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

Sasha Mei with a glowy, sun-kissed complexion

(Image credit: @sasha.mei)

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

The Best Cleansing Balms

1. Sisley Paris Triple-Oil Balm Make-Up Remover and Cleanser

2. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Cleansing Balm

3. Goop Goopgenes Luminous Cleansing Balm

4. Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm

5. Furtuna Skin Cleansing Oil Balm

6. Kora Organics Active Algae Calming Cleansing Balm

7. Chantecaille Rose de Mai Cleansing Balm

8. Augustinus Bader The Cleansing Balm

Megan Adelaide with flushed cheeks and healthy-looking skin

(Image credit: @meganadelaide)

9. The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm

10. Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm

11. Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm

12. Indie Lee Cleansing Balm

13. Sunday Riley Blue Moon Clean-Rinse Cleansing Balm

14. Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

15. Bobbi Brown Extra Cleansing Balm

16. Tatcha The Indigo Cleansing Balm

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Maya Thomas
Associate Beauty Editor

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.