I mainly use cleansing balms to remove eye makeup.  

On the rest of the face, this is a balm that melts down nicely to give a good facial massage and Peace Out even suggests doing a 30-60s massage a few times a week with this balm. It is just too bad that this cannot be used around the eyes because it does a good job at cleansing the skin.

Quo Beauty Banana Cleansing Balm*

This is the kind of cleansing balm I refer to in my head as "mushy balm" because there is no spatula required as the consistency is already kind of creamy. The cleansing balm contains banana extract to hydrate while cleansing skin. Here's the thing though, it smells intensely like bananas so you better like bananas! I am not a huge banana fan thanks to the banana-flavoured antibiotics of the 80s so the fact that this jar is almost empty really does say how much I have enjoyed this product! 

It does a great job at removing waterproof eye makeup and sunscreen and leaves my skin feeling soft. The banana scent disappears fairly quickly and the balm emulsifies and rinses off easily with water without having to work at it at all. Though it seems expensive at $20 for an in-house brand, you only need a dime-sized amount to remove everything so this little 50g jar is going to last!

Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original

In the world of cleansing balms, this one is one of the more iconic ones! There are a few variations of the Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm, but I picked up the Original "flavour" at London Drugs after having my eye on it for a few years. This is a solid at room temperature cleansing balm and even in the current 29 degree weather, it stays rock solid! It contains vitamin C in the form of acerola fruit extract to brighten skin while cleansing and melting off makeup, sunscreen and grime. 

This balm had a slightly medicinal scent, but warmed up easily once on the skin into a pleasing smooth balm. I can see why this is a cult classic because of its efficiency at removing all forms of makeup without leaving an oily residue on the skin. I always think about what people in Asia have to put up with in terms of pollution, using sunscreen and humidity so when it comes to a non-irritating and effective cleansing balm, I trust Asian skincare! 

Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm*

I was sooo excited to try this cleansing balm as it was the first time I had tried anything from Versed! This balm is scented with eucalyptus oil (LOVE this scent!) and contains vitamin E. This had a very similar consistency to the Quo Beauty one in that it was a "mushy balm" and is suitable to use all over the face including the eyes. The eucalyptus oil does not sting! I found that this balm when rinsed off left a very slight film on my face, but it didn't make a huge difference to me as I am a double cleanser. It might make a difference to those who would use this as their sole cleanser. 

While I actually finished this whole tub during the course of this review, this was not my favourite out of the group mainly because I had a hard time rinsing it out of and around my eyes. The scent is really what kept me using it because I find eucalyptus so relaxing. I wanted to like this formula more than I did, but I wouldn't rule out purchasing it down the road.

Paula's Choice Omega Complex Cleansing Balm*

This stuff is FANTASTIC! Firstly, I was a bit annoyed that this was referred to as a cleansing balm as when have we ever seen a cleansing balm in a TUBE? When I started using it, I realized that it is a "mushy balm" with a slightly smoother texture. This hybrid consistency allows it to be in a tube which actually saves on some counter space which for me is very valuable real estate!

The way this cleansing balm melts and becomes a thick cleansing oil is so enjoyable and I will be so sad when I run out of this because it removes all waterproof eye makeup along with whatever else is on the face while leaving skin feeling like normal, plush skin thanks to the presence of omegas 3, 6 and 9. This balm rinses clean while using jojoba and meadowfoam seed oils to nourish the skin. Highly recommend this one! I only wish Paula's Choice was available in Canada...

Have you tried any of these cleansing balms? What are your favourite ways to cleanse?