This New Cleansing Balm Will Have You Tossing Your Makeup-Remover Wipes

For someone with sensitive skin, double cleansing is both a must and a scary undertaking. Not every cleanser is formulated for reactive skin and sadly my dermis doesn’t give me a warning when it isn’t going to vibe with a certain ingredient or product. However, to reach the ultimate end goal of a calm, clean, moisturized face, I have to adhere to the rule. When I’m on the go and super busy, makeup-remover wipes and a gentle cleanser are my go to, but now that I have more time on my hands, I want to spend a few extra minutes giving my super-dry, aging skin some much needed hydration. So, I ditched the sometimes irritating wipes for a lightweight cleansing balm that looks good enough to eat. 

Cleansing balms are having a moment and Glow Recipe’s Papaya Sorbet Enzyme Cleansing Balm ($32) is the sensitive skin savior strong enough to melt away my makeup without leaving it feeling oily or greasy. The superfruit’s enzymes are a natural exfoliant that help brighten, while papaya seed oil, papaya extract and blueberry extract help calm irritation and quench thirsty skin. The formulation is also PEG-free, which means it doesn’t contain the cleansing agent polyethylene glycol, which the brand says has been found over time to sometimes over-sensitize skin. It has also been tested by ophthalmologists and has been found to be safe for contact wearers and those with sensitive eyes.

To help slow things down at the bathroom sink, Glow Recipe recommends using the K-Beauty 1:1 double cleanse method in which you use a cleansing balm or oil for one full minute and then a cleansing foam for one full minute. After gently massaging a dime-sized scoop of the balm on dry skin and letting it melt into a milky oil on my skin for one minute, I rinse it away and follow with a one-minute wash of the brand’s Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser ($34). The result? Smoother, brighter, calmer skin.

Because my morning and evening commutes have come to a screeching halt, it’s the perfect time to lean into a pampering double cleansing ritual—not just for my glow, but also for my sanity.