When it comes to makeup removers, nothing does the job quite as well as a cleansing balm. These amped-up oil cleansers eliminate the need for tugging and scrubbing at your face, thanks to the way they dissolve makeup upon contact with your skin (the reason being that, most makeup is oil-based — and oil clings to oil). As for what the best cleansing balms all have in common? Noncomedogenic formulas, definitely (which means they won't clog your pores), and though they will make your skin feel soft, they shouldn't leave your face feeling overly greasy.
While you can certainly use cleansing balms on their own, they're most commonly used as the first step in the double-cleansing method. Double-cleansing, which entails washing your face first with an oil-based cleanser, followed by a water-based cleanser, is basically a more effective method of cleansing your skin. The oil cleanser breaks down makeup and oil-based skin care products (like sunscreen), while the water-based cleanser rinses off any leftover residue. If you tend to wear multiple layers of skin care products and base makeup on a daily basis, or if you live in a city with a lot of pollution, you should probably be double-cleansing.
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