There’s nothing more annoying to me than a cleanser that claims to “remove all traces of makeup”–only to find streaks of color on my toner/softener cotton pad after using it. They all claim to do this and it’s incredible that they are allowed to say that since most of them do not do what they claim. I can’t believe how long it’s taken me to discover Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm, which does take off all makeup, including eye makeup! Strange how we can be pleasantly surprised when a marketing claim turns out to be true.

After trying multiple makeup removers–from expensive ones to drugstore brands (Tatcha Camellia Cleansing Oil Face Wash, Boscia Makeup Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil, Simple Micellar Makeup Remover Wipes, Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes, Night Calming)–I’ve finally found one that does what it claims: removes all traces of makeup!

Balms and oils, for those of you who aren’t as obsessed with skincare products as me, are the newish way to cleanse your skin. The idea is that the makeup contains oils and the only way to remove the oils is to use another oil, like a balm. Balms are like a soft body butter in consistency.

Compared to oil-based cleansers, balms are newer to the scene, with the original cult favorite Eve Lom Cleanser and Muslin Cloth being the first one I personally used years ago. Somehow the hassle of being required to use the muslin cloth with the balm made me stop. Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm is less work (no muslin, you just use your hands) and cheaper. Plus, you can always wait for Clinique’s popular Bonus Time to buy this and get extra goodies.

How to use Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm:

• Put a quarter-sized amount in your dry hands to a dry face.
• Massage it in (gently, please!) for about a minute or less
• Apply a little water to create a milky consistency that will take off all makeup–including mascara.
• Then rinse it all off with water.
• I like to follow it up with a gentle cleanser too. Yup, a 2-step cleansing process. I hear you, it takes more time, but the results are worth it. It’s the only face you’ll have, you should take care of it.

Why I’m obsessed:

• I use a thick sunblock tinted moisturizer (check out my post on Suntegrity 5 in 1 Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen) that can be hard to remove. Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm consistently does the job.
• Yes, in case you didn’t believe it the first time–it removes eye makeup!
• Even after using a toner/softener (like Shiseido WrinkeResist 24 Balancing Softener Enriched), I don’t see those telltale makeup streaks on the cotton pad.

Tips:

• It’s somewhat greasy even though it’s on the solid side, so be careful about rubbing your eyes. It won’t sting if you get it in your eyes, but you might see a greasy film over your eyes.
• I use a separate eye makeup remover before using the balm, mostly because I don’t want to rub all the grease in my already greasy lids, but in a pinch, I could use Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm solely for all face, lip and eye makeup.
• For traveling, it’s much more convenient to put this semi-solid balm into a small jar than an oil, which can easily leak all over your clothes.

CLINIQUE by Clinique: TAKE THE DAY OFF CLEANSING BALM–/3.8OZ