7 Best Cleansing Balms That Remove Makeup Without Stripping Skin

No tugging, no stinging—just soft, glowing skin. There are plenty of face washes out there, but the best cleansing balms stand out for their impressive makeup-melting abilities and skin-softening effects. This type of oil-based face wash is meant to be the first step in your double-cleansing routine, serving as the clean-up crew for sunscreen and stubborn makeup—they’re basically the reason our white washcloths stay pristine. Solid and dense, cleansing balms tend to contain nourishing ingredients like shea butter, grapeseed oil, glycerin, and vitamin E to leave skin feeling soft and bouncy once you rinse, whether you follow with a different water-based cleanser or not.
Below, we tapped board-certified dermatologists to learn more about how to find a cleansing balm you’ll look forward to using every night. Plus, shop our editors’ all-time favorites for washing makeup down the drain.
Our Top Cleansing Balms

Best Overall: Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm, $39
Best for Oily Skin: Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm, $39
Best for Sensitive Skin: Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm, $44
Best Makeup Remover: Banila Co Clean It Zero Original Cleansing Balm, $21

Best Overall: Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: Is it possible that washing your face could actually be fun? Farmacy’s Green Clean Cleansing Balm, a 2026 Best of Beauty Award winner, certainly makes a case. The cleanser “has a really satisfying balm-to-oil texture that makes taking your makeup off feel so easy and luxurious,” says Morgana Colombo, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Reston, Virginia. As you massage it onto dry skin, “you’re never tugging or scrubbing,” she says.
And melting away every trace of makeup is just the beginning. Sunflower seed oil helps nourish and soften skin, while papaya extract helps loosen dead skin cells so they wash away more easily, leaving skin looking fresh and glowy. It also includes a blend of moringa and holy basil extracts for antioxidant support. Just keep in mind that this formula contains essential oils, so i your skin is easily irritated, try the fragrance-free version instead.
Best for Redness: The Inkey List Oat Balm Cleanser
Why it’s worth it: If you’ve spent time evening out your skin tone with makeup, the last thing you want is to make your skin even more red trying to take it all off. The Inkey List’s Oat Cleansing Balm is especially gentle on sensitive skin, with a rich, milky texture that glides on easily and dissolves makeup without all the rubbing and tugging that can make redness worse. A big reason it’s so soothing? The 2026 Best of Beauty Award-winning formula contains 5% oat kernel oil, which is rich in fatty acids that help calm irritation and reduce the appearance of redness. It’s joined by sweet almond oil, sunflower seed wax, and jojoba esters, which soften and condition skin so it doesn’t feel tight after rinsing. And because sensitive skin can also be more vulnerable to environmental stressors, the balm contains antioxidant-rich sea buckthorn oil to help protect against free-radical damage that can contribute to irritation.
Best for Oily Skin: Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm
Less than a year after its launch in 2018, Then I Met You’s Living Cleansing Balm won an Allure Best of Beauty Award (meaning we loved it at first scoop). The brand, founded by Soko Glam cofounder and frequent Allure K-beauty expert Charlotte Cho, actually debuted with this very product as part of a two-step cleansing duo—but it does the trick on its own, too. The golden-yellow balm gets its sunny hue from sea buckthorn oil, which is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids that soften skin.
Olive and grapeseed oils do much of the makeup-removing work, dissolving everything from waterproof mascara to sunscreen as the buttery balm melts into a silky oil. It also includes persimmon extract, which has antioxidant properties and brightens dull-looking skin, plus vitamin E to defend skin from free-radical damage. One thing to keep in mind if your skin is sensitive: The formula contains fragrant essential oils, including grapefruit, rosemary, and rosewood, so it’s worth patch-testing first.
Best for Dry Skin: Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: The best-selling Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is a great pick for dry or mature skin, particularly if fine lines and wrinkles are a concern. That’s largely thanks to its ability to replenish moisture, says Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Newport Beach, California.“This balm combines elderberry and rose oils to effectively dissolve makeup and sunscreen while leaving the skin soft and hydrated,” she says. For added conditioning, this nourishing cleansing balm also contains antioxidant vitamin E and moisture-sealing shea butter, which is why Elizabeth Geddes-Bruce, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Austin, Texas, also considers herself a fan of this cleanser. “If you want to splurge on an experience and use a product that does the job, too, then go for this,” she says.
Best for Sensitive Skin: Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: Clinique’s Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm has been showing us how it’s done for at least 20 years, proving that you don’t need a laundry list of ingredients to get results. “It’s simple, yet incredibly effective,” says Sejal Shah MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.In fact, this 2024 Best of Beauty Award winner has just nine, including safflower seed oil, which helps dissolve stubborn makeup and sunscreen while leaving skin soft and comfortable. Caprylic/capric triglyceride (a lightweight, coconut-derived, oil-like ingredient) helps break down makeup, so you don’t have to tug at your skin, and there’s also vitamin E for an antioxidant boost. What you won’t find are added fragrances or essential oils that can irritate sensitive skin. “It rinses away without leaving a heavy oily film, which is important if you’re someone who doesn’t like that residue from some cleansing balms,” says Dr. Shah. And because it’s allergy-tested and ophthalmologist-tested, you can tackle stubborn eye makeup without worrying about a harsh cleansing formula.
Best Drugstore: Garnier Erase It All Makeup Cleansing Balm with Hyaluronic Acid
Why it’s worth it: Don’t let the playful turquoise color of Garnier’s Erase It All Makeup Cleansing Balm with Hyaluronic Acid fool you: This 2025 Best of Beauty Award winner takes makeup removal seriously. Massage it onto dry skin, and you can practically watch stubborn eyeliner and mascara disappear. Ethylhexyl palmitate, an oil-like ingredient, instantly dissolves makeup, so if washing your face isn’t exactly your favorite part of the day (same), you won’t have to spend forever at the sink. And while some cleansers leave you reaching for moisturizer the second you rinse them off, this one contains shea butter and jojoba oil to keep skin soft and comfortable. There’s also sodium hyaluronate, a form of hyaluronic acid that draws in moisture to keep skin hydrated even after you’ve washed everything away.
Best for Makeup Removal: Banila Co Clean It Zero Original Cleansing Balm
Why it’s worth it: Back in 2018, we reported that one tub of Banila Co’s Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm was sold every three seconds. Fast-forward to 2025, which became the year the K-beauty favorite surpassed 90 million units sold worldwide. Clearly, people are still scooping it up. While the brand has since expanded its lineup to address different skin concerns, we’re partial to the Original. The soft, sherbet-like balm seamlessly melts into a silky oil that dissolves makeup, sunscreen, and excess oil. “It has such a soft, milky texture that leaves skin smoother and more hydrated,” Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, previously told Allure. Beyond its makeup-removing abilities, the formula contains bamboo extract to soothe skin, plus antioxidant-rich acerola cherry extract and vitamin E to defend against environmental stressors that can contribute to premature signs of aging.

Sweat, makeup, and oil don’t stand a chance against these cleansers:

Our Editors’ Favorite Face Washes for Melting Makeup, Sweat, and Oil
17 Intensive Face Washes for Acne-Prone Skin, According to Dermatologists
Every Allure-Approved Cleansing Oils For a Gentle Deep Clean, Tested & Reviewed

Done reading? Get ready with Zara Larsson as she walks us through her makeup routine:
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