I’m not sure how I lived without double cleansing for 25 ish years. I can no longer imagine my skincare routine without it. If you aren’t familiar, the first cleanser is what dissolves oil-soluble impurities (makeup, sunscreen) and the second cleanser is what washes off all the rest.
Hanskin PHA Pore Cleansing Balm is a first step cleanser. It removes makeup and other impurities, while the PHA (polyhydroxy acids) gently dissolve dead skin buildup.
This balm is made without parabens, artificial fragrances, dyes, and alcohol. It's sold on* eBay and Amazon.
How to use:
Use at the start of cleansing
Warm a bit of the balm in your clean, dry hands
Apply to dry face
Gently massage (the balm will melt into oil)
Add a bit of water and massage some more (the oil will turn white / emulsify)
Rinse
Follow with a foaming cleanser
My impressions:
This is a fine balm. There’s nothing wrong with it but also nothing earth shattering. It was just ok. It removed makeup and sunscreen well, but not waterproof mascara. Then again, none of the cleansing balms or oils I’ve tried remove that particular waterproof mascara, so there’s that. I didn’t notice a scent, despite various plant oils in the ingredients (see a full list at the end of the review).
And that brings me to my next point - why is Hanskin PHA Pore Cleansing Balm advertised as a product for sensitive skin when it contains so many botanical oils? While natural, those are notorious for causing unwanted reactions in really sensitive skin. I personally don’t have any issues with them, but it’s something worth noting.
Maybe if it were my first ever cleansing balm, I would have been more impressed. But it doesn’t even come close to the I’m From Fig Cleansing Balm, for example.
I did see that Hanskin makes other cleansing balms - BHA and AHA, plus cleansing oils. If you’ve tried them, please let me know what you thought.
Read more: #Hanskin #cleansingbalm #cleansingoil #cleanser
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*This post contains affiliate links.
This is not a sponsored review. All opinions are my own and brutally honest.
Hanskin PHA Pore Cleansing Balm ingredients: Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Polyethylene, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, C13-15 Alkane, Trihydroxystearin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Tocopherol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Gluconolactone.