Don't you just love trying out super hyped up products? I know I do so here we are trying out the hottest cleansing balm on the market right now.
Banila Co. Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original has been all the hype on social media for a minute but I actually didn't really look into in until I saw someone from Czechia talk about it on Instagram. It caught my attention because I love korean skincare and all it brings but there are so many products that I get easily overwhelmed and never order anything. Well now I at least had a clean target.
I bought this cleansing balm on notino.cz and I know what you think because they are known a bit for selling fake products. But I'm pretty sure this product is original, it has all the QR codes and stickers where they're supposed to be. So I think we're clear on this. Also they are selling for quite a good price. It's not a super expensive product but it's hard to get it here and they sell the 180ml bottle for about 720 Crowns which is an incredible deal compared to other websites.
I went for the bigger one because I honestly felt like it's going to sell out once people find out that Notino sells it. I like the packaging, it's a nice holographic pink box with ingredients and instructions and inside you get the tub with the balm. Under the balm was also a little plastic cover with a spatula. The balm came sealed in so you take off the seal and replace it with this little top and spatula holder. The packaging is nice and sturdy and the amount of product you get seems really good. It also smells nice, not too strong but pleasant.
There are multiple types of the balm but I went for the original because I wasn't really sure which of the other ones should I pick. There's a purifying, nourishing and a revitalizing version. According to the descriptions I would almost like to try all of them. But we have the original so let's look at what it's supposed to do.
The balm is supposed to be a perfect first step to the double cleansing. It's a hypoallergenic cleanser which has sherbet consistency that transforms into oil. It promises to remove all stubborn makeup including waterproof formulas and also cleanse the skin from any impurities. So you should have clean and hydrated skin after using it. It also uses Zero Balance Technology which is supposed to provide deep cleanse without stripping the skin and disrupting its natural moisture barrier.
Instructions and try-on
The website and the packaging provide instructions on how to use this product. As expected you should always use the included spatula so you keep the balm clean. You apply the product to dry face and massage it in with circular motions to break appart all the makeup. Then you add water to emulsify it and keep massaging. At the end you wash it off with lukewarm water of wipe it away with a cloth.
The application seems very similar to any balm or oil I've ever used. So we'll see how different this one feels. Here's how I looked in the morning with all my makeup on. It's a pretty heavy makeup because I had some filming to do for my university so I wanted to look good on camera. I had it on for 12 hours so it was really time to get it off.
I took just one scoop of the product and massaged it into the skin. First it felt like I need more but the more you melt it the further it goes so I ended up not adding more. It didn't irritate my eyes or my skin at all but it did really melt everything. I usually struggle with mascara and liners in my waterline because I don't want to get too close to my eyes but it removed everything perfectly.
I usually don't add water to my cleansing oils but just wash them off so this step was new to me. Once the balm mixed with water it wasn't oily at all, like literally a different product. I continued to massage my face making sure that I get my hairline and everything. Then I wiped everything off using my Brushworks makeup removing towel and that's it.
Honestly I am pretty impressed. My skin feels very clean and there's no residue at all. Usually with any balm, oil, cream I get a little bit of oily or heavy feeling residue. This literally feels like I just double cleansed at once. My face feels squeaky clean but not stripped. It doesn't feel tight or dry, just very clean and smooth but hydrated. And as you can see, it removed everything very well.
Long-term impressions
I've been using this balm for about a month now and because I want to make this post sooner than in 2022, I've decided it's time to evaluate some more.
I've been using this cleansing balm as often as I could, not because of this review but because I actually enjoyed it so much that it's become my go-to cleanser. I love how it makes my skin feel and I love the whole application process because it truly makes my skin feel amazingly clean and also not stripped.
There's a slight feeling of exfoiliation once you start to emulsify the balm and I believe it's supposed to give you a very gentle exfoliation as well. I really like the smell as well and the packaging is a so-so. I would appreciate a spatula holder in the lid instead of the little cap because the cap is pretty dirty at this point.
What I really enjoy about this cleanser as well is that it doesn't dry out my eyelids. I have quite sensitive eyes and they tend to get very dry when I remove my makeup too harshly or use just micelar water and stuff like that. So finding something that can get me through multiple makeup looks in one session is a miracle. Especially when I don't feel like my eyes are a dry irritated mess at the end of the day.
I didn't have any problems with the balm irritating my skin or my eyes and I wear a lot of stuff on my waterline so I get right up there and my eyes never sting at all. It also does a great job with removing magnetic eyeliner which is always a little tricky. And the same actually goes for waterproof makeup and very heavy makeup.
Final thoughts
Is this balm worth it? If you've seen all the hype going around you're probably questioning it a little bit. At least that's how I always look at very hyped-up products and I usually don't really believe them until I try them. That is why I wanted to try this balm myself.
Honestly, I think it's the best makeup remover I've ever tried and the feeling it leaves on my skin is incomparable. I removes about everything with no issues and it doesn't irritate my face or my eyes. You don't need a lot, it emulsifies well and I would say tha the large version I bought is going to last me at least half a year.
It's not cheap and I feel like it's quite an investment but I also think that a good first step cleanser is very important and if you're having problems with your skin this might be the right type of product to give a try. Good cleansing can really change the game for everyone.
I'm still very excited about this product and I really don't use anything else these days to remove my makeup. It's quite a lot of money but I feel like it's well spent and I really enjoy using this product.
Have you tried any of the Banila Co. Cleansing Balms? Let me know in the comments below and thanks for reading!