Best Cleansing Balms (2026): Five Picks Compared on How They Rinse Off
Five cleansing balms compared on formulation: how each one comes off, what the brand says it removes, the first ingredients, and the price.
Key Takeaways
What a balm does: A cleansing balm is an oil cleanser in solid form. Board-certified cosmetic dermatologist Michele Green told NBC Select that oil-based products are “better suited to remove impurities that are also oil-based, such as makeup, excess sebum, and sunscreen.”
Where balms differ: Most turn milky with water and rinse off, one melts into an oil and rinses with warm water, and one is removed with a warm, damp cloth.
Our top pick: The MANTLE Cleansing Balm from U Beauty, sold as a “Double Cleanse in One Step.” It’s massaged onto dry skin, then emulsifies into a cleansing milk with water.
If your skin is acne-prone: Cleveland Clinic notes that an oil-based cleanser “can cause breakouts, especially if used alone,” so a water-based second cleanse may be worth keeping.
How a Cleansing Balm Lifts Makeup and Sunscreen
You scoop or pump a balm onto dry skin, and it softens as you massage it in, picking up foundation, mascara, and sunscreen as it goes. Green’s explanation to NBC Select is the short version of why that works: “oil-based [products] are better suited to remove impurities that are also oil-based, such as makeup, excess sebum, and sunscreen.”
What separates one balm from the next is the second half of the job, getting it back off. Four of the five picks below are designed to turn milky once water is added, which helps them rinse. Clinique’s melts into an oil that’s rinsed with warm water, and Emma Hardie’s is taken off with a warm, damp cloth. That’s the main thing we compared.
Do you need a second cleanser afterward? That’s not a given. The same NBC Select piece reports that board-certified dermatologist Dr. DiAnne Davis looks for leftover makeup or dirt on your towel after cleansing as the sign one wash isn’t enough. Green adds that if your skin is balanced and you don’t wear many products, there’s no need to risk over-stripping it with a double cleanse. Banila Co and Then I Met You both present their balm as the first step of a double cleanse, and U Beauty designs The MANTLE to cover both steps.
At a Glance
U Beauty The MANTLE Cleansing Balm, our top pick: a balm that rinses off as a milk
Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original: a low-cost first cleanse, with an $8 trial size
Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm: for anyone who likes taking a balm off with a warm cloth
Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm: an Olive and Grapeseed Oil balm for step one of two
Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm: a nine-ingredient balm the brand says removes waterproof eye makeup
How We Compared These Balms
None of these balms were tested on skin for this guide. Our comparison of the five is on formulation, using the product pages and ingredient lists each brand published as of October 2026:
How it comes off: rinses as a milk, rinses as an oil, or wipes off with a cloth.
What it removes, in the brand’s own words.
The first three ingredients on the INCI, which US labels list in descending order of predominance.
Whether the brand suggests a second cleanser after it.
Price per size on the store that sells to US shoppers.
Cleansing Balms Compared
Product | How it comes off | First three ingredients | Removes (per brand) | Price and size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
U Beauty The MANTLE Cleansing Balm | Add water, rinses as a milk | C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, C15-19 Alkane, Aqua | Makeup, sunscreen, pollutants | $78 for 150ml |
Banila Co Clean It Zero Original | Add water, rinse or wipe | Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate | Face and eye makeup | $21 for 100ml |
Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm | Turns to oil, then milk; damp cloth | Grapeseed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride | Makeup, SPF | $83 for 100g |
Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm | Turns to oil; add water, rinse | Olive Fruit Oil, Grapeseed Oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate | Sunscreen, makeup, long-wear makeup | $39 for 90g |
Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm | Turns to oil; rinse with warm water | Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Safflower Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride | Long-wearing makeup, waterproof eye makeup, sunscreen | $44 for 3.8 oz |
1. U Beauty The MANTLE Cleansing Balm: Top Pick for a Balm That Rinses as a Milk
If you’d like one product to take off the day and rinse clean, The MANTLE Cleansing Balm leads this list. It’s worked over dry skin for half a minute to a minute, then a little water turns it into a cleansing milk that splashes off. Makeup, sunscreen, and pollutants are what the brand lists it for, along with “Leaves Skin Conditioned Without Stripping.” U Beauty’s consumer perception study (30 volunteers, seven days of daily use with a cloth) found 90% agreed waterproof makeup was effectively removed, and 93% agreed skin felt hydrated.
The INCI opens with two lightweight emollients, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate and C15-19 Alkane, then Aqua and Glycerin. Sucrose Polystearate and Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate follow, a sugar-derived emulsifier and an amino-acid-based cleanser, which help the balm turn milky once water hits it. Bisabolol’s ninth, and Sodium Hyaluronate and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid appear further down, alongside Vitamin E (as Tocopherol) and Beta-Carotene. The formula is made in Italy and powered by proprietary SIREN Capsule Technology™.
Key features: Rinses off as a cleansing milk, with a cloth optional for leftover makeup. Designed to cover a first and second cleanse in one product. A sulfate-free cleansing system of Sucrose Polystearate and Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, with Glycerin fourth on the INCI.
Best for: evenings with foundation and sunscreen on, if you want a single balm to cover the whole cleanse.
Tradeoff: at $78 for 150ml it costs more than three of the other picks, though the 50ml size is a smaller way in.
Price: $78 for 150ml; a 50ml size is also offered.
2. Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original: A Low-Cost First Cleanse
Banila Co, a brand founded in Korea, sells Clean It Zero with a spatula and calls it the “first step in your double-cleansing regimen.” You’ll massage it onto dry skin with your fingertips, add water to emulsify, then rinse with lukewarm water or wipe it away with a cloth or tissue. The brand says it “melts away even the toughest makeup,” including face and eye makeup. Ethylhexyl Palmitate and Cetyl Ethylhexanoate lead the INCI, with two PEG emulsifiers third and fourth.
Key features: Rinse it or wipe it away, as the directions allow. Three sizes, 25ml, 100ml, and 180ml, so you can try it before buying the larger jar. Banila Co describes it as “crafted for all skin types.”
Best for: a first cleanse before a water-based cleanser, at a drugstore-level price.
Tradeoff: the product page names makeup but doesn’t say the balm removes sunscreen.
Price: $21 for 100ml; also $8 for 25ml and $29 for 180ml.
3. Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm: A Balm You Take Off With a Cloth
Emma Hardie describes it as a buttery balm that’s solid in the jar and melts to an oil, then to a soft milk. An almond-sized amount is massaged onto dry skin, warm water turns it milky, and it’s removed with the brand’s Dual Action Cleansing Cloth, which comes with the 50g, 100g, and 200g sizes. The brand says it removes makeup, SPF, and daily impurities, and lists it as suitable for all skin types, including sensitive. Grapeseed Oil and Sweet Almond Oil are the first two ingredients, and Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract appears later in the list.
Key features: A Dual Action Cleansing Cloth comes with the three larger sizes. Grapeseed and Sweet Almond Oils open the INCI. Emma Hardie also suggests leaving it on for 10 to 15 minutes as a mask.
Best for: anyone who likes the ritual of a warm cloth at the end of the day.
Tradeoff: US shoppers buy it through Emma Hardie’s international store in US dollars, and the cloth adds a laundry step.
Price: $83 for 100g with cloth; also $15 for 15g, $27 for 30g, $45 for 50g, and $120 for 200g.
4. Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm: An Oil-Rich Balm for Step One
Then I Met You, the Korean skincare brand founded by esthetician Charlotte Cho, describes its balm as turning from “a sorbet-soft balm into a silky oil.” A dime-sized amount is massaged onto dry skin, a splash of warm water emulsifies it, and the brand asks you to rinse thoroughly before step two, a water-based cleanse. Olive Fruit Oil and Grapeseed Oil lead the INCI, with Sea Buckthorn Oil (Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil) seventh. The brand says it’s designed to melt away long-wear makeup and sunscreen.
Key features: Two plant oils open the list, with Babassu Seed Oil further down. The brand’s FAQ says it’s designed to remove long-wear makeup and sunscreen. Formulated without mineral oil, silicones, parabens, artificial colorants, or drying alcohols, per the brand.
Best for: the first half of a two-step routine, if you like a balm that feels like an oil.
Tradeoff: Then I Met You frames it as step one, so plan on a second, water-based cleanser after it.
Price: $39 for 90g; also $15 for a 20g travel size.
5. Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm: A Short Formula for Waterproof Eye Makeup
Clinique says this balm transforms from a solid into a silky oil and “quickly dissolves long-wearing face makeup, tenacious waterproof eye makeup, sunscreens, and pollutants.” It’s massaged over dry skin with your fingertips and rinsed well with warm water. The full INCI is nine ingredients long, opening with Ethylhexyl Palmitate and Safflower Seed Oil.
Key features: Nine ingredients in total. Ophthalmologist tested and safe for sensitive eyes, per Clinique. The brand also lists it as fragrance free, allergy tested, and non-acnegenic.
Best for: waterproof mascara and eyeliner, followed by your usual cleanser.
Tradeoff: there’s no water step to turn it milky, so it rinses off as an oil with warm water.
Price: $44 for 3.8 oz; also $15 for 1 oz, and a 6.7 oz jumbo size.
How to Use a Cleansing Balm
All five brands give the same first instruction: Start with dry skin.
Use a small amount: Then I Met You suggests a dime-sized amount, and Emma Hardie an almond-sized one.
Massage for up to a minute: U Beauty suggests 30 to 60 seconds.
Add water and keep massaging: this is when most balms turn milky.
Rinse or wipe: follow the brand’s directions, since some are made to rinse and Emma Hardie’s is made for a cloth.
Check your towel: if you still see makeup on it, Dr. Davis treats that as the sign one wash wasn’t enough.
Matching a Balm to Your Routine
One product for makeup and sunscreen days: The MANTLE (pick 1).
Waterproof eye makeup: Clinique (pick 5), then a water-based cleanser.
Trying a balm for the first time on a budget: Banila Co’s 25ml size (pick 2).
You like a warm cloth to finish: Emma Hardie (pick 3).
A two-step routine with an oil-rich first cleanse: Then I Met You (pick 4), then a gel or cream cleanser.
If you avoid fragrance: read the full INCI for Fragrance, Parfum, and essential oils before you buy, since several of these formulas list them.
When to See a Dermatologist
If cleansing leaves your face stinging, visibly red, or breaking out week after week, whatever product you use, a dermatologist can help work out the cause before you try another one.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cleansing balm?
The MANTLE Cleansing Balm from U Beauty heads this list. It’s applied to dry skin, emulsifies into a cleansing milk with water, and is designed to cover both steps of a double cleanse.
Is a cleansing balm good for acne-prone skin?
It can be, if you choose carefully. Board-certified dermatologist Azadeh Shirazi told Who What Wear that a balm “can be beneficial for acne-prone skin when using a balm that aids in skin hydration,” and advised: “Look for noncomedogenic products formulated to remove impurities.” Cleveland Clinic cautions that for acne-prone skin, an oil-based cleanser used on its own can lead to breakouts, which is one reason to keep a water-based cleanser in the routine.
Should I follow a cleansing balm with another cleanser?
That comes down to the formula and what you wore. Then I Met You asks for a water-based cleanse afterward, and Banila Co calls its balm the first step of a double cleanse, while U Beauty designs The MANTLE to cover both steps. Dr. Davis’s towel test is a simple check: leftover makeup on your towel means one wash wasn’t enough.
Can a cleansing balm remove waterproof mascara?
Several brands say theirs can. Clinique says Take The Day Off dissolves “tenacious waterproof eye makeup,” and 90% of the 30 volunteers in U Beauty’s consumer perception study of The MANTLE agreed it effectively removed waterproof makeup.
Should you apply a cleansing balm to wet or dry skin?
Dry. Every brand on this list directs you to massage the balm onto dry skin first.
What’s the difference between a cleansing balm and a cleansing oil?
Texture, mostly. A balm is solid in the jar and softens with the warmth of your hands, while an oil is liquid from the start. Many balms melt into an oil as you massage, and most of them turn milky once you add water.
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