As someone with a very basic skincare routine, I was late to the party in discovering cleansing balms. For my birthday this year, my lovely friend gifted me the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Cleansing Balm after swearing by it. And it's since become a skincare must-have.
The revelation of not having to use harsh soaps on my face led me to try several other brands' cleansing balms over the course of the year. And notable mentions go to the Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm (which is fantastic for its £9 price tag), and Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm, but neither top Estée Lauder's offering.
Having suffered with adult acne previously, my now 46-year-old skin is very sensitive, and so I try to avoid anything with harsh ingredients that might irritate or dry it out. I was a little hesitant before using Estée Lauder cleansing balm - I had a preconception that the 'oil' part would make it greasy and unpleasant to use, and make my skin break out. But I couldn't have been more wrong, it's so gentle on my skin - without a doubt one of the best cleansing balms on the market.
It is no exaggeration to say the Estée Lauder cleansing balm is like spreading liquid(ish) silk on your face. The butter-like balm's scent reminds me of a spa and the product melts into an oil, which I spend a joyous few minutes massaging into my skin while breathing in the delightful smell.
If that isn't nice enough, the way it makes my skin feeling after wiping off with a warm towel is one I will never tire of. It's gentle, soft and feels really premium – a five-minute slice of luxury skincare that I look forward to every single day.
It fully removes any makeup or dirt on my skin at the end of each day, and leaves my face feeling soft, smooth and hydrated. In the morning my skin has a distinct added brightness to it too. It's at the more premium end of the price scale compared to similar products, but totally worth it. You only need a small amount to clean your entire face, so it lasts a while - my last pot got just past six weeks before running dry.
I'm not the only fan of Estee Lauder's skincare - our beauty channel editor, Fiona McKim says, "You know a product has reached legendary status when journalists have their own code name for it. And if a fellow beauty editor says they use 'ANR' (which they often do) I know they mean Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair. The hero of the range is the serum, but everything else is well worth a try in your nighttime routine, including this plush cleansing balm and my personal favourite Eye Lift + Sculpt. All have luxurious textures and are crammed with skin-improving actives, so it's no surprise they're loved by those in the know."
Being that bit more expensive, I always look to stock up in the sale, and the Black Friday beauty deals are a great time to do just that. At full price it's great value, but I always like to have a full tub on standby, so bulk buying in the sales can save a lot. Right now it's £32 a pot - that's an impressive £14 saving – so I'm off to stock up.
More Cleansing Balms
The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm is often one I take away with me. The travel size tubes are really handy, and for the price, this is a fantastic product. It cleans skin really well, doesn't leave a greasy film and leaves my face feeling fresh and hydrated.
Elemis can do little wrong when it comes to skincare, and this cleansing balm is no exception. It's on a par with Estée Lauder when it comes to luxury and price, and it comes a close second to my top choice in the overall use experience. You only need very little with each use too, which makes it last longer than a lot of other similar products.
This is one I haven't tried, but, after rave reviews from the woman&home beauty team, will be very soon. I am reliably informed by my expert team that this particular cleansing balm is well suited to anyone with sensitive skin - add that to words like 'silky', 'supple' and 'plump' and I was sold. Watch this space for how it fares...
