Keep skin feeling clean and moisturized this winter with cleansing balms from Elemis, Clinique
— Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.
Gone are the days of single-use makeup wipes and harsh astringents. Nowadays, cleansing balms are (thankfully!) all the rage. While the skincare staple is great to use all year round, it’s a particularly smart add to your winter cleansing routine, thanks to most formulations’ ability to lock in hydration, maintain the skin’s natural moisture barrier (the outermost layer of the skin) and remove the day’s makeup and skincare products for a fresh-feeling face.
Get on the nice list. Sign up for our newsletter to get all the best gift guides, deals and holiday planning advice.
1. To remove stubborn makeup: Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm
I'm a self-proclaimed beauty buff and no stranger to the skincare game. I've searched high and low for the best products to care for my oily T-zone and dry counterparts, and the Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm passed my makeup removal test from day one. It doesn’t strip away any moisture and instead leaves my skin feeling hydrated. It's also excellent at removing stubborn mascaras, eyeliners and SPFs.
The balm contains moisturizing ingredients, such as vitamin E, jojoba oil and avocado oil. Scoop a dime-sized amount from the jar, apply it to dry skin and gently massage into the skin with wet fingertips to dissolve makeup and clean the skin. Rinse and pat dry before following up with moisturizer.
2. To hydrate the skin: Cerave Cleansing Balm
You likely know that hydration is key for keeping your skin happy during the winter. Meet Cerave's Cleansing Balm. It's non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores, and uses jojoba oil to keep the skin feeling moisturized post-cleanse. This formula, like all Cerave products, also contains a combination of three ceramides that maintain the skin's moisture barrier.
Use your fingertips to scoop out a pearl-sized amount and massage it into dry skin in gentle circular movements, then rinse and pat dry. Note: Cerave suggests steering clear of using this directly on your eyes, meaning that it’s not a good pick for removing eye makeup.
3. To gently exfoliate skin: Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm
Exfoliating helps slough away dead skin cells, which you may find you have more of during the dry months. Farmacy's Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm exfoliates without stripping the skin. It aims to remove built-up oils and waterproof or long-wearing makeup using a combination of ingredients, like sunflower and ginger root oils. Along with the oils, the formula contains turmeric and moringa extracts to remove impurities, dirt and sunscreen oil. Meanwhile, papaya enzymes gently exfoliate the pores for a cleaner feel.
Use the included spatula to scoop out product, gently massage it into dry skin until it turns into a "milky lather" and then an oil consistency. Rinse with warm water or a damp washcloth.
4. To reduce redness: The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm
The Inkey List is a skincare brand beloved by many for its ability to combine affordable prices with straightforward formulas (i.e., most products are named for their active ingredient). The brand’s Oat Cleansing Balm tackles both redness and dryness, which are two of the most common wintertime skin ailments.
The cleanser contains oat kernel oil, a moisturizing ingredient as well as colloidal oatmeal, which works to reduce redness and soothe irritated skin. (If you live in a particularly windy location, this is the one for you!) Gently massage a raspberry-size amount into dampened skin in the morning and at night. Rinse and follow up with your serums and moisturizer.
5. To tackle uneven texture: Youth To The People Superberry Dream Cleansing Balm
Youth To The People’s Superberry Dream Cleansing Balm contains a handful of moisturizing ingredients, including hyaluronic acid and sunflower, moringa and jojoba seed oils. The formula also claims to treat uneven texture thanks to antioxidants from superberries (goji, maqui and acai).
Using dry hands, massage the product into dry skin until the balm has transformed into an oil. Wet your hands and continue massaging it in until it emulsifies into a milk, then rinse the skin.
6. To melt away long-wearing makeup: Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
Add Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm to your cart if your typical makeup look includes waterproof products or ones that claim to last upwards of 12 hours. The balm's main ingredient is safflower seed oil, a moisturizing ingredient that contains makeup-dissolving linoleic acid.
Use your fingertips to gently massage the formula into your skin until it turns into a silky oil consistency. Rinse well with warm water, then pat dry.
7. To protect the skin barrier: E.L.F. Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm
Touted for its affordable price and effective formula, the E.L.F. Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm is another great option to add into your skincare routine. The product contains moisturizing superstars like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, peptides and amino acids that all together aim to provide the skin with moisture and protection.
Scoop a dime-sized amount of formula with the included spatula, massage the product into dry skin and then use wet fingertips to massage in circular motions. Rinse with warm water or a dampened cloth.
8. To lock in skin's moisture: Milk Makeup Hydro Ungrip Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm
Milk Makeup is probably most well known for its wide array of makeup products, but the brand also makes skincare item, including the Hydro Ungrip Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm. It’s made with a combination of hydrating ingredients including blue agave extract, hyaluronic acid and aloe, ensuring that moisture is locked in after use.
Apply a generous amount of formula to the skin and gently massage it into dry skin, focusing on areas with stubborn or waterproof makeup. Add water, then massage into a milky lather and rinse with warm water.
9. To minimize pores: Belif Aqua Bomb Cleansing Balm
You may find yourself wearing less makeup during the winter and instead focusing solely on skincare and hydration. Without any makeup, the Belif Aqua Bomb Cleansing Balm claims to minimize the look of pores for a smoother complexion. Lotus flower works to cleanse dirt and impurities while marshmallow root helps protect and moisturize the skin. Lastly, lady’s mantle, a plant-based additive, has naturally occurring antioxidants that minimize the appearance of pores.
Use the included spatula to take out a generous amount of the product. Apply it to dry skin and massage it in until it becomes an oil. Thoroughly rinse with water to remove all the oil before moving on with your routine.
10. To even out dullness: Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Smoothing Enzyme Cleansing Balm
Deal with dull-looking skin in the winter months? The Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Smoothing Enzyme Cleansing Balm aims to resurface the skin by exfoliating with papaya enzymes, resulting in a brighter, more even skin tone. Its primary active ingredients include papaya seed oil, which keeps skin feeling hydrated, and blueberry extract, an additive that protects from environmental stressors, like pollution.
Massage the formula into dry skin for up to one minute. Add water and continue to massage to let the solution emulsify, then rinse with lukewarm water.
Make holiday shopping easy with help from our experts. Sign up for text message alerts to get deals, gift guides and shopping advice delivered straight to your phone.
The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews and more.
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
This article originally appeared on Reviewed: 10 cleansing balms to clean and moisturize the skin from Elemis, Clinique
