You're Missing Out on Glass Skin Without This Key Cleansing Step—Try These Holy Grails

If you have access to beauty content on popular social media platforms, then there's a good chance you've come across a mention of double cleansing. The practice has deep roots in K-Beauty and requires using two different types of cleansers to rid the skin of impurities: first, an oil-based cleanser or micellar water to remove any makeup or sunscreen, and then, a second gentle cleanser to melt away pollutants and debris that go unseen by the naked eye. Incorporating the double cleansing into your daily skincare routine can deliver smoother, brighter, and more even-toned complexion. That's right—you've just discovered the cheat code to glass skin.
As someone who has spent hours keeping tabs on which products in my skincare collection deliver the results I'm after, my standards for cleansers tend to be sky high. That's why I've settled on using cleansing balms into my double-cleansing routine. Not only are their gentle formulas enriched with conditioning and hydration-boosting ingredients, but they also create the perfect canvas for the skincare and makeup to follow. Plus, cleansing balms are an excellent alternative to straight oils since they can break down and remove everything from mascara to sunscreen with ease.
Feeling ready to commit to the balm life? I've got you covered. To get you started, I've rounded up 16 of the best cleansing balms out there for all of your double-cleansing needs and desired glass skin results with glowing five-star customer reviews and product intel. Happy scrolling!
The Best Cleansing Balms, Listed
- Best for Boosting Moisture: Sisley Paris Triple-Oil Balm Make-up Remover And Cleanser
- Best for a Night Routine: Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Balm
- Best for Delivering Antioxidants: Chantecaille Rose de Mai Cleansing Balm
- Best for Repairing the Skin: Augustinus Bader The Cleansing Balm
- Best for Versatile Use: Sunday Riley Blue Moon Clean-Rinse Cleansing Balm
The Best Cleansing Balms
1. Sisley Paris Triple-Oil Balm Make-Up Remover and Cleanser
This Sisley Paris decadent oil-based makeup remover and cleanser balm uses three nourishing and softening oils to revitalize your complexion. When used on the skin, the balm melts away into a delicate oil. On contact with water, the balm transforms into a milky emulsion for effortless cleansing with a soft finish.
Customer Review: "This balm is amazing. It feels wonderful on my face after a long day of work. I massage it all over my face and neck, then rinse it off with water. My makeup is removed and my skin feels so smooth and soft. Another amazing product from Sisley Paris!"
Key Ingredients: Babassu oil, shea oil, macadamia oil, mango butter, Alpha-Bisabolol
Pros: Combines three nourishing and softening oils for thorough cleansing
Cons: Luxury price point
Details: 4-ounce jar with plastic spatula applicator, fragrance-free
2. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Balm
This transformative night cleansing balm by Estée Lauder has a formula that is infused with 25% safflower seed oil, which nourishes and replenishes the skin. The buttery balm transforms into an oil once in contact with skin, but when water is added, it shifts into a cleansing milk that washes away without residue.
Customer Review: "This cleansing balm is so good. Leaves my skin feeling really clean and removes all make up including eye makeup. It's non-drying and leaves skin feeling so soft—it's the best!"
Key Ingredients: Lipid-rich oil infusion (including 25% safflower seed oil)
Pros: Formula cleanses the skin without disturbing the moisture barrier
Cons: None
Details: 2.0-ounce jar, fragranced
3. Goop Goopgenes Luminous Cleansing Balm
I discovered this cleansing balm a couple of years ago, and I'm still hooked. It uses a formula enriched with a medley of eight flower oil extracts to melt away makeup (including long-wear and waterproof formulas) and support a healthy skin barrier. It also comes with an organic-cotton cloth that helps remove remaining product.
Customer Review: "Luxurious balm washes the day off my face. It is soothing and smooth and leaves my face totally clean of makeup. It softens and hydrates."
Key Ingredients: Eight flower oil extracts (including jasmine, saffron, neroli and damask rose)
Pros: Delivers antioxidants and minerals to the skin to encourage a strong barrier
Cons: Moderate price point
Details: 3.0-ounce jar and organic-cotton cloth, fragrance-free
4. Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm
When it comes to cleansing balms that have been dominating my For You page, Then I Met You's Living Cleansing Balm takes the prize. This ultra-smooth award-winning cleanser gently removes pore-clogging oils and impurities while working to quickly melt away makeup and sunscreen. My always looks so much brighter after using it.
Customer Review: "I use this every night as part of my double cleanse along with the cleansing gel. It smells great and dissolves sunscreen and other impurities with ease. It also emulates well. A little also goes a long way. Will continue to use in the future."
Key Ingredients: Seaberry/sea buckthorn oil, persimmon extract, vitamin E
Pros: Visible dissolves makeup, sunscreen, excess sebum, and impurities
Cons: None
Details: 3.0-ounce jar, fragranced
5. Furtuna Skin Cleansing Oil Balm
When I'm hunting for a new cleansing balm to add to my skincare routine, I gravitate toward heavily botanically formulated products like the Cleansing Oil Balm by Furtuna Skin. It uses a nourishing blend of eight plant extracts, olive oil, olive leaf water, and more to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, excess sebum, and impurities.
Customer Review: "I love this cleansing oil. It is gentle and thorough, actually fun to apply. As suggested, I add water after rubbing it in, and it gets foamy. Then I wipe it off with a facecloth. It leaves my dry, sensitive skin feeling soft and moist and very clean. At night I follow up with some retinol, then [the] Furtuna Biphase Oil. My skin still feels soft and moist in the morning. Great stuff!"
Key Ingredients: Eight wild-foraged plant extracts (beet, chicory, mallow, poppy, verdolaga, white nettle, common nettle, common ash)
Pros: Decongests pores without stripping acne-fighting oils or drying skin
Cons: High price point
Details: 3.0-ounce jar with metal spatula applicator, fragranced
6. Kora Organics Active Algae Calming Cleansing Balm
If you haven't already found a way to incorporate algae into your skincare routine, you've been missing out. This Kora Organics cleaning balm uses micro algae and pineapple enzymes to gently exfoliate the skin while the additions of jojoba and squalene melt away impurities while working to balance moisture and oil levels.
Customer Review: "This product is such a great cleansing balm! A little goes a long way and this balm literally melts of any makeup and leaves my skin feeling clean and hydrated. Perfect for any dry skin girls like myself."
Key Ingredients: Pineapple enzymes, jojoba, squalene
Pros: Provides gentle exfoliation for a smoother, brighter complexion
Cons: Not ideal for removing eye makeup (especially waterproof mascara)
Details: 3.0-ounce jar, fragranced
7. Chantecaille Rose de Mai Cleansing Balm
If you know me, then you know I always have Chantecaille skincare in my beauty cabinet. Its Rose de Mai Cleansing Balm especially stands out to me because it instantly leaves my complexion looking fresh, hydrated, and dewy using three of my favorite ingredients: rosehip oil, raspberry stem cell extracts, and hyaluronic acid.
Customer Review: "A wonderful cleanser that is so gentle you can use it to remove eye makeup. I usually double cleanse by following up with the Rice and Geranium Foaming Cleanser also by Chantecaille. Both gentle and effective!"
Key Ingredients: Rose hip oil, tamanu oil, raspberry stem cell extracts, plant-based phytic acid, hyaluronic acid
Pros: Purifies and replenishes the skin while plant-based oils and extracts
Cons: High price point
Details: 3.0-ounce jar with metal scoop spatula applicator, fragranced
8. Augustinus Bader The Cleansing Balm
If you ask beauty editors which cleansing balm converted them to practicing double cleansing, there's a high chance Augustinus Bader's The Cleansing Balm will be mentioned. It's crafted with vitamin E and plant-based squalane, and melts into a milky oil for an ultra-gentle cleanse that rinses away makeup and dirt.
Customer Review: "I love this cleansing balm as a first cleanse. I think I've bought five of these already and will continue to keep using. Follow it up with a water-based cleanser at night and your skin will feel clean and hydrated!"
Key Ingredients: Avocado-oil fruit oil complex, coconut oil, squalane, vitamin E
Pros: Powered by the brand's patented TFC8 complex to support cellular renewal
Cons: High price point
Details: 3.0-ounce jar, fragrance-free
9. The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm
Yes, cleansing balms can come in tubes. The Oat Cleansing Balm by The Inkey List is one of my go-to's because it uses a combination of colloidal oatmeal and 3% oat kernel oil to remove makeup, SPF, and impurities in one swipe. It's my top choice for cold weather since my skin needs extra hydration and comfort.
Customer Review: "Absolute best cleanser for very sensitive as well as dry skin. It made a world of difference very quickly in strengthening my skin barrier and clearing blemishes. Very moisturizing and lightweight."
Key Ingredients: Oat kernel oil 3%, colloidal oatmeal
Pros: Formula soothes and comforts dry, tight, and sensitive skin
Cons: None
Details: 5.0-ounce tube (also available in mini 2.0-ounce tube), fragrance-free
10. Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm
Did you know some cleansing balms are crafted with mud? Omorvoicza's Thermal Cleansing balm, for example, uses calcium and magnesium-rich Hungarian Moor mud to draw out impurities without stripping moisture. The balm also features sweet almond oil and the brand's Healing Concentrate (a potent distillation of Budapest's thermal waters).
Customer Review: "Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm is an absolute game-changer! I cannot recommend this product enough. It has transformed my skincare routine and my skin has never looked better. If you're looking for a cleansing balm that truly delivers results, look no further than Omorovicza—it's a must-have in your skincare arsenal!"
Key Ingredients: Hungarian Moor mud, sweet almond oil, Omorovicza Healing Concentrate
Pros: Gently and effectively removes impurities and makeup from the skin
Cons: High price point
Details: 2.0-ounce jar, fragranced
11. Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
I began using the Pro-Collagen Original Cleansing Balm once I moved to New York City and had begun to notice a change in texture. Not only did the cleansing balm restore my complexion to its natural texture, but the product also gave my skin a natural glow and left it feeling soft. It also worked wonders on removing pesky waterproof eye makeup.
Customer Review: "This cleansing balm unclogs my pores and leaves my face clean at night. Melts away even the most stubborn eye makeup easily! The texture is super silky. I love how it feels on my skin."
Key Ingredients: Starflower oil, elderberry oil, Elemis Optimega oil (pressed wheatgerm and oat oils)
Pros: Removes long-wear makeup, daily grime, and surface pollutants
Cons: Moderately high price point
Details: 4.0-ounce jar (also available in 2.0-ounce and mini 1.0-ounce jars), fragrance-free
12. Indie Lee Cleansing Balm
Indie Lee's Cleansing Balm is one of my all-time favorites because it melts away makeup and impurities using a formula infused with kakadu plum and acerola to boost radiance, vitamin C–rich illawara and burdekin plums, and skin-soothing abyssinian and meadowfoam seed oils.
Customer Review: "I'm a purifying face wash stan, but this balm is the silkiest cleanser I've had the privilege of trying. Indie said it was addicting and she was so right, I use morning and night. It's so hydrating."
Key Ingredients: Kakadu plum, acerola fruit, illawara plum, burdekin plum, Abyssinian oil, meadowfoam seed oil
Pros: Softens, smooths, and conditions the skin for an all-natural glow
Cons: None
Details: 3.0-ounce tube, fragranced
13. Sunday Riley Blue Moon Clean-Rinse Cleansing Balm
I've been a longtime fan of Sunday Riley's impressive skincare, but I've only recently been introduced to their Blue Moon Clean-Rinse Cleansing Balm. It starts as a solid balm that transforms into a milk-like consistency to help rid your skin of all makeup and impurities without disrupting the skin's natural oils. It's also designed to double as a hydrating face mask.
Customer Review: "This is my favorite cleansing balm EVER. Make sure to emulsify in dry hands and use on dry face. I use it as step one in a double cleanse AM and PM! Can also be used as an ultra softening, moisturizing mask for those dry days."
Key Ingredients: Sugar-based cleansers, moringa butters, cocoa butter, blue tansy, German chamomile, tangerine and sweet orange essential oils, mimosa flower wax
Pros: Oil-infused formula gently washes away makeup and impurities from the skin
Cons: Moderate price point
Details: 4.0-ounce jar, fragrance-free
14. Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
For as long as I can remember, this cleansing balm has been a staple in my beauty cabinet. Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm gently removes the skin of makeup and impurities and rinses off completely. Its key ingredient, safflower seed oil, helps break up natural oil and dissolves makeup.
Customer Review: "I am so impressed by this product. It's just amazing. I wear full glam makeup, and without an issue, everything came off in one step! It's gentle and leaves my skin soft. I am 100% recommending this product, specifically if you have sensitive skin like me."
Key Ingredients: Safflower seed oil
Pros: Formula gently dissolves makeup and SPF, conditions lashes
Cons: None
Details: 4.0-ounce jar (also available in 6.7-ounce and travel size 1.0-ounce jars), fragrance-free
15. Bobbi Brown Extra Cleansing Balm
I love Bobbi Brown's extensive line of makeup, so it should be no surprise that I'm also a big fan of the brand's skincare. Its Extra Cleansing Balm, for example, cleanses and conditions your skin using a formula enriched with olive oil, glycerin, and orange oil. The later doubles as aromatherapy, as it wakes up the senses with its citrus notes.
Customer Review: "Bobbi Brown eye products are built to last, so I really need a cleanser to remove all the waterproof, stay-all-day beauties I put on my eyes. This cleanser starts as a balm and turns into a foam when you add water. Smells like heaven and is specially formulated with ingredients to remove all the makeup while leaving behind a cushion of moisture!"
Key Ingredients: Olive extract, glycerin, orange oil
Pros: Orange oil-infused formula wakes up the senses with notes of citrus
Cons: Moderate price point
Details: 3.0-ounce jar, fragranced
16. Tatcha The Indigo Cleansing Balm
If you love Tatcha's The Camellia Cleansing Oil, consider double cleansing with The Indigo Cleansing Balm. Designed for all skin types (but crafted specifically with sensitive skin in mind), this cleansing balm is formulated with a nourishing cocktail of Japanese indigo extract, cleansing lipids, and Hadasei-3 to remove makeup while supporting the skin's moisture barrier.
Customer Review: "I have been using the Tatcha cleansing oil for years, wanted to try something new and I have not been disappointed. The balm seems a little small, but a little also goes a long way. I even like using this in the mornings for when I want a more gentle cleanser."
Key Ingredients: Japanese indigo extract, cleansing lipids, Hadasei-3
Pros: Formulated with sensitive skin in mind
Cons: none
Details: 2.0-ounce jar and round, metal applicator, fragrance-free
Maya Thomas is Who What Wear's Associate Beauty Editor based in New York City. Her strong love for all things beauty and fashion stems from a strong childhood interest in the fine arts. During a gap year spent in Paris studying the history of French fashion, she shifted her focus to English literature and journalism as a student at Loyola Marymount University with the goal of one day pursuing a career in fashion. After graduating in May 2021, Maya began freelancing for Parade.com as a contributing commerce writer while also building a following on her lifestyle blog, Itsmayalala.com. When she's not writing, Maya spends her free time catching up on reading, perusing art galleries, and enjoying a night out at the ballet every now and then.
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