Why you should be using cleansing balms
If you do not wash your face at night, then my heart hurts for you. Gone are the days of not washing off your makeup before bed, an extra glass of wine too many or not. One of the biggest reasons for breakouts or many facial irritation is likely related to the dirt and grime that accumulate throughout the day just from your daily habits and natural pollutants, in addition to the makeup or SPF you might have used. This has only gotten worse with mask-wearing.
Like most people in my early twenties, I did not take the time to develop a great skincare routine, and it was certainly not something that I held as a daily ritual the way I do now. I used makeup wipes to clean my face, and then I just assumed the rest of it rinsed off in the shower. This is likely why a lot of my acne persisted and ended up spreading as much as it did. Yes, I had cystic acne, so a lot of that is hormonal, but taking care of your skin and ensuring it is cleansed at the end of the day has a lot to do with how your skin reacts to treatments.
If you don’t wash your skin, then any products you are using aren’t even reaching their target because they are battling through the oils and pollution still on your skin. If you take one thing away from this post, let it be that you cleanse, and then cleanse again. Even if you don’t do anything else, do this.
If you are currently using makeup remover wipes, and consider that a part of your cleansing, then I hate to tell you, you are not cleaning your skin. Not only are makeup wipes terrible for the environment, but they are also just moving makeup and other buildup to other areas of your face. And while it might be satisfying to see what is coming off, I’ll give you something much more satisfying with a cleansing balm. Bottom line, avoid using makeup wipes unless it’s for a pre-workout makeup removal, or be sure you’re following up with a double cleanse.
In my opinion, the best way to cleanse your skin is using a cleansing balm, which is an oil-based almost waxy substance that will melt into an oil when you rub it between your hands. I know that foaming or exfoliating cleansers can be really sensually satisfying, but many of them actually do more damage than good to the surface of your skin, like dehydration or irritation.
Cleansing balms are great because they are better at breaking down the oils, grime or makeup on your face, but they also help your skin retain moisture instead of drying them out (this happens a lot with foaming cleansers because of the ingredients used to get that foamy texture). Because they are oil-based, they do a better job at attaching themselves to the pollutants, and then lifting them from the skin’s surface. I find them the most effective way to cleanse.
When I use my cleansing balms, you need a tiny amount for big results. I use mine with a microfiber wash cloth, and you will get that same makeup wipe satisfaction, because you can see how much actually comes off of your skin at the end of the day. If you have no desire to see the results, then I am going to show you mine because the more you know about what is on your skin, even without makeup, is truly enlightening.
So much is left behind, and all I had on was skincare + mascara.
When you cleanse, just take a dime sized amount of product, rub it between your hands until it melts, and then gently massage into your skin. You will begin to see makeup melting off- yes, you will look crazy. Then take a wet cloth, and gently wipe away the product. Repeat this process (you can use a tinier amount of balm this round), and then wipe away. You could also follow up with a different cleanser if you don’t want to use the balm round two. I really love this one. You can see my full routine on my Instagram.
I’ve tried quite a few cleansing balms over the last year, and I wanted to share my favorite picks. They all do the same thing, but vary in cost, scent, etc. Here are my favorite cleansing balms:
Ultimately, any of these are going to get the job done. I have used and really like all of them. In terms of cost effectiveness, the Drunk Elephant pick is going to be your most bang for your buck, with a similar price tag and more product than the Farmacy balm. However, The Drunk Elephant’s scentless smell is not my personal favorite. I do like the little spoon it comes with for scooping out product, simply because balm and fingernails kind of irks me (quick fix- push into the product with your nail down); Farmcy’s balm has a much fresher scent, at a great price point.
My top picks are going to be the Beautycounter cleansing balm, which is the most expensive of the bunch, and the ELEMIS pro-collagen balm. Both leave my skin feeling the most refreshed and hydrated, and have great scents and textures. For me, the Beautycounter is going to be a top pick, just based on the payoff from a small amount of balm, the scent, and that it makes a great hydrating face mask, or end of skincare routine facial oil, if you take just a tiny amount and press it into your skin. It does have the highest price point.
Whichever you choose, I highly recommend that you use it with a microfiber cloth to get the most payoff. Although it’s going to leave a different feeling than a traditional cleanser, your skin will be cleaner and stay hydrated, which really preps it for your skincare routine that follows. Let me know if you make the switch in the comments below!
**Please note that some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I am able to make a small commission on any purchases my readers make. I have tried and love each of these products, and wouldn’t post about something I did not use and approve of.**
