Cleansing Balms For Oily Skin: Everything You Need To Know

So, is cleansing balm a good choice for oily skin? The good news is that a cleansing balm can indeed be an effective product for oily skin. Gentle yet effective in dissolving away excess oils from extra sebum production and makeup, cleansing balms don’t require any harsh scrubbing.

We’ve developed our sumptuous Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm formula to transform into three textures: a nourishing balm, an oil that lifts and dissolves, and a cleansing milk that hydrates.

Though you may not realise it, oily skin can bring some important benefits. Skin that doesn’t have enough oil can look dry and dull. What’s more, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, people with oily skin tend to have thicker skin and fewer wrinkles — and who wouldn’t want a plumper, smoother complexion?

However, too much oil on the skin can lead to a greasy appearance and blemishes. So, for those with oily skin types, the key challenge is to keep it in balance.

So, how does oily skin manifest? It’s all to do with your sebaceous glands. These glands are concentrated on the face, décolletage, and back, which, unsurprisingly, tend to be the areas most affected by blemishes. These glands secrete sebum, which is usually a combination of fatty acids, naturally occurring lipids, waxes, and sugars, forming an oily, waxy layer on the skin. This layer moisturises and protects the skin from transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and is essential to skin health.

The reasons why some people have more oily skin than others are widely unknown, but there are some known risk factors that can cause skin to produce excess oils:

• Having higher testosterone levels
• Fluctuating hormones
• Living in a humid climate
• Having highly melanated skin

If you have an oily skin type, you may be tempted to cleanse excessively to sweep away that excess. However, over-cleansing strips your skin of its natural oils, disrupting its moisture barrier. This signals your sebaceous glands to compensate by producing even more oil, leading to a vicious cycle of overproduction.

This doesn't mean you need to avoid cleansing altogether, though—we recommend cleansing twice a day, just as you would with any other skin type. As we’ll look into shortly, you can even incorporate double cleansing into your daily skincare routine. The most important element is to consider the products you use, and this is where finding the best cleansing balm can do wonders for oily skin.

Cleansing balms are a surprisingly effective choice for managing oily skin. These balms are rich in nourishing oils, so they cleanse without drying out or stripping the skin of essential moisture.

How Do Cleansing Balms Help With Oily Skin?

Cleansing balms are a surprisingly effective choice for managing oily skin. These balms are rich in nourishing oils, so they cleanse without drying out or stripping the skin of essential moisture.

Do Cleansing Balms Clog Pores?

No, a cleansing balm is ideal for sweeping away visible impurities without clogging your pores. The oils in cleansing balms are lipophilic, meaning they attract and bond with other oils, making them particularly effective at dissolving impurities like makeup, suncream, and excess sebum.

What’s more, cleansing balms transform into a milky emulsion upon contact with water due to their surfactants and emulsifying ingredients. This process gently lifts away dirt and oils without harsh scrubbing, leaving the skin looking clean, balanced, and hydrated while reducing excess sebum.

The best cleansing balm formulas for oily skin focus on a clean, balanced complexion without over-stripping it.

What To Look For In A Cleansing Balm

For oily skin, we recommend looking for nourishing yet non-comedogenic ingredients — those that cleans, soothe, and hydrate without clogging your pores.

Ingredients To Avoid In A Cleansing Balm

We generally suggest avoiding cleansing balms that contain mineral oils, alcohols, artificial dyes, paraffin, and other occlusives, as these can feel heavy and disrupt your skin’s natural balance.

Our Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is an ideal choice for a variety of skin types, including oily skin as it is mineral oil-free and formulated specifically for effective, gentle cleansing.

Our Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm effectively removes makeup, daily grime, and pollutants while doubling as a softening facial mask. We’ve infused our award-winning formula with oils like elderberry, Optimega™, and starflower. It’s also enriched with Padina Pavonica, our hydration hero. This powerful algae leaves skin feeling soft and looking radiant.

Our original Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm is a firm favourite, and a staple in many skincare routines around the world. We’ve also developed a range of other opulent varieties to suit every skincare need.

Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm

The Iconic Original

Our original cleansing balm formula is infused with a unique blend of nine essential oils, including lavender, chamomile and eucalyptus. It’s an excellent choice for those seeking a deep cleanse with a luxurious spa-like experience that invigorates the senses.

Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm

The Rose-Infused Icon

Formulated with delicate English rose oleo extract, this floral favourite leaves skin feeling petal-soft, smooth and oh-so-soothed. Our Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm is perfect for anyone who loves a calming, rose-infused ritual.

Pro-Collagen Naked Cleansing Balm

The Fragrance-Free Cleansing Balm

This fragrance-free version of our bestselling cleansing balm melts away makeup and impurities just as effectively as our other formulas. It’s especially suited to individuals who may be sensitive to fragrances.

Pro-Collagen Green Fig Cleansing Balm

The Refreshing Cleansing Balm

Our Pro-Collagen Green Fig Cleansing Balm offers a delightfully fresh and earthy fragrance with a hint of raspberry and bergamot. It’s a wonderful choice if you want a refreshing, uplifting cleanse with a unique and vibrant scent profile.

Pro-Collagen Black Cherry Cleansing Balm

The Indulgently Juicy Balm

The Pro-Collagen Black Cherry Cleansing Balm is the latest edition to our cleansing balm collection with a comforting, indulgent aromas of almond, vanilla, and freshly picked black cherries. With our iconic Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm as a base, it's formulated with the same transformative 3-in-1 texture that you know and love, but this time with a new juicy black cherry scent. 

If you want to enhance your cleansing routine further, you may also want to try double-cleansing. This two-step approach delivers an even deeper clean while helping to prep the skin for the rest of your skincare routine.

Here's a quick double cleanse how-to:

Step 1: First Cleanse

Use your favourite cleansing balm to lift and remove impurities, makeup and visible pollutants.

Step 2: Second Cleanse

Follow with a treatment cleanser — usually a gel, clay, or foam texture — to target your individual concerns. For oily skin, we recommend our Pro-Collagen Energising Marine Cleanser. Our Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash is also a great choice, particularly if your oily skin tends to lead to blemishes.

The beauty of our three-in-one cleansing balms is that you can use them as masks to get a really deep clean — perfect for nourishing oily skin.

To use your cleansing balm as a treatment mask:

1. Massage it gently onto dry skin, using circular motions for 30 seconds to two minutes.
2. Once settled, wash your hands and let the mask absorb right into the skin while you relax.
3. After 15-20 minutes, rinse a washcloth with warm water and wash the balm away. Pat your face dry and continue with the rest of your skincare routine.

With a range of luxurious formulas tailored to different skin needs, we have a cleansing balm for every complexion type, including oily skin. Our opulent Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balms are carefully crafted to leave your skin looking and feeling balanced, radiant, and thoroughly cleansed — ready to apply your favourite serums, treatments, and moisturisers. Say goodbye to excess oil and hello to a glowing complexion.