Product Review: Clinique Cleansing Balm
- TO Blush & Beauty J
- Sep 20, 2022
- 3 min read
Understandably a fan-favourite, but not meant for me!
Some Background
My skin type: Combination, non-sensitive, non-acne-prone skin
Where to by the Clinique Cleansing Balm:
Online and in-stores at Sephora - $47 CAD (125mL)

What is the Clinique Cleansing Balm?
Like many cleansing balms on the market, the consistency of the product is a balm that turns into a milkier, smoother, texture with the warmth of the skin and warm water. This Allure Best of Beauty winner is vegan and a favourite among the beauty community. It works to remove all makeup (eye makeup as well) and sunscreen.
Pros
As mentioned above, as a beauty community favourite, it is really effective at removing all types of makeup (waterproof as well) and anything else that might be on your face. It certainly does the job of melting away your makeup.
The reason why I purchased this in the first place was because it was touted as one of the only cleansing balms available that resulted in no eye fog. For those who don't know, "eye fog" in regards to skincare and beauty is when your vision temporarily becomes blurry and cloudy, and is caused by a layer of oil over your eye. Again, this is temporary and for me, typically lasts 5-10 minutes maximum (and can be avoided if I am careful with application), but for those with more sensitive eyes, could cause irritation for longer. So, I am super thankful and appreciative that this product indeed did not cause any temporary vision problems for me - even removing extensive eye makeup was completely fine for me!
Another positive is that it is vegan and is essentially fragrance-free, great for everyone! The price is very comparable to other cleansing balms available, I'd say even on the higher value side given how little is needed to fully remove all makeup.
Cons
Though maybe not a con for everyone, I was not the biggest fan of the initial balm texture of the product. Compared to, say the Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm (which does unfortunately cause eye fog for me), the texture is much stiffer and "crunchier" in its initial balm state, whereas the Farmacy one is a softer consistency which is easier to apply onto my face at first. That being said, it is really cool to see how much the Clinique balm transforms to become a silky formula!

Another big issue that arose for me was that the product seemed to break me out. I tried using the balm for 2-3 weeks, but I kept having small little breakouts and my skin didn't feel super great (felt a little congested all over, if that makes sense). I didn't see or hear many other people with similar complaints, so I am willing to give it another try soon.
Though it claims to be fragrance-free, it has a very neutral, almost stale, scent. It isn't particularly noticeable, but if a fragrance is present, I generally prefer fresher, fruitier scents.
Rating
Quality/Effectiveness: 3 / 5
Value: 4.5 / 5
Overall: 3.5 / 5
I completely understand how this product could be such a big fan favourite - the lack of eye fog is a game changer. However, I still prefer the Farmacy cleansing balm, so I will likely not repurchase the Clinique cleansing balm. I would recommend it to friends, though - I think it is totally worth trying it out, and I will be giving it another go sometime soon.
Let me know if you've tried this cleansing balm before, or if there are any other products you'd like me to review! Find me on Instagram at @TOblushandbeauty, and let me know your thoughts!
-J <3
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