After trying the famous Beauty of Joseon Relief sunscreen, the brand is firmly on my map, and I was eager to try more of its offerings. Here’s my Beauty of Joseon Cleansing Balm review, and again, it’s a hit!
The Brand
Beauty of Josean launched in 2017. The brand is inspired by traditional Korean medicine and the ingredients it uses (hanbang).
“Beauty of Joseon is a skincare brand made with Hanbang (Traditional herbal medicine) ingredients handed down from the Joseon Dynasty. We believe healthy skincare habits relieve us and enrich our daily lives.”
Beauty of Joseon
Description
It is a balm-type cleansing oil that gently melts eye, lip, base makeup and sebum. It contains rice bran and various grain extracts, so the skin does not get dry and remains moist.
Beauty of Joseon
Solid balm texture
A very soft, balm type cleansing balm that gently melts away makeup, excess sebum and skin impurities.
Oil base makeup remover
It gently dissolves mascara and eyeliner makeup, so there is no need to use a separate remover. In addition, it is comfortable to use because it does not blur or irritate the eyes.
What it is
This is a solid cleansing balm that comes in a pot with a little spatula and plastic insert. The brand stresses that you can use it to remove all the makeup on your face, not only eye makeup.
Ingredients
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Synthetic Wax, PEG-10 Isostearate, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Seed Water, Avena Sativa (Oat) Meal Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Extract, Water, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Noteworthy ingredients
As a cleansing balm, the bulk of the product is made up of emollients and emulsifiers. Then, we do have rice.
Rice is an awesome skincare ingredient. Rice extract is rich in protein, antioxidants, fatty acids, phyto nutrients, and even ceramides. All this means that it’s extremely soothing and moisturizing, conditioning and nourishing in skincare products.
- More rice: cosrx rice mask
Sustainability
I couldn’t find any info on that. The brand claims to be cruelty free and vegan. I don’t know where the claim “organic” comes from. Also, I don’t see any certified labels for that.
Application
Here comes my only (yes, spoiler!) critique of the product: it needs a lid with a little thingie to attach the spatula to. It drives me bonkers that there’s no place for the spatula, because where to store it?! Hygienically?!
Anyways.
I dig my finger in there, with some force, because that is one solid balm! I then apply it either to my eyes or my whole face, depending, and massage it in. You actually don’t need that much; I use maybe a small hazelnut-like amount for my whole face.
It melts easily to a wonderfully smooth liquid that smells like absolutely nothing. I massage it into my skin for maybe 30 seconds, then add some water and emulsify it, then wash it off with warm water.
Texture
It works very well turning from solid (think solid coconut oil) to liquid, smooth and silky, and emulsifies like a dream. I love that it smells of absolutely nothing.
Performance
There’s only one thing you have to be when using this balm, and that is diligent. You really have to get into the nooks and crannies and actually massage the balm in well, or it can’t remove all your makeup. I always think that I get away with a somewhat slapdash technique when I use my Holy Grail staple, the balea cleansing oil (maybe because it’s liquid). This here does take some time.
As you can see, the only product it doesn’t properly remove is the Heroine Make mascara that’s super waterproof (you can snorkel with it on and it will stay on your lashes). I’m not mad at that.
Happily, it doesn’t cloud nor sting my eyes, and leaves my skin wonderfully soft and non-irritated.
Comparison
I actually prefer this one to Clinique’s Take the Day Off cleansing balm. Lately I also tried and reviewed Good Molecule’s Cleansing Balm, whose’s texture and performance was similar to this one, but had gone off. Apparently, I got a bad batch.
This one, of course, comes with the inclusion of its hero ingredient, rice. I’m always a bit on the fence when it comes to ingredient benefits in wash-off products, but sure, I’m all for some soothing and nourishing in my cleansing products.
Price-wise, both Clinique’s and Good Molecules’ balms aren’t that far apart, surprisingly. IF you buy the Beauty of Joseon balm for less than the regular list price they name on their website ($19), though, it’s cheaper than both of them.
Rating
I actually love this, and will repurchase it.
Availability & Price
$12-19 for 100ml (3.38 fl.oz.), depending on where you buy (I generally buy either at Stylevana or YesStyle).
Please note that this post is not a sponsored post. We buy the products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods or money for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
