Cleansing balms have become one of the biggest beauty trends to hit the scene in recent years, but they’ve actually been around for several decades. Old-school cold creams have been lauded for their gentle makeup-removing and skin-softening superpowers since the 1950s, and while they certainly lost traction over time, new-generation cleansing balms work just as well as the original formulas and are the perfect (perhaps, even essential) complement to your double cleansing routine.

When it comes to washing your face, pre-rinsing using a moisturizer-like cream may feel odd, but trust us, once you get the hang of it, you baby-soft and fresh skin will thank you for making the switch (or adding in the extra step). In fact, if you have already upgraded to a double cleansing routine in the evenings, you’ve probably been wondering why you relied on only foam-based cleansers for the rest of your life until now. You see, using an ordinary liquid cleanser to remove all of the makeup, skincare, and sunscreen (all which likely contain some oil) often don’t suffice.

When you’ve just washed your face, only to go in with a toning pad the last thing you want to find is a slew of excess makeup residue left behind, along with plenty of other skin-marring impurities leftover. The best solution? A double cleanse with a cleansing balm first (applied to dry skin) and followed by the liquid or foam cleanser of your choice.

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