One of the most important steps in makeup for me is taking it all off at the end of the day. I’ve never really been too fussed about cleansers, especially oil cleansers because most of them actually remove surface makeup. There have been some exceptions though! However, I have come across some that do not remove waterproof makeup. As of late, I have been almost exclusively reaching for my Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm. It brings me so much joy to use!
My skin type
Oily; really, really oily. I feel like I wear loads of makeup for the most part; foundation, concealer, powder, all that jazz.
What it’s supposed to do
Remove all your makeup and cleanse your face. I use a second cleanser after this; either Neostrata’s Glycolic Foaming Wash or Erborian’s Cleansing Foam. The balm also claims to promote a more evenly-toned skin tone by way of Cichoric Acid, which I am skeptical about. I have not noticed any change in my acne scars even though I have been reaching for this more than any other first cleanser.
Ingredients
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Peg-10 Isostearate, Polyethylene, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Amino Esters-1, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Amber Powder, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Water/ Aqua/ Eau, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Citric Acid.
How I use it
The cleansing balm comes with a handy dandy spatula to scoop out the appropriate amount of balm. You don’t need a whole heap of it; I’d say I use about the size of a peanut M&M. I scoop out some balm and apply it to my dry face, massaging all the makeup and yuckies out of my skin. I rinse with warm water and follow up with a second cleanser.
What I like about it
I love, love, love the smell! It smells like lime sherbet! I also love that it removes all traces of makeup, even waterproof eye makeup without much effort. It melts from a balm to an oil with ease and is a pleasure to use. It doesn’t burn or irritate my eyes, and I always open my eyes to see if I have removed every trace of makeup.
What could be better
While I appreciate the spatula, the plastic protective covering it comes attached to sometimes gets stuck into the lid of the jar and I find it hard to pry out. I also thought it was quite pricey because I am used to kbeauty cleansing balm prices. This cleansing balm is $34.00 so be prepared to drop some dollars on this.
Joy Factor
On a scale of 1-10, this cleansing balm is an 10! It does everything it’s supposed to, has a pleasant fragrance, and I enjoy using it. I have tried the brand’s Skin Dew Mist and even though it was pricey, it also brought me great joy to use. I recently chose their Sleeping Balm and Honey Potion Mask as a 250 point reward from Sephora and those bring me great joy to use as well. I think Farmacy is on to something, although I can’t quite say what it is!
Where to indulge
Sephora | Farmacy | Cult Beauty (UK)
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