September 18th. 2024

Avalon Staff Tries Out Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balms 

Cleansing balms are not new to the skincare world, they have been around since being developed by Eve Lom in 1986. Eve Lom learned holistic herbology from her grandmother in the former Czechoslovakia and went on to become a famous facialist in Hollywood using botanical formulas and massage techniques. She drew upon remedies from her childhood in the garden to create the now-iconic balm cleanser still being sold today. Since then, manufacturers have come forward with their own formulations but one thing that remains the same is no matter what formula, the purpose of the product is to cleanse as an oil based cleanser.

Cleansing Balms are a solid or semi-solid balm made from oils. The product once applied to the skin, becomes a silky texture and dissolves easily. Cleansing balm’s oils will always attract oil in the skin, helping to clear it away while keeping the skin hydrated.

Because of this, cleansing balms are perfect for the “double cleanse method” (and an alternative to micellar water), where a oil based cleanser is used first followed by a gel, cream or water based cleanser.

The Pros of Using A Cleansing Balm

The cleansing balms easily break down waterproof makeup and lip tints compared to micellar water, which requires more vigorous friction on the skin to remove products. This is especially beneficial for people who have inflamed skin conditions such as Rosacea, because the friction of using micellar water to remove makeup may be too aggressive, especially during a Rosacea flare-up. Other skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis will benefit from a more gentle method of cleansing as well.

Why You Should Not Use A Cleansing Balm

If you don’t want to use the double cleanse method, then cleansing balms may not be for you. In order to get all of the residue from a cleansing balm off the skin, a second cleanser should follow. With the “double cleanse method”, you can use a gel, cream or water based cleanser after your cleansing balm to ensure your skin is completely clean and ready for the next step in your skincare.

Product residue from cleansing balms can be left on the skin even with rinsing off using water. The residue of heavy balm cleansers can contribute to the formation of milia which look like acne. Milia are buildup of keratin under the skin- attempting to pop them can cause further inflammation and scarring.

Those with oily skin types or acne-prone skin types may find the thicker textures of cleansing balms to be too heavy.

The Products

The staff tried products from Banila Co, a South Korean K-Beauty brand owned by F&F and founded in 2006. With over 75 million units of the award-winning Clean it Zero Cleansing Balms sold, marketing for these products are are heavily influenced by K-POP ambassadors that are featured in ads for these products. On October 21, 2021, singer Jeonghan (Seventeen) was chosen as the new ambassador for Banila Co. The company claims that a cleansing balm is bought every 3.1 seconds by beauty insiders around the globe and is the best selling cleansing balm at the time of this article in Korea. Banila Co distributes Clean It Zero Original, Revitalizing, Pore Clarifying, Brightening, Purifying and Nourishing.

Grapeseed oil contains antioxidant polyphenols and barrier repair fatty acid linoleic acid. Olive Fruit Oil also contains polyphenols and linoleic acid, in addition to one of the best plant sources of plant sources of skin-identical emollient squalene. The resveratrol is from red grapes and a powerful antioxidant.

While it seems that the old formula included Mandarin Orange Peel Oil for brightening, the current ingredient deck includes Salicornia Herbacea Extract now, which is is a vast improvement. Mandarin Orange Peel Oil is a common irritant for those with sensitive skin, however Salicornia Herbacea Extract comes from a succulent plant grown in salt marshes and is a powerful antioxidant as well as brightening. Salicornia Herbacea Extract is also rich in vitamins A, C, D as well as minerals zinc, manganese and silica. As far as irritants are concerned, this formula also includes Tea Tree Leaf Oil, which for those with sensitive skin, may not be able to tolerate.

Avalon Staff Weighs In

“I am always looking at ingredient decks, so unless you are just looking for a makeup remover, I would not suggest the original as I found the ingredient deck for that formulation to be a little disappointing. The Pore Clarifying has both active ingredients Salicylic Acid and Capryloyl which are great ingredients to correct acne. The Brightening formulation, while albeit a bit confusing, has a well rounded ingredient deck that includes a variety of ceramides that work well together, as well as being nutrient rich. The Sodium hyaluronate has a lower molecular weight than hyaluronic acid, so I am glad to see this in the Brightening formulation as well, because it penetrates the skin easily and is a choice ingredient especially for those with dry or dehydrated skin. I added in Revitalizing as I feel for those who have damaged or health challenged skin barriers, this would be a suitable product for homecare. The squalene, polyphenols and linoleic acid would be beneficial for barrier support.”

“

“