Have you ever washed your face with moisturiser?
That’s how it feels to use Alpha-H Essential Cleansing Balm. A pleasant experience for sure, BUT… Can it really take dirt and makeup off?
Let’s find out:
What’s In Alpha-H Essential Cleansing Balm?
CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE TO CLEANSE AND MOISTURISE SKIN
Derived from coconut oil and glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is loaded with fatty acids that moisturise skin, leaving it softer and suppler.
Lighter in texture, it basically has all the moisturising properties of coconut oil without its comedogenic potential.
Plus, it cleanses skin, too. It melts away the natural oils on your skin and makeup, leaving your skin both clean and soft.
GRAPE SEED OIL TO MOISTURE SKIN
Derived from the seeds of grapes, grape seed oil has a lightweight texture that feels less greasy compared to other oils, like coconut and castor.
Like Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, it does double duty: it moisturises and cleanses skin at the same time. Oils work thanks to the “like attracts like” principle. They attach to the natural oils on your skin and makeup and melt them away.
Plus, it’s very moisturising: it creates a protective barrier on the skin that slows down water loss.
Related: What’s The Oil Cleansing Method And Should You Try It?
Need help creating the best skincare routine for you dry skin? Sign up to the newsletter below to receive the “Dry Skincare Routine Cheatsheet” (it includes product recommendations, too!).
Texture
Slightly oily. Spreads easily onto your skin.
Fragrance
Subtle and floral.
How To Use It
You can use it in two ways:
- Cleanser: Morning and night, it’s the first step of your skincare routine. If you’re wearing a lot of makeup, you may want to follow up with a second cleanse.
- Overnight mask: Leave it on overnight if you need an extra hydration boost.
Performance & Personal Opinion
Alpha-H Essential Cleansing Balm has a slightly oily texture that spreads easily on the skin. I massage it for a few minutes before removing it with a cotton cloth.
Or you can leave it on and use it as a night time moisturiser. Just be careful not to get it all over your pillow. Or into your eyes. Don’t use this to remove your eye makeup. It stings.
As the cleanser removes dirt and makeup, the oils in it strengthen your skin’s protective barrier. In other words, their job is to make sure your cleanser takes away the right stuff (dirt and grime) without destroying the barrier that keeps moisture in and germs out.
Plus, they moisturise it, too. After every use, my skin is clean and soft. I don’t get that tight feeling that alerts me the cleanser stripped my skin of moisture. On the contrary, my skin feels soft, smooth and hydrated.
P.S. Alpha-H doesn’t say this can be used as an eye makeup remover as it obviously can’t. But if you’re as clumsy as me, a drop or two may end up into your eyes anyway. Be careful!
Who Is This For?
Dry skin.
Who Is This NOT For?
Oily and/or acne-prone skin.
Packaging
I got a sample size that came with a holiday gift set. The full size comes in an airless white jar. It’s beautiful, practical, and easy-to-use.
Does Alpha-H Essential Cleansing Balm Live Up To Its Claims?
| CLAIM | TRUE? |
|---|---|
| 4-in-1 cleanser, toner, makeup remover and nourishing balm. | True. |
| Fortifies skin resilience by protecting its pH equilibrium. | It is pH-balanced. 99% of skincare products are – or they’d literally burn your skin! |
| Alleviates irritated skin. | True. |
Price & Availability
£27.50 at Beauty Bay and Cult Beauty
Do You Need It?
If you’re looking for a moisturising cleanser, this is a good option to consider.
Dupes & Alternatives
- Beauty Pie Double Phase Deep Rinse-Off Facial Cleanser (£7.75)
- Burt’s Bees Cleansing Oil Balm (£10.20)
Ingredients
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Polyamide-8, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Silica, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Extract, Rosa Canina (Dog Rose) Fruit Oil, Tocopherol, Pelargonium Graveolens (Sweet Scented Geranium) Oil, Bisabolol, Citronellol, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Geraniol, Linalool, Citral.
