Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

**UPDATE 1-30-20** I spoke too soon; after using this on the right side of my face for a month, I developed 6 breakouts on the right side (I do currently have a hormonal acne breakout, but only 1 on the left side). Overall rating is now a 3/5, because this works well for some people, and the acne COULD be a coincidence, though I doubt it. Going back to my DIY cleansing oil. ORIGINAL REVIEW: I bought a sample of this and Drunk Elephant's Slaai to compare. I purchased both of these products, so this isn't a sponsored review. I tested both of these on the back of my hands, rather than my face, so I could see the effects better. Here's a comparison of the two: Skin type/background: Dehydrated skin prone to hormonal acne. Packaging: It's a toss-up. They're both in tubs (which I'm not too stressed about), but Slaai has a handy magnetic spoon in the full size. I think the Clinique looks MUCH more elegant on the counter, which is a factor for me (I like my skincare routine to be a luxurious experience). I would think with Slaai being a higher price point (and DE in general is insanely expensive), they'd market toward a more mature customer with a higher expendable income. The packaging is functional on Slaai, but I think the bright green packaging looks like it was marketed to tweens. Obviously, this is just a matter of personal opinion. Product feel, smell: TTDO wins here. The texture is extremely smooth, slippery, almost Vaseline-y. Slaai is fine, but feels more like just applying coconut oil to your skin--nothing bad, but nothing luxurious or special. TTDO has an extremely light scent (I'd call it no scent), Slaai smells very slightly like carrier oils. Dr Dray mentioned that she smelled strawberries, and I can get that too, but it's LESS than the hint of strawberry in LaCroix water, if that makes sense (cue LaCroix jokes about how subtle the flavors are). I like the Clinique experience better, but you may not. Performance: Clinique again for me. Although the TTDO is slightly more drying, I have concerns with the Slaai; It doesn't rinse cleanly (yes, yes, I read other reviews that said this, but as you know skincare acts differently on different people, so you really have to try things for yourself). The Clinique turns milky-white as it emulsifies, and it seems like every single bit is removed surprisingly quickly with water. Slaai doesn't turn any color, and there is some of the product left behind after rinsing. This effect is more moisturizing than TTDO, and is FINE if you are doing a second cleanse, or if you don't have siliconey sunscreen or makeup to remove. Unfortunately, I don't second cleanse, unless it's just with a face lotion to replenish moisture, because my skin is very sensitive. My current sunscreen has a lot of silicones (it's a Japanese milk type) so I just don't think Slaai would do a good job removing it. However, I WOULD consider using the Slaai on no-makeup days, or if I find a good spf without silicones (it's a goal of mine, but the spf search is arduous). TL;DR: Clinique is a much more luxurious experience, though a bit more drying after rinsing. Slaai seems like an ordinary/fine experience, and although it's more moisturizing, it definitely leaves product behind after rinsing. Slaai is a perfectly fine product, but not what I was looking for in a balm cleanser. I've used the Clinique on half my face now for 4 weeks (my usual oil cleanser on the other half) and had no additional breakouts from it.

This is a thick balm that spreads easily onto the skin, dissolving into an oil. It does effectively remove my makeup and sunscreen at the expense of leaving my skin dry and irritated.

I must agree 100% with the review left by rayoflight where she said that it did not help her remove makeup easily and clogged her pores despite double cleansing. I have had this for two years and stopped using it regularly after realizing how inefficiently it took off makeup compared to my usual method (rub on MCT oil wipe with cotton pads and wash off with cleanser). It also never fails to break me out though I always use a cleanser afterwards. I use it off and on once in a while thinking it might have been due to other things but it is not. Therefore no, this item is not for everyone. I have very sensitive skin. I wish it were more useful for me, as I still have more than half of the tub left. I am going to try and use it up with eye area only as that never reacts badly to this. My son actually did me a favour by going through my things and scooping a huge amount of this out and smearing it on his legs/face/the ground. Less to get through now.

Wow. This is HG for me. Simply put , I have never given a darn how I got my makeup off before. I have used everything and anything , including travel wipes. But this winter my skin is crazy crazy dry , so I went looking for something a little less drying , and something that wouldn’t sting my eyes. Basically I wasn’t looking for much ! A sales girl at Sephora suggested this. She said it was a miracle remover. She’s right. This is amazing. It leaves my skin soft and moisturized. It gets all of my makeup off AND doesn’t hurt my eyes. It truly is a balm. A bit greasy , but thin not thick. It’s easy to use and you need very little. No discernible fragrance which I love. I will never use anything else again.

I liked the idea of having a non-liquid makeup remover that could travel easily, and had high hopes for this one given positive reviews. For two reasons, I really didn't like it. First, it didn't take my makeup off as well as the product I usually use, Bioderma Sensibio. After cleansing with this balm, there was makeup was still leftover on my face and it felt like there was a greasy, waxy layer on my skin. Worst of all, my skin broke out a day later, and this was the only new product in my routine. It could be because it just didn't remove the products it should have, leading to clogged pores, or perhaps an particular ingredient was acne-inducing for me. I'm definitely sticking with my Bioderma.

I am not a fan of cleansing balms, this one is thick, and isn’t that easy to rinse, you really have to pull on your skin to get it off..I much prefer a cleansing milk and a toner...now, of all the balms I have used, this is a good one as it doesn’t contain irritating ingredients..so can’t say it isn’t a good product, just not what I prefer to remove my makeup.

Definitely worth the hype. Fragrance-free balm, suitable for sensitive skin and melts into a silky oil as you rub it on to your face. Removes waterproof eye make-up with ease. As a lazy gal, I usually rub it into my skin before hopping into the shower where I’ll rinse it off using a face sponge. Thereafter I wash my face using the Nuxe Aquabella purifying gel cleanser. Pros - A fair amount of product for the price (in comparison to The Body Shop’s version) - Doesn’t irritate the skin or eyes - Great texture, leaves skin feeling supple Cons - Not cruelty-free - Quite expensive

I have been using this for over 10 years. I alternate between this and Trader Joe's grapeseed oil. This removes my foundation, ELDW and sunscreen. I love that it has never broken me out and I have sensitive, oily and acne prone skin. The only 2 issues I have with this product is that it doesn't remove waterproof mascara and the cost. I usually buy for 25 USD and normally when there is a gift with purchase at the department stores to justify the splurge.

Very expensive. Buy a soap, for example Cethapil or any other fragrance free brand, use a wet towel and cleans your face. Same job, not irritation for a fraction of the price. You only pay for the name. The Clinique cleansing balm works but it absolutely no benefits!

overall: 9/10 I love this cleansing balm! I just wish it weren't so expensive...it's over $50 (Australian dollars). I have repurchased a couple of times now. It removes makeup very effectively and washes clean. I do use a second cleanser but if you prefer not to, this will leave your face feeling clean enough. It doesn't feel oily or leave an oily residue on the face like some other balms do. Very basic product. Would definitely repurchase...again!