Aromatic Cleansing Balm with Rosewood

Darphin products seem to work really well for me, and this is near the top of the list of my favorite products from them. The instructions say to apply on wet skin, but I actually prefer to use on dry skin, and really massage it into my skin. The extra stimulation seems to add to the brightening, clarifying effect I get with any cleansing balm, but a thick formula like this in particular. My skin feels clean and bouncy, and I’m pretty certain this jar is what heaven smells like. The price is obscene but I only use it in the winter months. $49 for a 1.2 ounce heavy glass jar at Nordstrom, Anthropologie, and other retailers.

This is a treat because of the scent. I like to buy a travel size and take it on vacay with me. As a cleanser, its does the job well, but not a good value. Elemis is a similar experience but at a much better price point.

I'm a big believer in cleansing balms, just love the ritual and the results. I'm also convinced that I get much fewer breakouts after starting using balms instead of milks, cleansing is just more throughout. Of course couldn't miss Darphin's luxurious offering. Let me tell you, at first I hated it. I was used to applying the balms on dry skin, massage and then add water to emulsify and rinse. This one would not melt properly, feel so sticky and would literally have to drag it around my face. A great amount would be required and my skin would be left irritated. Then I decided to follow the instructions on the packaging and apply it on wet face. That's when it started working! It does remove makeup as a first cleanse - I always follow with a gentle foaming face wash afterwards - and the ylang ylang scent ia just heavenly. Overall I'd say it's a good product although I prefer balms used on dry skin since it's less messy, without water dripping around. Also it's puzzlingly expensive - 36€ - for the 40ml you get. The Body Shop's offering which is a firm favourite of mine is around half the price for double the amount and Clinique's TTDO Balm comes in a huge tub 5x the amount of Darphin's. I estimate it lasted around 1.5 month with everyday use. Might get it again sometime since I loved the scent but won't be anytime soon.

If you want to try a luxurious, wonderfully scented and remarkably effective cleanser, you would be hard-pressed to go awry with this one from Darphin. It is hideously expensive - $45 for a 40 ml pot. However, I have enjoyed using it so much, I have no doubt that I'll be buying more. The balm is a kind of waxy cream texture. It smells like nothing else I've sniffed - an herbal, woodsy blend of marula oil, sage, ylang, and rosewood. The ingredients are nothing too magical; mostly, they are a blend of glycerin and oils that solidify at room temperature. I find that they combine to great effect, though. To use this, I scoop out a nickel-sized dab and rub between wet palms. You'll find it starts to emulsify immediately. I then massage all over my face. I use this as a second cleanser. It works as a first cleanser/make-up remover, but I have to use an amount that makes me shudder. As a second cleanser, it is lovely at picking up any stray oil cleanser that remains on my skin and making it feel perfectly clean and toned. No tightness, no irritation, no residue.

I bought this product for myself as a treat. This cleansing balm is so so, so nice, and so, so expensive. As a cleansing balm, it does what's it's supposed to -- removes makeup, cleanses effectively, is gentle, and smells really therapeutic. It's an elegant formula, and truly a joy to use. However, it's quite costly, and it's not like it's an enormous jar that takes six months to use up. I probably won't repurchase, just because I think it's better to spend $$$ on treatments rather than a cleanser. If you're looking for a more reasonably priced balm cleanser, Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm is excellent. If money is no object and you want to treat yourself, you'll love the Darphin.

A lovely thick balm perfect for a morning or second cleanse post makeup removal. I do use as a makeup remover also but only because I'm trying to use up the hoard of products I own before buying any more. It's very thick, and I use approximately a large pea sized amount for my first cleanse, enough to get some slip and movement, and get my tinted moisturiser and SPF breaking down. Second cleanse I use less to allow for grip and get a good massage in the process, stimulating blood flow to the skin to help improve my scarring from acne. (Unfortunately!) It smells heavenly. I usually use a hot flannel to remove but it does emulsify too - and I have used this method when I have had no clean flannels! However - even upon emulsifying it does not rinse completely clean and a slight residue is left behind - I can't really compare to any other balm as I've never experienced one like it before. Luckily I haven't suffered with congestion from the residue. However I would tread carefully if you are prone to spots or congestion due to the residue it leaves. I always follow up with acid toners, serums, oils, moisturisers etc. It's a lovely balm experience, one of my favourites. If you really take the time to massage around the areas of congestion (for me around the sides of my nose and on my chin) and follow with an acid toner or treatment, your skin feels smoother and less congested/bumpy. Will definitely buy again one day but not until I've used my other products up! Price wise I managed to buy it for £16 at TK Maxx which is fantastic and I've seen it around £22 on discount beauty sites. But RRP is around £33 so on the expensive side for only 40ml!

No doubt about the luxuriant aromatic credentials of this product. Unfortunately, congested pores ensued. Perhaps drier complexions would fare better?

This is an luxurious face cleanser. I was looking for a facial cleanser that remove makeup thoroughly and doesn't need to use a facial wash again like some cleansing oil. I don't apply heavy makeup usually and want something to clean well my waterproof sunblock and BB cream. After reading some blogs and think this just the one meet my need. It does need my need perfectly expect the price of course. Thank god I got it when it was on sale, two for almost half price. It cleans makeup very well, but not so good with some persistent glitter (rarely happened). I do use a separate eye makeup remover as it's my habit and they do better job on waterproof mascara and eye liner. Overall, it has a beautiful smell. I use a bit less than grape size (just enough to cover and massage my face to save money) on my dry face and massage with dry hands. Emulsify two times and wash it off with water. It's a treat during the process and my skin feel clean, soft and refresh afterward. As the sales said, I don't need to wash my face again like some cleansing oil. The jar isn't big but it does last longer than I think. I would recommend this to people who have lots of money to spent on skincare and wish to have a luxurious facial cleansing treat. As for me, I will only buy this again when it's on sale and I feel in need to pamper myself.

After reading the ingredients, I had been lemming this product for quite awhile. I am a long term Nude Skin Care Cleansing Oil user. As I was running out, I decided to try this for a change. First of all, although it does remove eye makeup as well as the cleansing oil, it is not really intended for the eyes and it stings a tiny bit. I do not see why I should use an eye makeup remover too when I am already happy with the cleansing oil which both removes eye makeup and cleanses all in one step. Also, no matter how much I try to emulsify the balm before applying it, I still feel a slightly waxy residue after ringsing very well. Finally, this product leaves my skin slightly tighter feeling than the cleansing oil. And, it is way more expensive to use. The cleansing oil is $36 and lasts me 6 months or more. I used the balm, which costs $45, around 5 times and I am already 1/3 finished the jar.

I have been using this cleanser for a year now and it's the cleanser I always go back to if I try a new one. my skin is quite oily down the t zone but the rest of my face is normal, the product doesnt stop spots forming but due to my hormones i dont think anything would stop them coming, I recently tried eve lom cleanser and really irritated my face! expensive to! I went straight back to darphin and made it better pretty much immediately. overall a good product!