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I started using beauty balms about two years ago when I was having some serious problems with seasonal allergies. My allergies (I’m really allergic to mold and cedar) we’re making my eyes water so much, that if I didn’t get every single SPECK of mascara off my eyes at night, I’d wake up with my eyes nearly glued shut!

It was awful. So, I reached out to the world of social media, explained my situation and asked for recommendations on a remover that would be safe enough to put right on my eyes, but strong enough to get off multiple layers of mascara.

Several recommendations came through, but I settled on BeautyCounter’s Cleansing Balm.

BeautyCounter Cleansing Balm

I was nervous to try it — it was a $70 product, which isn’t my normal price range — but I was desperate. Plus, BeautyCounter only sells CLEAN products, so I figured I would like it. The Cleansing Balm comes with a little spoon and about an almond-sized dollop is all you need for your entire face. It feels weird at first, but you rub the Balm all over your dry face full of makeup.

You can let it sit, whatever, but the makeup basically melts right off. I like to use warm/hot water on a washcloth and then wipe away the balm, and then I use a regular face wash to cleanse my bare skin. This routine has really changed my skin and I would buy the BeautyCounter Cleansing Balm again and again. Really good stuff… and I didn’t have any more issues with my eyes.

Neal’s Yard Remedies Wild Rose Beauty Balm

When I went to London last spring, I wanted to go to Neal’s Yard Remedies — a shop full of all natural beauty goods. We made it on our last day, and they had some little kits. The kit of best-selling products included the Wild Rose Beauty Balm, which I was so excited to try after having liked the BeautyCounter Balm so much.

To be honest, I don’t know if there’s a big difference between a beauty balm and a cleansing balm — I Googled, but didn’t see much. Given the texture of the Neal’s Yard Balm vs. the BeautyCounter, I’d say you could use the beauty balm in other ways, such as on your lips or dry elbows, if you really wanted. I used it to remove my makeup just as I did with the BeautyCounter and WOW, I loved this one… it smells so good!

Kopari Coconut Melt

Now this is a little bit different, because it is pure coconut oil. But, the cool thing about any of these balms or oils is that, as long as the ingredients are clean, you can really use them for whatever you want. For years — maybe even centuries — people have used coconut oil for moisturizing, cleansing, oil pulling, etc. With the Kopari Coconut Melt, you can use this to remove makeup, shave your legs, moisturize the entire body… really anything!

One thing I didn’t like about this is that it was very temperature sensitive, so even though coconut oil is often in a solid form like a balm, I found mine was often melted and was sometimes just a mess. I used mine just as I used the other balms and really enjoyed the way it left my skin feeling soft. I used it to moisturize my legs after a shower, but it was too much — I felt like my legs never “dried”.

Palmer’s Coconut Oil Cleansing Balm

This is what I’m using now, after finding it in the clearance section at TJ Max 🙂 I’ve always heard such good things about Palmer’s skincare, so I snatched it right up. The texture of the Palmer’s is more “loose” like the Kopari Melt, but it stays more solid, so it’s a good mix. It’s also the most affordable option that I’ve tried so far, so it might be a good place to begin if you’re looking to try balms and see if you like them.

Of all the balms I’ve tried, I’d say the Neal’s Yard is my favorite, with BeautyCounter in a close second place. However, I still want to try a few more…

Beauty Balms I Want to Try

Lush Naked Cleansing Balm

Lush has several of these “Naked” balms, which look like small bars of soap — ZERO packaging, which means zero waste. My mom bought me two of these over the holidays, I just haven’t tried them yet. I got the Jade Roller (rose water, mung beans, murumuru butter) and the Like A Virgin, which is a naked cold cream (jojoba oil, Sicilian lemon oil, extra virgin olive oil. With these, you still rub them directly on dry skin or melt a little on your fingers and massage in.

BeautyCounter Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm

I didn’t see the original Cleansing Balm on their website, so this may be a new and improved version, but it looks pretty awesome. It has jojoba oil and avocado oil and can be used as a mask for extra moisturizing.

Ponds Cleansing Balm

From the creators of everyone’s favorite cold cream… this has to be good, right? This is made specifically to remove makeup and it’s available in drugstores. Can’t beat that.

Overall, balms are likely a part of my skincare routine that’s here to stay! I love the way they gently remove makeup (no matter how much I have on) and that they leave my skin feeling moisturized.

This beauty review is not sponsored — nor are any of the reviews on this blog. I am a beauty and skincare junkie and enjoy sharing the products I love right here! For more reviews and similar posts, please subscribe to the blog by clicking subscribe on the right side of your screen. Cheers!