Clinique's Take The Day Off, Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm and Perricone MD's Chia cleansing balm (Image: Eve Rowlands) Skincare fans know all about double cleansing - the first step of which is often done with cleansing balms. Double cleansing is simply washing your face twice. Cleansing balms melt away makeup and sunscreen whilst imparting hydration and a glowy quality to the skin. This is usually followed up by another cleanser of choice to get rid of the day's sweat and impurities. There are many cleansing balms on the market, but Elemis , Clinique and Perricone MD offer popular - and high end - versions that don't come cheap. The Mirror's Eve Rowlands pitted the three products against each other to see if they're really worth it. She wrote: "Regardless of the benefits, adding a cleansing balm into your skincare routine is a pretty nice way to start and finish your day. It forces you to take some time to relax and take care in your wake-up and wind-down. Plus, it feels pretty spa-like (if you close your eyes and envision yourself in one) thanks to the smells and luxurious feel of the product." According to Eve, each had their unique qualities, but one cleansing balm stood out among the three as her favourite. Perricone MD Essential Fx Acyl-Glutathione Chia Cleansing Balm - £39 The packaging is super elegant (Image: Eve Rowlands) Getting a rave 10 out of 10 score from the Senior
fashion & Beauty Writer is Perricone's cleansing balm. Normally £39 at full price, the product is reduced to £28 at Debenhams and £31.20 at LookFantastic . While it was a close call for all three, the offering from Perricone won for its heavenly scent, nourishing quality and spotless makeup removal. The sophisticated bronze packaging contains a creamy-yellowish balm featuring grains throughout - perhaps the aforementioned chia seeds. The cleansing balm is super velvety and smells gorgeous - plus it comes slightly textured, as you can see (Image: Eve Rowlands) "What first struck me was the heavenly but gentle scent that hit me when I took off the lid," Eve said. "It was lightly sweet and a bit nutty and did not irritate my skin, as some fragranced cleansers have done in the past - plus, the scent when applying this balm helped instill a sense of calm in me." A fingernail-sized amount went a long way and didn't need scrubbing to take makeup off her sensitive eyes. She said the "velvety" balm was effective at removing foundation, concealer, blush, bronzer, eyeshadow and mascara after a minute or two rubbing. Half of my face has make-up, the other has been cleansed with the Perricone MD cleansing balm (Image: Eve Rowlands) "But that's not all. What I loved about this cleansing balm was that, once I wiped the product off my face, my skin felt unbelievably soft and plump. Now, I'm pretty lucky in that I have quite balanced skin anyway but this was on another level. So much so I hailed for my partner to come and feel my cheek's texture. More often than not, after cleansing I'm met with a complexion that's squeaky clean (win win) and although feels taut, often yearns for a little hydrating help. But not this time." After a week's use, she noticed the pores on her nose and forehead were visibly reduced. What's more, other beauty buffs have rated it 4.72 stars out of five in over 400 reviews. Beauty deal of the week Beauty fans are raving over a tinted balm that soothes dry lips - and even
Margot Robbie is a fan. A nourishing tinted lip balm can be a good alternative to lipstick for those with cracked and sore lips. One that continues to be fan-favourite is the Burt's Bees Natural Tinted Lip Balm . Currently available to buy for just £6 on Amazon, this tinted lip balm has been praised for its "creamy" formula that "doesn't dry out your lips". It's not just our own handbag you can find the lip balm in, as Margot Robbie also keeps it in her handbag. The Barbie
Actress revealed to
British Vogue back in 2021 that the affordable beauty buy was inside her Chanel handbag. While the Oscar nominee didn't officially confirm the shade, it does look to be Pink Blossom . It's not the only time the A-lister revealed she was a fan of the high street lip balm . She once told Harper's Bazaar : "I don't like wearing lipstick because I get it all over my face, so I wear lip balm with a bit of a stain, like Burt's Bees or Fresh." If you're also not a fan of lipstick, then Margot Robbie's favourite lip balm is probably a good choice for you. Made with nourishing shea butter and botanical waxes, beauty fans say this balm "keeps lips moist for many hours after application". The balm does provide the lips with a hint of sheer pink which is ideal for anyone who wants a more natural look during the summer season. You don't have to go for the colour inside Margot Robbie's handbag, as the balm does come available in seven other shades . "Love this Burt's Bees balm. I suffer from dry lips so I'm totally addicted to this creamy, moisturising product. It gives a really nice amount of colour while not really covering up your lips (like a thicker lipstick would). It's a great look - so much so that I always now buy this product instead of lipstick. My other favourite colours in the range are Rose and Hibiscus." Beauty fans can purchase the Burt's Bees Natural Tinted Lip Balm from
Amazon for £6 here . Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm - £49 It feels super soft on your skin and is a lovely smooth texture (Image: Eve Rowlands) Elemis' cleansing balm is a cult product among skincare fans. Reduced from £49 to £41.65 at Boots or £28 for a half-size tub from Amazon , the mango-coloured luxury balm has a signature spa-like scent shoppers adore. The three-in-one formula starts off as a nourishing balm to melt away makeup and
Oil before hydrating your face as it transforms into a cleansing milk like magic before your eyes. Eve said: "Just like the Perricone MD cleansing balm, Elemis Pro-Collagen's scent hits you immediately upon opening up the tub yet it is a lot more pungent - but not in a bad way. With strong notes of lavender, chamomile and eucalyptus, applying the balm fully enveloped my senses to made me feel like I'd stepped right into a spa and was having my very own facial treatment, which was pretty lush. The Elemis balm smells divine (Image: Eve Rowlands) "The balm melted easily in the hands in seconds, glided gently onto the skin and felt super luxurious. I will say that this balm felt a little heavier on my face and you could really feel it melting and lifting the make-up away - plus, after just a few uses, the pores on my nose were visibly smaller." While face makeup melted off, she noted that eye make-up took a bit of elbow grease to remove, although without irritation. Eve enjoyed how it transformed from balm to milk as a swipe of cloth lifted residue completely. The balm left her skin nourished and hydrated whilst the powerful scent left her "quite zen". In comparison to Perricone MD balm, the texture of her skin wasn't "mind-blowingly soft". "That being said, it's a gorgeous cleansing balm that gives you a truly spa-like experience morning and night which is glorious for helping de-stress and strips your face of make-up, oil and impurities - without stripping your face of all that moisturising goodness and leaves you feeling glorious." Fashion deal of the week As we approach the summer season, many of us might be planning some vacations for a well-deserved break. If you're looking to make your travel feel that bit easier, then it is handy to have the right outfit that will keep you comfy. Which is why we are loving Marks and Spencer's Cotton Blend Slim Fit Ankle Grazer Joggers . These £32.50 M&S Collection Joggers have been designed for maximum comfort and they are going down well with fashion fans and holiday-makers alike who have been raving over them as "extremely comfy". They are available in short/petite, regular and long lengthways. Shoppers are able to snap these "flattering" joggers up in six colours - buff, taupe, terracotta, nightshade, blue and soft green. When we checked online , there were still many sizes ranging from a
UK 6 to 24, depending on the colour and length you are buying. These joggers boast the classic regular-fit design and ankle grazer length with a button and zip fastening. Crafted from a soft cotton-blend material with an elasticated waistband and cuffs, these £32.50 joggers are said to be "brilliant for travelling in" and a "staple for summer." One glowing review read: "Love these trousers , I now have 5 pairs, soo, comfy, brilliant for travelling in, but can be smart/ casual. Cant recommended them enough." Shoppers can purchase the £32.50 Cotton Blend Slim Fit Ankle Grazer Joggers from the M&S website here . Join the Daily Record's
WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Clinique Take The Day Off - £34 The texture of this balm is light and is fragrance free (Image: Eve Rowlands) The last balm to be tested was the classic Clinique Take The Day Off, the cheapest of the lot at £34 full price. The brand's bestselling makeup remover is currently £5.10 off at Boots (£28.90) . Eve first noted it was a lot lighter in colour, weight and texture than the previous two. Another marked difference is that it's fragrance free - ideal for those with sensitive skin. Eve said: "After being warmed up between my fingers, it turned from a squishy balm into a silky oil that glided nicely onto my face and didn't feel heavy - in comparison to the other two. Putting Elemis' balm on one half of my face and Clinique's on the other, I was shocked to find that I could really feel which balm was on which side regarding weightiness." Fully cleansed, my face feels refreshed (Image: Eve Rowlands) Clinque's balm felt soft on the skin and removed mascara in "one fell swoop" without any residue. Although her eyes felt "weepy" after using the product, this faded after 10 minutes and here eyes were neither irritated or hurt. "I was pretty impressed with this cheaper (than Elemis and Perricone MD ) balm and can see why it's highly revered in the beauty world . It left my face product-free and fresh as well as plumped and hydrated." Final thoughts Goodbye foam and gel cleansers - Eve says she's now 100 per cent a cleansing balm convert. She concluded: "All in all, these three cleansing balms are elite and I can see why shoppers buy them time and again - they work wonders at leaving your skin soft, supple, hydrated and make-up free without the need for mass scrubbing (which I've experienced in the past) and give you a bit of a glow thanks to their natural and skin-loving ingredients." Latest shopping news M&S £32.50 joggers for travelling Matalan Dior 'dupe' £21 sandals Charlotte Tilbury new 'plumping' gloss Margot Robbie's £6 lip balm Don't miss the latest news from around
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