I’ve never been a huge fan of the chemical-laden make-up removers available at the drug store. They always stung my eyes, left an oily residue, or had cloying aromas I wasn’t fond of. In essence, I wasn’t thrilled to have to use them if I broke out my super-duper waterproof mascara, cuz let’s face it, nothing short of a nuclear slurry will take THAT stuff off.

So, on my journey to discover some alternative, it occurred to me that oil had always been an excellent cleanser. Sure, it takes a bit of elbow grease to remove especially stubborn mascara, but it generally does a fair job of it in the end and I’ve been recommending The Oil Cleansing Method for years now. But what could I do to make oil work even better?

Transfigure it into a cleansing balm, and voila! Now we’re talkin’!

Rose Cleansing Balm

This balm is the bomb dot com if I do say so myself. It’s super smooth and silky and leaves my skin feeling perfectly clean without feeling squeaky or stripped. Its gentle rose scent calms the emotions while the little snapshot of peppermint essential oil gives you a lovely boost in the morning. Cardamom rounds out the blend with its cheerful undertones.

Your day is bound to start out great after using this rose-y yet cooling cleansing balm. I absolutely love it.

It may seem weird that this recipe isn’t soap based, but I can assure you that it cleanses just as well. It gets its cleansing kick from the emulsifying wax which is surprisingly soap-like when lathered in your fingers and worked into the skin.

If you follow the oil cleansing method, this balm will be even easier to throw together! I’ve made notes below where you can just sub in the oil you use to cleanse your face normally, so be sure to check out the recipe and make note of how many grams of oil you need for your unique skin.

So, without further ado, let’s get into the recipe!

Here’s what you need to make a 1oz size of rose cleansing balm:

• 7.5g emulsifying wax
• 7g jojoba oil (or sub with the oil you use for oil cleansing)
• 3.5g castor oil (this offers a more “cleansing” aspect to the balm)
• 3.5g hemp seed oil (or sub with the oil you use for oil cleansing)
• 3.5g shea butter (surprisingly, has a comedogenic rating of zero!)
• 2g candelilla wax or carnauba wax
• 2g rosehip seed oil or argan oil (or sub with the oil you use for oil cleansing)
• 3 drops cistus essential oil (aka rockrose essential oil)
• 2 drops rose absolute or rose otto 
• 1 drop cardamom essential oil

I use this highly sensitive kitchen scale for measuring tiny amounts of ingredients.

I have chosen the above carrier oils (and the shea butter) based on their low comedogenic ratings for those of us with acne-prone skin.

Consider swapping out the essential oils with steam distilled lemon, tea tree, or lavender for some added variation. You can make this balm do whatever you like depending on the essential oils you choose to add to it. Just make sure not to use phototoxic essential oils or your skin will become very sensitive to sunlight.

Read more about phototoxic essential oils HERE.

Loving Preparation – Rose Cleansing Balm

1. Add everything to a clean pyrex measuring cup except the essential oils.

2. Place the pyrex measuring cup in a saucepan of simmering water (about half an inch or so) and heat everything through until thoroughly melted.

3. Use a rubber spatula to stir things up a bit to ensure that everything is mixed well.

4. Remove the measuring cup, wipe the bottom dry with a kitchen towel, and place it near the 1oz tin you will be using to store the balm. I like keeping the pyrex on a towel to keep the mixture from hardening too quickly.

5. Once the mixture has cooled slightly (but hasn’t begun to harden) it’s time to add the essential oils. Use the spatula to mix them in thoroughly.

6. Next, pour the mixture into the 1oz tin you will be using for storage.

7. Allow the balm to harden completely, cap closed, and it’s ready for use!

To Use

Wet your face thoroughly with warm water.

Then simply scoop out a small amount of rose cleansing balm with a clean dry finger, or use a tiny spatula like this one. This will keep the product as germ-free as possible.

Wet your hands, then rub the balm between your fingers. You’ll notice that the balm sort of lathers a bit. Massage it into your face, focusing on areas with tough makeup. You’ll notice that it breaks up everything quite nicely!

Use a clean damp cloth to wipe away the balm (rinsing it off doesn’t work) and expose fresh clean skin! This is a really nice “first-step cleanser” and can be followed up with your regular cleanser if desired.

I have used this cleansing balm to remove a full face of makeup without a hitch – even stubborn mascara. It’s really that good! I hope you give it a try!

You may also enjoy reading:

Thyme Serum for Acne Free Skin
How to Remove Blackheads Using Floss??
Winter Frankincense and Myrrh Serum

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