I really want to start doing more skincare reviews on my blog. I recently used up a mini of the Farmacy cleansing balm and have since repurchased the full size to try out and share my thoughts with you below.
Packaging
The Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm comes in a sturdy plastic pot with a screw-top lid. Inside, you get a plastic insert and little spatula for scooping out the product which is cute. I like the design of the insert as it holds the spatula in place too. The packaging claims to be fully recyclable but I don’t think I can recycle the jar locally so I may have to look into my options. I did recycle the outer cardboard box it came in though.
Price
There are two sizes available to purchase separately. In the UK, the 50ml size retails for £24 and the 100ml size retails for £32. You can also get minis of the cleansing balm in sets.
Application
Being a balm texture, green clean does melt when you touch it which I why I think the spatula is really useful for getting product out without melting it. The application is really the same as any cleansing balm- you only need a small amount of product rubbed into the skin for it to melt away makeup, sunscreen and impurities. It comes off easily but I would say you do need a wet washcloth to feel like this has really been washed off, otherwise it may leave a residue.
What I really like about this cleansing balm is that I can use it around my eyes without any problems. I wear contact lenses and find that a lot of balms can sting my eyes or make my contacts fog up but there’s none of that here.
Ingredients
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Peg-10 Isostearate, Polyethylene, Echinacea Purpurea Root Extract, Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Moringa Pterygosperma Seed Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Glycerin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Amber Powder, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Water, Butylene Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Citral, Limonene, Linalool.
Overall, the ingredients list looks okay to me. I’m not an expert by any means so all I can really tell you is that this contains Ginger Root Oil and Sunflower Oil along with Moringa and Papaya extract to cleanse and gently exfoliate the skin. There are essential oils in here which can cause irritation on sensitive skin so that’s worth looking out for, as well as Polyethylene which is a type of plastic found in most cleansing balms. I’m not entirely sure what makes this ‘green’ other than the colour but it is vegan and cruelty-free.
Effect
So I don’t normally love cleansing balms to be honest. I know that they typically do a good job of removing makeup but I’ve always found them difficult to use around my eyes or left my pores feeling clogged after using. I don’t think either of those things is the case with the Farmacy cleansing balm and it leaves my skin feeling clean.
Pros
- Removes makeup well and washes off easily
- Doesn’t sting my eyes or make contact lenses go foggy
- Comes with a spatula for application
- Vegan and cruelty free
Cons
- On the more expensive side
- Contains essential oils that may be irritants
- Contains Polyethylene
Pick this up from Look Fantastic here (affiliate link)
Beauty Siren 