Best cleansing balm for mature skin

Why choose Clinique Take The Day Off?

The original balm changes from a solid into a silky oil as you massage it. Clinique describes it as suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin, and says it removes long wearing face makeup, waterproof eye makeup and sunscreen. The balm removes makeup, even if its name sounds like permission to cancel your plans. Its formula includes safflower seed oil and contains fewer than ten ingredients.1

For the original balm on Clinique's US site, the listed regular prices are US$15 for 1 oz, US$44 for 3.8 oz and US$58 for 6.7 oz. These details apply to the original Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, not the charcoal version. Check the ingredient list on the package you buy because formulas can change.1

What does mature skin need from a cleanser?

During menopause, skin loses some ability to hold water and can become noticeably dry. Skin also becomes thinner and more easily irritated. In your 60s and 70s, thinner skin loses water more readily, and medications or medical conditions can contribute to dryness. That makes a mild cleanser more useful than an aggressive wash intended to leave your face completely degreased.23

Use these checks when choosing a balm or another cleanser:

• Look for fragrance free labeling, especially if your skin is dry or easily irritated. Unscented is not the same thing: products can contain ingredients that mask their smell.
• Prefer a mild, moisturizing cleanser over standard soap if your skin is dry. Soap can be too drying for mature skin.
• Treat tightness, flaking or stinging after washing as reasons to reconsider the cleanser or washing routine.
• Choose something you can afford to use regularly. Expensive cleansers can contain ingredients similar to cheaper ones.

The word "gentle" is not regulated, so the front of a cleanser can be more confident than helpful. Fragrance free labeling is a more specific starting point. Cleansers containing glycolic acid or salicylic acid can help resurface skin, but those acids can irritate sensitive skin. For a dry, easily irritated face, prioritize comfortable cleansing rather than adding exfoliation to the same step.5

How to use a cleansing balm

1. 1Start with dry hands and dry skin. For Clinique Take The Day Off, scoop a small amount and massage it over your face with your fingertips.
2. 2Massage gently rather than scrubbing. Fingers are a better choice than a cleansing brush, loofah or rough washcloth.
3. 3Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Remove the cleanser fully rather than leaving residue behind. Avoid hot water, which can strip the skin barrier and increase dryness.
4. 4If you wear makeup and are double cleansing, follow with a gentle cleanser. Clinique directs you to use its balm before cleanser and treatment products.
5. 5Pat gently with a clean towel rather than rubbing. Leave skin slightly damp before applying moisturizer.
6. 6Apply a creamy, fragrance free moisturizer for dry skin. If your skin feels very dry, an ointment holds water in better than a cream.

There is no universal massage time for an ordinary cleanser. Work gently, rinse fully and follow the product's directions rather than extending the wash to meet a social media timer. The one to two minute contact times sometimes used for medicated cleansers are not a general instruction for makeup removing balms.56

Do you need a balm twice a day?

Use the balm when you need to remove makeup or sunscreen, particularly in the evening. Dry or sensitive skin can often use water alone in the morning and cleanser at night. If you wash only once a day, make it the evening wash. Oily skin generally needs cleansing morning and night, but that does not mean both washes need a balm.16

Double cleansing means using a balm or oil cleanser first, then a gentle cleanser. It is worth trying if you wear makeup. Without makeup, routinely washing twice in the same session is unnecessary and can make skin drier. If your skin becomes dry or irritated, switch to a gentler cleanser or use a thicker moisturizer rather than adding more washing.6

What should you expect after cleansing?

Judge a cleansing balm by makeup removal and how your skin feels after washing. Cleansing removes dirt and excess oil, but it also removes some natural oils. Overwashing can leave skin excessively dry and disturb the skin barrier, the outer layer that helps keep water in and irritants out. A tight, chafed feeling is a reason to change the routine, not wash again.45

Moisturizer is the main treatment for dry skin; the cleansing balm does not get promoted just because it comes in a jar. Apply moisturizer generously and often enough to control dryness, particularly after washing. Moisturizers work best on damp skin. Choose the texture by the severity of dryness, what your skin tolerates, your preference, cost and availability.7

Who should be more careful?

Sensitive skin can sting during or just after cleansing. Cleansers can also cause irritation or allergic reactions to individual ingredients, including fragrances, preservatives and some botanical oils. Stop using a cleanser that causes redness, itching, swelling or persistent stinging. If you also use acne treatments that stay on the skin, be cautious about adding an acne treatment cleanser: too much treatment can cause excessive dryness and irritation.4

See a dermatologist if dryness persists despite mild cleansing and moisturizer, a rash lasts, or an existing condition such as eczema or rosacea worsens. Do not try to scrub away persistent dryness. Menopausal skin is thinner, and home exfoliation or microdermabrasion can do more harm than good. Dryness can also be influenced by medicines such as oral retinoids and diuretics, so a cleanser change is not always the whole answer.37