Gel-Oil Balm Cleansers

One of my most addicted to products in skincare is the gel-oil balm cleanser. There’s just something about ithe perfect creamy gel like texture that I find so appealing. These are oil based thick gel cleansers. You get the benefits of an oil cleansing balm with the spreadability and texture of a gel cream plus they emulsify to rinse clean. They’re normally thicker but do range from a more clear like thick gel to a creamy gel. These make amazing morning cleansers and they will never ever strip your skin because of the oils. Some people like these as a second cleanse at night. I’ve even used these as a single cleanse at night especially when I’m feeling particularly lazy. They will remove makeup like an oil based cleanser but the best part is that they don’t feel as heavy as an oil balm and they rinse clean. Truly these can be your only cleanser because they do it all. That is why I love them so.

So I thought I would round up some of my favorites. Su-Man Purifying Cleansing Gel Oil was my first foray into gel-oil balms. This is a creamy one that has a lighter oil content. Some are heavier on the oils than others. This one has a cushy gel cream texture that just feels so lush on the skin. This has wintergreen, Dragon’s Blood and rose hip oil to purify and nurture the skin. It rinses clean and never feels too greasy. It has the coolest twist top that stays attached and you never loose it. I’ve repurchased this one multiple times. The scent is very light on this one. Almost fragrance free. I have a really old comparison post HERE. I realized I loved gel-oil balms after using the Su-Man and I grabbed OSKIA Renaissance Cleansing Gel next. This pinky peach gel has become one of my all time favorites. I’ve purchased so many of them. It has fermented pumpkin enzymes for gentle enzymatic exfoliation, vitamins C & E, MSM and starflower oil. This one has a more gel texture and it’s a touch heavier on the oils than the Su-Man. It rinses clean and gives your skin a nice healthy glow. This has a light rose and chamomile scent. I talked about it HERE.

Omorovicza Hydra-Melting Cleanser was the next one I tried. At the time this came in a pot and while I loved the creamy gel cleanser I hated the packaging. It has since been repackaged as a chic plastic pump (in the most amazing aqua shade) so I can now be totally in love with this one. It’s got a creamy lush gel texture very similar to the Su-Man. The product even has a blue hue from the copper. It’s also got mallow flower, sea buckthorn oil and the essential oils-sage, rosemary, rose geranium & roman chamomile. This has a stronger scent than the other two, more herbal green. The essential oils have an antiseptic effect so this one is great at helping to balance the skin. Review HERE. Next I fell in love with Jordan Samuel Skin Plié now renamed The After Show Treatment Cleanser. This has a really thick gel texture with a higher oil content than the other three. This cleanser has olive & jojoba oil, aloe, sugarcane, lemon, orange, apple and mango fruit extracts for gentle exfoliation, green tea, willow bark (natural BHA for pore unclogging) plus soothing comfrey and chamomile extracts. This smells like citrus fruit and makes a great hydrating and light exfoliating mask. Throw this on in the tub or before getting in the shower. He just created a new citrus free version for sensitive skin and it’s just as fabulous. Review HERE.

Some of the newer ones I tried this year are by Instytutum, KIN SKIN and Pestle & Mortar. Instytutum Transforming Melting Cleanser smells like watermelon. This one does have a slightly thicker gel cream texture and it can be a bit sticky. It has hyaluronic acid, allantoin, vitamin E, provitamin B5 and natural oils to hydrate and soothe. I never saved the box so I don’t know exactly which oils are in it. I liked this one but I didn’t like the sticky texture as much as my other smooth gel-oil balms. It feels kind of like a honey cleanser. Review HERE. KIN SKIN Coffee + Yarrow Gel-to-Milk Cleanser is amazing. I’m addicted to green coffee seed oil which is its number one ingredient. This also has rice bran, sweet almond, avocado and black sesame oils. It’s also got raw honey and orange fruit water. This has a thinner gel balm texture, almost like a jelly. It has quite a bit of oils in it but it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy. Truly spectacular product. And it’s affordable. Review HERE. Pestle & Mortar Renew Illuminating Lightweight Gel Cleanser is a lightweight one. It’s got the thinnest texture of the bunch. This one has jojoba, meadowfoam and bergamot oils, mango and papaya fruit extracts for gentle exfoliation along with super powered antioxidant superoxide dismutase. I love the lightweight texture of this one and it has a light mango like scent. This one has a cool airless pump where you push the top down to dispense. Review HERE.

I hope I helped you find a new genre of skincare for you to love or maybe just a new gel-oil balm cleanser. These are all multitasking products that can be used in a multitude of ways or spots in your routine. They all rinse clean with water and never strip or dry your skin. Let me know if you have any questions about gel-oil balms or if you have any good ones I should check out.

Top to Bottom-Omorovicza, Pestle & Mortar, OSKIA, KIN SKIN, Jordan Samuel Skin, Su-Man, Instytutum: