Review: Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm on My Oily, Acne-Prone Skin

This is my first time using cleansing oil/balm from a Clinique brand. I bought Clinique Cleansing Balm when I visited the Beauty Fiesta 2025 last July at Expo. I was running out of my cleansing oil at that time, so I thought this was a good opportunity to try this out.

I think Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm has already been in the market for a long time. But honestly, the price tag is quite steep for me when there are so many more affordable options from Korea and Japan. I bought mine with a good discount, so why not finally try it and compare my experience with the cleansing oils I have tried before?

• Texture: balm to oil to milk
• Function: dissolve makeup and sunscreen
• Suitable for: normal, oily, combination, dry, and sensitive

The ingredients are fairly short, so that is a good thing. But it does contain ethylhexyl palmitate, which could be comedogenic. I once had a breakout from using another cleansing oil from Bioderma that contains that, so I was initially a bit hesitant to try. If you had a prior reaction to that ingredient, you may try with caution.

How I Use It

I use the cleansing balm as my first step in my evening skincare routine to take off sunscreen, makeup, and the overall oil buildup from my face.

I take a dollop on my fingertips, warm it up on my hand to turn it into oil, and massage it with both palms on my dry face. I make sure to really take my time to massage to break down the film of the sunscreen, makeup, etc.

Don’t forget to also clean the perimeter of the face too. Sometimes we tend to ignore the edges, so even though the middle of the face is clean, we can accidentally leave bits at the perimeter.

After that, rinse with running water. The oil will turn into a milk-like consistency. Have another round of massage all over the place, and then rinse everything off with water.

Cleansing Experience

It does a great job taking off my makeup. It does not take a lot of effort to remove my waterproof mascara either. A coin-sized balm is enough to clean my entire face.

Rinsing it with water is also very easy. It does not leave an oily or sticky feeling. It does not make my face dry afterwards either.

Overall, it does its job, and I could complain about the experience. I also did not get any irritation, like the breakout I once got from Bioderma cleansing oil, even though both have ethylhexyl palmitate in the ingredient list.

Do I recommend it?

Well, it depends on things:

• Yes, if this is your first time double cleansing AND Clinique Cleansing Balm is an option that is more accessible to where you live. It does its job and is gentle enough for every skin tone.
• No, if you have better access to Korean or Japanese cleansing oil or balms. They are cheaper and usually come in bigger bottles. Their consistency also comes in various forms – from lighter to more moisturising – so you can find one that suits you best and get the best of your investment.

When I lived in Australia, getting Clinique cleansing balm was easier because I could find Clinique in common pharmacies or beauty stores in my city. In comparison, I had to order online for Korean and Japanese products, which can take one or two weeks to arrive.

But once I moved back home, Asian skincare products were more widely available and very affordable too in comparison with Western brands like Clinique.

Will I repurchase it?

No, I don’t think so. While my experience with the product is good, I will be back using my Kose Speedy Cleansing Oil that I have been using for over 7 years. Or maybe try out the Anua one that people say is great for acne-prone skin.

That is my experience with Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. It is a lovely product, but I think I will stick to my K-beauty and J-beauty cleansing oils that are more affordable here.

Have you tried this product yet? What are your thoughts on double cleansing? Let me know in the comments down below.