There are plenty of face washes out there, but the best cleansing balms stand out for their impressive makeup-melting abilities and skin-softening effects. This type of oil-based face wash is meant to be the first step in your double-cleansing routine, serving as the clean-up crew for sunscreen and stubborn makeup—they’re basically the reason our white washcloths stay pristine. Solid and dense, cleansing balms tend to contain nourishing ingredients like shea butter, grapeseed oil, glycerin, and vitamin E to leave skin feeling soft and bouncy once you rinse, whether you follow with a different water-based cleanser or not.
Below, we tapped board-certified dermatologists to learn more about how to find a cleansing balm you’ll look forward to using every night. Plus, shop our editors’ all-time favorites for washing makeup down the drain.
Our Top Cleansing Balms
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Overall: Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: Instead of having to use your fingers to scoop up product, Dr. Althea’s Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm has an innovative twist dispenser that shaves off as much of the balm as you need to get to cleansing—and, candidly, is what made our team intrigued to try it. Twist for more product on heavier makeup days, and less for just-sunscreen days. The smart packaging, along with Dr. Althea’s duo of soothing, redness-minimizing madecassoside and Centella asiatica extract, makes this a staple in our nighttime routines.
Tester feedback from commerce producer Sarah Hoffmann
“My main metrics for cleansing balms are how easily they remove makeup (specifically eye makeup) and how soft my skin feels afterwards. Dr. Althea’s Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm checks both of those boxes. The formula emulsifies so well and melts mascara, eyeliner, and the rest off like a total dream. My skin feels baby smooth and perfectly soft every time I use it. Plus, the grinder dispensing method means no searching for an applicator spoon and no dipping my hands into a pot of product (something I’ve always found semi-gross). Genius.” —Sarah Hoffmann, commerce producer
- Key ingredients: camellia sinensis seed oil, grapeseed oil, madecassoside, Centella asiatica (cica) extract
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Sensitive Skin: Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm
Clinique
Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: With a pared-back ingredient list and no fragrance, Clinique’s Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm was made for sensitive skin. This Allure Best of Beauty Award winner quickly removes layers of makeup (even waterproof formulas!) and SPF to prep your skin for the rest of your routine. One small scoop, which turns into a delicate, non-foaming oil as you lather it, is all you need for a thorough (but gentle) cleanse. After you rinse, you’ll notice baby-soft skin, thanks to safflower oil.
Tester feedback from shopping market editor Angela Trakoshis
“The Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm is chef’s kiss for melting away every trace of makeup—even the stubborn stuff, like waterproof mascara. It transforms from a silky balm to a gentle oil, leaving your skin clean, but never stripped.” —Angela Trakoshis, former shopping market editor
- Key ingredients: safflower oil, vitamin E
- Fragrance-free: yes
Best for Dry Skin: Origins Youthtopia Apple Butter Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: Origins’ Youthtopia Apple Butter Cleansing Balm is packed with hero moisturizers like shea butter and coconut oil, while glycerin pulls water into your skin to keep it hydrated. And yes, it’s also great at removing makeup and sunscreen, leaving room for the rest of your P.M. routine. We’re also fans of the handy squeeze bottle packaging, which (like our top overall pick) means you don’t have to stick your fingers directly into a jar.
Tester feedback from Allure contributor Christa Lee
“This cleansing balm’s delicious apple scent alone makes me excited to wash my face. The gel-like texture is a little more liquidy than balms that come in jars, but it melted away my waterproof mascara like a pro (with just a touch of micellar water needed for leftover smudges). My skin felt refreshed and rejuvenated afterward—definitely a new fave in my rotation.” —Christa Lee, Allure contributor
- Key ingredients: shea butter, glycerin, coconut oil
- Fragrance-free: no
Best for Redness: Banila Co. Clean It Zero Calming Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: If cleansing usually leaves your skin with a tight, dry feeling, the Banila Co. Clean It Zero Calming Cleansing Balm flips the script. Made with a blend of soothing cica extract, conditioning eucalyptus, and rosemary oils, this sorbet-like formula leaves skin with a silky-smooth texture while instantly breaking down full-coverage makeup. Like all of Banila Co.’s makeup-melting cleansing balms, this pick also contains onsen-sui, also known as Japanese hot springs water, for added soothing and hydrating benefits to unlock your bounciest skin yet.
Banila also makes an Enriching Butter Cleansing Balm that’s packed with superstar moisturizers like avocado oil, squalane, and shea butter, making it perfect for extra-dry skin.
Tester feedback from former commerce writer Jennifer Hussein
“My skin usually feels paper-dry after rinsing off during the colder months, but the Banila Co. Clean It Zero Calming Cleansing Balm has staved off dryness with its ultra-moisturizing, soothing formula. Its makeup-removing abilities are unmatched—this balm is how my skin survived having a full face of makeup on all Fashion Week long without a single breakout afterward.” —Jennifer Hussein, former commerce writer
- Key ingredients: olive fruit oil, Centella asiatica (cica) extract, jojoba seed oil, rosemary oil, eucalyptus oil, onsen-sui
- Fragrance-free: no
Best for Oily Skin: Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm
Then I Met You
Living Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: Another Allure Best of Beauty Award-winning formula, Then I Met You’s Living Cleansing Balm has invigorating scents of grapefruit and persimmon, and a cushiony, lightweight formula that won’t leave a greasy film behind (making it great for acne-prone or oily skin types). Its balm-to-oil formula contains brightening and sebum-regulating ingredients like persimmon extract, as well as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich oils derived from sea buckthorn, olives, and grapeseed to soothe and strengthen your barrier.
Tester feedback from commerce editor Sarah Han
“In the years since it launched (2018!), Then I Met You’s Best of Beauty-winning Living Cleansing Balm has, hands down, remained my ultimate. It breaks down my toughest makeup without irritating my eyes, leaves my skin feeling nourished post-rinse, and each sea buckthorn- and persimmon-infused scoop (the reason the balm is yellow!) smells divine—so much so, that other cleansing balms that smell waxy are an immediate turnoff.” —Sarah Han, commerce editor
- Key ingredients: sea buckthorn oil, olive oil, grapeseed oil, persimmon extract, vitamin E
- Fragrance-free: no
Best for Mature Skin: Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: The best-selling Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is a must-have for anyone trying to minimize fine lines and wrinkles mainly due to its dryness-reducing abilities, according to Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Laser & Skin Surgery Center in New York City and Southampton, New York. “This balm combines elderberry and rose oils to effectively dissolve makeup and sunscreen while leaving the skin soft and hydrated,” she says. For added conditioning, this nourishing cleansing balm also contains antioxidant vitamin E and moisture-sealing shea butter, which is why Elizabeth Geddes-Bruce, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas, also considers herself a fan of this cleanser. “If you want to splurge on an experience and use a product that does the job, too, then go for this,” she says.
“I use the Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm even on days I’m not wearing much makeup because the formula just makes my skin feel so soft and nourished. It has this gorgeous slip that makes it really satisfying to massage in—and when I am wearing a ton of SPF or waterproof makeup, it’s the perfect first step in my double cleanse.” —Christa Joanna Lee, contributing commerce writer
- Key ingredients: elderberry oil, rose oil, shea butter, vitamin E
- Fragrance-free: no
Best Budget: E.L.F. Jelly Pop Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm
E.L.F. Cosmetics
Jelly Pop Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: E.L.F.’s Jelly Pop Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm is all in on watermelon—and that strategy goes beyond its fresh, juicy scent. The star ingredient, watermelon fruit extract, is packed with antioxidants that can prevent damage from free radicals—molecules that your body creates in response to environmental stressors like sunlight and pollution. Together with hydrating glycerin and barrier-strengthening ceramides, it leaves skin feeling soft, smooth, and squeaky clean.
While E.L.F.’s Jelly Pop Cleansing Balm is limited-edition, the brand’s Holy Hydration Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm is here to stay—and just as tried-and-true. Also budget-friendly, it’s packed with hydrating glycerin and moisturizing ceramides, for soft, smooth skin that doesn’t feel too dried out. Han was surprised just how gentle and effective Holy Hydration was, and she liked the subtle scent, too: “It gives my more expensive balms a run for their money.”
Tester feedback from senior commerce editor Sarah Felbin
“This checks every cleansing balm box for me: I only need to use a little, it takes off all of my makeup in one pass (even waterproof formulas!), and it doesn’t sting my eyes or blur my vision. Bonus points for the cute little plastic scoop inside that helps measure the right amount of balm every time and the light—but refreshing—watermelon scent.” —Sarah Felbin, senior commerce editor
- Key ingredients: glycerin, watermelon fruit extract, ceramides
- Fragrance-free: no
Frequently Asked Questions
How are cleansing balms different from traditional facial cleansers?
Cleansing balms are oil-based formulas that can break down stubborn makeup, SPF, and excess oil more easily than your usual gel face wash alone. They’re “a great first step for removing makeup [and sunscreen] before using a traditional cleanser to clean the pores out effectively,” explains board-certified dermatologist Arash Akhavan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. Due to their gentler, moisturizing nature, these balmy cleansers are ideal makeup remover options for those with dry skin and eczema, Dr. Akhavan says. (Just make sure you opt for a fragrance-free option if you have sensitive skin.)
How do I use a cleansing balm?
Application-wise, Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Hamden, Connecticut, previously recommended massaging cleansing balms “three times around the face with gentle pressure.” After a thorough massage, splash on some warm or cool (never hot) water to emulsify before washing it all off. Or, you can use a clean, wet washcloth to gently wipe away the product. Complete your double-cleansing routine with a water-based face wash, and you’ll notice how clean your skin looks and feels.
Meet the experts
- Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Laser & Skin Surgery Center in New York City and Southampton, New York
- Elizabeth Geddes-Bruce, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology in Austin, Texas
- Arash Akhavan, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based at the Dermatology and Laser Group in New York City
- Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Hamden, Connecticut
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.