For some time, micellar waters have been my go-to first cleanse. I think I’ve tried a dozen of them. Some have made it to the blog, others have not. However, during winter I switched my first cleansing routine to only use an oil or a balm-based cleanser. Though I haven’t found my absolute favorite yet, my love for micellar waters has declined. While I do like their quick swipe-and-off nature, oil cleansers are just simply superior to breaking down makeup and sunscreen. It could definitely just be a coincidence, but I’ve just experienced a much clearer complexion when using oil cleansers on a regular basis than when I used to use micellar waters. Not to mention the possible factor of cotton pads scratching and aggravating the skin. Nevertheless, double cleaning has been very helpful for my skin overall.
This post was originally published on May 30th, 2018.
Banila Co. | Purifying Cleansing Balm
★★★★☆
Banila Co. is a Korean beauty brand that’s most known for its Clean It Zero cleansing balms. They offer them in four different formulations, Original (Normal/Combo), Nourishing (Normal/Dry), Revitalizing (Combo/Oily), and Purifying (Acne/Sensitive). There’s also a foaming cleanser in the range. The one I’m testing is their balm for sensitive skin, which is formulated without mineral oil, a few other ingredients, and they’ve replaced fragrance with essential oils that are located last. In the new updated versions, all of the cleansing balms are free from mineral oil and none of them contain essential oils. The balms come in a 100ml jar with a spoon for an easy and hygienic application.
Experience
The owner before me must have had extremely sensitive and compromised skin as my skin just doesn’t seem bothered by it at all. What I do like about this balm is that it comes with a spoon. I also love how easy it washes away with only water, no cloth needed! In the newly formulated version the scent from essential oils has been replaced with synthetic fragrance. The scent is now more candy-like than herbal. I personally would’ve preferred it not having any scent at all, and find the new scent on the purifying cleansing balm a bit childish. But the scent is at least mild.
The purifying balm melts to a very watery consistency. And though I like that it’s far away from that thick and grippy texture Pixi cleansing balm has, I’d love for it to be slightly balmier as you massage it in.
It dissolves my makeup and sunscreen perfectly and provides a great base for my second cleanser. My skin feels hydrated, clean and calm, and you don’t even need to use a lot of product!
Conclusion
Except for the scent and minor changes in the base, I don’t feel like much has changed texture-wise with the new formula. It still won’t become my favorite solely based on the texture, as I’d like it to be slightly thicker. Not to mention that I’d prefer it to be completely fragrance-free. So it’s a solid four stars. I’d love to try the other formulas, especially the original now that they’ve ditched the mineral oil.
Whether I prefer cleansing oils or balms is still up to debate. I find both formulas to be similar but also different. For instance, I have a cleansing oil that has a thicker viscosity than the Clean It Zero Purity balm. A balm doesn’t have to be thick, and an oil cleanser doesn’t always have to be very liquid. It’s more about finding one that feels nice to use and that your skin likes too!
What’s your favorite balm cleanser?
Share in the comments below!
