The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm 150ml, Dissolves Makeup, Nourishing Skincare, Gentle Cleanser, Vegan Friendly, Suitable For All Skin Types

Another INKEY List product my wife swears by. She uses this as the first step in her double cleanse routine and it melts makeup off really effectively. The oat formula is gentle on her skin and doesn't leave it feeling stripped or tight afterwards like some cleansers can. You warm a small amount between your fingers and it turns from a balm into an oil consistency, then emulsifies when you add water which makes it easy to rinse off. The mini 50ml size was perfect for trying it out before committing to the full size, and she's already reordered the bigger one so that tells you everything. It even takes off waterproof mascara without having to scrub at her eyes. Fragrance free as well which is a bonus for sensitive skin. Great paired with the omega water cream from the same range.

Leaves skin feeling soft and moisturised, not stripped and dry. Safe enough for acne prone and blemished skin. Does not sting. Good for more mature skin changes where harsh acne formulas are often too drying, this is kind to older skin.

I really like this. I know there are mixed reviews on it so I’m going to state the reasons I like it but also the things I don’t think it’s best used for. Now, the reason I like this is for the reason I’ve seen some people complain about and that’s the sort of film it leaves on the skin after cleansing, I personally love this effect. I’m sick of cleansing products that completely strip the skin of any moisture. The film that this leaves on the skin isn’t too much, it’s more just a feeling of soft, hydrated skin. I’m not sure on the ingredient that causes this, I’m interested though so I’m going to research it. I also love the price point, it’s really good value for what it is. I’ve seen this touted as an alternative to the Elemis Pro Collagen Cleansing Balm and having used both products, in my opinion this is not the case. This is just not on that level by any means however it does have its own unique benefits. The Elemis balm is much more rich, it’s more of a treatment for the skin as well as a cleanser, it’s also miles better at removing makeup and you don’t have to put any effort in or pull the skin etc, it just glides off. It’s also much more fragrant than this. This balm is not the best at removing makeup in my opinion, it just doesn’t feel like it penetrates deeply enough into the skin, it will do the job it just wouldn’t be my first choice. I use this balm either as the second cleanser in a double cleanse or on its own if I’m not wearing makeup and haven't been exposed to pollution/irritants that day etc. The reason for this is I love the way my skin feels after, doing a double cleanse often leaves the skin feeling stripped and I find this product helps to negate that. I recommend a generous enough amount say around the size of 2/3 peas onto damp skin and massage gently but firmly for around 30 seconds paying attention to the nose, forehead and chin area. Then rinse until the product is gone but you can still feel that kind of silky feeling on the skin. I’ve personally had no irritation from this and I have semi sensitive fairly acne prone skin. Now onto the smell, it’s not the best tbh, it’s sort of synthetic smelling but very mild, it’s not bad, I actually quite like it but you’re not going to smell it and be like ‘wow’. The consistency is also a bit thin, however a bigger bottle I purchased elsewhere wasn’t as thin as this one which is a bit strange, maybe just a difference in the batch. Overall though, this is a perfect budget skincare staple. Anything for the skin which is decent and is affordable for all gets the thumbs up from me. I personally wouldn’t recommend this as your go to for removing makeup or for a deep cleanse but for a nice simple cleanser that leaves your skin feeling lovely it’s perfect. Hope this helped 💖

Not much of a scent just of the oats so smells quite nice Very gentle on the skin. Fab as a make up remover and value for money. Make sure to shake before use due to the oil coming out first before the actual Lotion.

I have been using this for a couple of years but just about to cancel my subscription and try something else. It's not awful, but there is too much about it that's just not "great" either. 1. The packaging is truly awful. It should be in a pot or a softer/metal tube if they must use a tube. I have to cut the tube open before it is anywhere near to empty as the product gets stuck and is impossible to squeeze out after a point. This is a faff and the packaging is not fit for purpose. 2. The "bits" in the cleanser are pointless - not enough of them to actually do any physical exfoliation, but enough to make it feel bitty and leass pleasant to use. Especially around the eyes. 3. It is VERY rich and I can find it hard to break the cleanser down to fully remove it. Even adding water to emulsify it. And using a cloth to remove it. It leaves a heavy feeling residue on the skin. Good points - doesn't dry skin, it hasn't caused any breakouts (despite leaving a residue on my skin), it is totally scent free and doesn't irritate my eyes, it is good at breaking down makeup. Ultimately I just don't like using it very much, due to the above negatives, so I will be looking to try another balm in future.

I love inkey list products. This oat cleansing balm oil is great if you want or need a double cleansing routine. I like to use it when my skin is particularly bad. Maybe dry areas, black heads and even some blemishes. It clears the skin and makes those blemishes look a lot better. You apply on dry skin gently and massage into the skin for a little while. Then I like to use cold water to emulsify. Using cold water to emulsify is rare on a product like this and that’s why I love it. One this product has been washed off, use your normal cleanser and moisturise as normal. I love it 😻

I’ve tried SOOO many cleansing balms but this one wins, doesn’t irritate my skin or need to be rubbed in for AGES and takes of my makeup so so well, never a speck left!! makes my skin so soft afterwards! The scent isn’t amazing but i’ve never really been bothered about that. Great value for money, a lot of more expensive cleansing balms can’t do what this one can!

I love a cleansing balm and had heard such good things about this that I couldn't wait to try, its also really reasonably priced! I thought with it being oat based it would be really gentle and good for my skin, but that's not the case, the formula is really really thick, so it clogs your pores really badly. I think I did a thorough job at clearing it off after each use, but after doing more digging into it, a lot of people who use it actually recommend using another cleanser after to get this off to avoid it clogging pores, I haven't had to do that with any other cleansing balm before, and don't want to have to double cleanse every time. Using this left me with really bad breakouts which I am still dealing with since Christmas and my poor skin is quite badly scarred, so please avoid if you have super sensitive skin like me. You can barely get it out of the tube either because its so thick (should have realised that was a red flag) I thought it was just cold and would heat it up to get it out, but turns out its thick AF! The best one I have used of all the cleansing balms is the Drunk Elephant Slaai makeup melting cleanser, but its alot more expensive unfortunately.