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Discover the homemade secret to fresh, radiant skin with our DIY cleansing balm! Gentle yet effective, it melts away makeup and impurities, leaving your skin soft and glowing.

I often reminisce about the days I could avoid using a cleansing balm on my faceโฆ (Haha! Time-saving anyone?!)
But nowadays, my skin needs cleansing – daily.
Maybe itโs kids. Perhaps itโs the garden. Or the constant laundry and cooking too.
Modern life sure has moments that wreak havoc on our skin health and appearance.
Yet Iโve got good news! In the form of this DIY cleansing balm.
Youโll find my cleansing balm recipe below. It removes makeup, impurities, and excess oils, leaving skin feeling fresh, soft, and clean.
What is cleansing balm?
A cleansing balm is used similarly to a homemade cleansing gel to remove makeup and impurities from the skin, leaving it feeling fresh and smooth.
The benefits of a cleansing balm are:
- Deep cleansing action for the skin
- Removes makeup and impurities effectively
- Helps keep skin moisturized and soft
- Wonโt dry your skin out as other non-oil-based cleaners can
- Great for traveling or adding colorant and using it as a DIY tinted skin moisturizer!
- Balances the oils in the skin, helping rebalance natural skin PH levels
- Tones down redness and inflamed areas of skin
- Leaves skin feeling soft, smooth, and clean
Why youโll love this cleansing balm recipe
- Itโs easy to make: Literally, you measure out the ingredients, pop them in a pan, melt them, and pour the mixture into a pot so it becomes solid. Thatโs it!
- Itโs easy to use: Simply massage a fingertip amount onto your face and rub it in a circular motion. Then rinse or wipe off with a cloth.
- Itโs easy on your pocket! Budget-wise, this cleanser is cheaper than many store-bought cleansing balms.
Cleansing balm recipe Ingredients
Iโm so in love with this cleansing balm! Just look at those ingredients. They truly work together so well to remove makeup and dirt after a long day.
- Shea butter: Provides deep moisturization to the skin, making it feel soft and smooth after just one use.
- Coconut butter: Deep cleansing and antimicrobial, coconut butter is excellent for lifting dirt from the skin and cleaning out pores.
- Calendula oil: This is a beautiful golden oil with a long history of use in skincare. While I enjoy making my own calendula oil, it’s readily available for purchase online.
- Castor oil: Good for dissolving makeup on contact and purifying the skin, leaving it clean and refreshed.
How to make cleansing balm
Step 1: Measure out the shea butter and cocoa butter with a digital scale.
Step 2: Melt the butters together in a small saucepan on medium-low heat.
Step 3: Once melted, add the calendula and castor oil.
Step 4: Stir well to mix together.
Step 5: Transfer to an airtight glass container.
Step 6: Once it has cooled, secure the lid.
Tips!
- Pat your skin dry: Once youโve cleansed your skin, remember to pat it dry with a soft towel so you donโt scratch or cause harm by mistake.
- Use small amounts: Start with a little bit of cleansing balm and add more if needed. You might be surprised how well it dissolves on your skin – meaning you might not need much to do a good cleansing job!
- Massage softly: A cleansing balm is a gentle method for cleaning your skin, so go gently on yourself when you use it!
- Rinse thoroughly: I recommend wiping off the cleansing balm first and then rinsing off if you need to afterward.
- Follow with moisturizer: Or whatever your usual skincare routine is, make sure you follow it. Cleansing balm on its own usually warrants a good homemade face moisturizer for tip-top skin results!
How to use a cleansing balm
Simply warm a fingertipโs worth of cleansing balm in between the palms of your hands, then gently apply it to your face in a circular motion to dissolve all makeup and impurities.
Wipe clean with a warm, damp cloth. Splash the face with cool water afterward for an extra healthy glow!
FAQs
Is cleansing balm or oil better?
Itโs a personal choice when it comes to which one is better.
I enjoy using a cleansing balm as I feel it lasts longer (maybe you use a touch less than you would an oil), plus it turns into an oily substance on contact with your skin.
If you prefer the idea of using a cleansing oil straight up, check out this DIY cleansing oil.
Tip! A cleansing balm is better to travel with, as itโs less likely to leak out all over your clothes.
Do you wash or wipe off cleansing balm?
Itโs best to wipe off cleansing balm with a damp, warm cloth, as wiping helps remove makeup and dirt from the skin.
You can always rinse off any residue afterward with warm water.
How long does the cleansing balm last?
Generally, this cleansing balm lasts up to 6 months if stored in an airtight container.
How do you store cleansing balm?
Store it in a plastic or glass jar with a screw-top lid. Keep it away from direct sunlight in a cabinet to extend its shelf life.
Is cleansing balm the same as a makeup remover?
No, not really. A cleansing balm is a thicker texture for one thing and is designed to cleanse the entire face.
Whereby a makeup remover is usually in liquid form, mainly for use on the eye and lip areas to remove makeup only.
Summary
Iโm sure youโll love making and using this cleansing balm! Feel free to share any comments you have in the comments section below.
Here are some other recipes you may enjoy:
- My 5 favorite face washes
- 10 best uses for aloe vera for the face
- How to make rosehip oil
- Wheat germ oil uses
DIY Cleansing Balm
Equipment
- Glass storage jar with lid
Ingredients
- 0.5 oz Shea butter
- 0.5 oz Cocoa butter
- 0.25 oz Calendula oil
- 0.25 oz Castor oil
Instructions
- Measure out the shea butter and cocoa butter with a digital scale.
- Melt both butters together in a small saucepan on medium-low heat.
- Once melted, add the calendula and castor oil.
- Stir well to mix together.ย
- Transfer to an airtight glass container.
- Once it has cooled, secure the lid.
Can I add a preservative to the Cleansing balm like vitamin E or does one of the other oils act like a preservative?
Hey Tracy! Yes, you can certainly add vitamin E oil if you would like to help stabilize the product. Since there is no water in this recipe, generally it will have a pretty decent shelf life though without a preservative!
Can you send me a face cleaner, moisturizer and exfoliate?
I donโt have castor or calendula oil, and I canโt use get them until next month but I really need some cleanser and all the balms I find are much too expensive. Could I use sweet almond oil and jojoba oil until I can get the calendula and castor oil?
Actually yes, sweet almond and jojoba were both oils I experimented with when I was testing out this recipe. If you have those, they will work just fine!