If you’ve ever lived in a shared house – or even with teenage children – you’ve probably been a victim of low-level theft: a spritz of perfume pinched here, a squeeze of toothpaste there. You’re either the ‘borrower’ or the begrudging supplier. As a beauty journalist, I’m usually the latter, with a stash of new launches my friends and family happily help themselves to. Lately, though, the tables have turned. I’ve become the one sneaking into someone else’s cabinet, ever since I discovered e.l.f.’s £12 tub of cleansing balm.
Thanks to my job, I’ve cleansed, scrubbed and polished my way through hundreds of formulas and have a few favourites, most from luxury brands. But my usual £50 cleansing balm has now been quietly demoted to the back of the cupboard.
Since borrowing (read: stealing) this e.l.f. formula for the first time at the start of summer from my housemate, I haven’t used anything else. Here’s everything you need to know.
e.l.f. Cleansing Balm at a glance
Pros
- Good for dry, oily and combination skin
- Hydrating and nourishing
- Fast at removing makeup
Cons
- The jumbo size is often sold out
What I love about the e.l.f. Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm
We're constantly being told that ‘squeaky clean’ skin isn’t the goal with cleansers, and for good reason. Overly stripping cleansers can leave skin overcompensating by producing even more oil. Somehow, this balm leaves my skin feeling genuinely fresh, but never tight, with no lingering residue and a noticeably softer finish.
The sherbet-like balm feels lightweight, cooling and refreshing as it melts into the skin, dissolving mascara in seconds. During the warmer months, I almost always double cleanse because of my oily T-zone, but this is one of the few balm cleansers that leaves my skin feeling clean enough to skip the second step. It lifts away every trace of makeup while avoiding the greasy film that so many cleansing balms leave behind.
Beyond the beautiful texture, the ingredients list is equally indulgent. There’s hyaluronic acid to draw moisture into the skin, ceramides to help reinforce the skin barrier, which locks all that hydration in, and peptides to support the skin’s natural repair processes, helping it look and feel smoother and bouncier over time.
While my more expensive balm has always been brilliant at cleaning off my makeup after a long day, this one is immediately refreshing, silky to spread, and leaves skin soft, rather than oily. If a balm texture feels far too thick for sweaty summer days, but you resent how pathetic foamy formulas are at removing makeup, then this might be the seasonal swap you’ve been searching for.
The verdict on e.l.f.’s Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm
This product’s real party trick is just how quickly it gets to work. Even stubborn waterproof mascara melts away in around 10 seconds, transforming lashes from fully coated to panda eyes, to completely clean skin with minimal rubbing. Impressively, it works faster than my usual £50 cleanser, making this one of those rare value beauty buys that’s earned a permanent place in my routine. I guess it’s time to buy a pot of my own…
Florence is our Senior Beauty Writer, specialising in expert-tested beauty and grooming reviews — from toothbrushes to the latest skincare launches. She’s committed to sharing recommendations for products that truly work and make people feel confident and healthy. Prior to this she was at Tropic Skincare, where she worked closely with biochemists in the lab, delving into the functions of each fresh, natural ingredient and conveying its efficacy to her audience in easy-to-digest terms.
With over five years’ experience in beauty and health journalism, Florence has written for ELLE, Women’s Fitness, Sister Magazine, National Geographic Traveller and many more, with a strong sustainability angle thread through much of her work.
When she isn’t packing for a trip away, working out, eating out or reading up on retinol serums, you’ll probably find her experimenting with her film camera and building her portfolio of portraits. Florence’s photography can be found at florencereeves-white.com, her Instagram is @florencereeveswhite and her twitter is @floreadsnwrites
