De Mamiel Restorative Cleansing Balm

Out-of-this-world deep cleansing balm, perfect for facial massage   / 3.4 oz

de Mamiel Restorative Cleansing Balm is one of those rare products that is a runaway favorite with our entire team. We each took a little jar home and used it, then regrouped with our eyes wide, all whispering something along the lines of, “That de Mamiel Cleansing Balm! OMG.” The reasons why this deep cleansing, decongesting, moisture-resetting, spirit-calming balm is so good can be hard to unravel…but we’ll give it a try.

First off, there’s the texture. Some cleansing balms feel slightly fatty, some not quite rich enough; this is Goldilocks-perfect, right in between. It has enough heft to feel substantial, yet enough of what we — very professionally — describe as “meltiness,” a combination that just begs to be massaged into your face. And massage you should, in deep, upward-moving strokes that say, “Gravity may want to move my face in the other direction over time, but it’ll have to fight this magical massage I’m doing every night!” Your circulation will certainly benefit, too, and your skin will be far better off as a result. 

Then there’s the aroma. Some brands and products specifically encourage you to “enjoy the moment”; sometimes, though, you’re just not in the mood. But de Mamiel’s Cleansing Balm simply stops you in your tracks with a natural lemon-rose scent that is so arrestingly beautiful, it makes you think, “Who was I to scoff at this ‘enjoying the moment’ business? Life is beautiful! Let’s massage this buttery goodness into that face some MORE.” There is true magic in de Mamiel’s aromatherapy, which is heightened with a touch of flower essences (which we’re huge fans of).

The best part is that its blend of light oils, rich butters, Manuka honey, and prebiotic poly- and oligo-saccharides — with a touch of spirit-lifting, kind-to-skin essential oils — suits every skin type, and it can serve as not only a deep cleanser and sunscreen/makeup remover but also as a calming moisture mask and facial massage base. This big, beautiful pot of Cleansing Balm will soon become one of the most treasured items in your skincare toolkit. (If you want to try it first, you can do so with our Custom Sample Service.)

For fall 2023, the Cleansing Balm has been updated with a few changes that we love. The plain rice bran oil has been replaced with a rice bran oil infused with a proprietary blend of 14 calming and adaptogenic herbs; a few oils and butters (kukui nut, carrot) have been replaced with winners like EFA-rich sea buckthorn, Japanese camellia, and lunaria seed oil. The feel of the formula is the same, but the wipe-off is cleaner, which we’re fans of. And thankfully, the smell is essentially the same, too; as Annee told us, “To me, this was so important because that’s the beauty of using it and what gives you that sense of dropping your shoulders and taking away the day’s stress.” 

Pro tips:
If you have sensitive skin but like using a retinoid at night, this cleanser can help set the stage for a more sensitive-skin-friendly retinol/Retin-A experience.
If you prefer a more squeaky-clean, residue-free feel, follow it up with the Brightening Cleanse & Exfoliate or your preferred second double-cleansing step.
But whatever you do, you must try the cloud-like, perfectly designed de Mamiel Luxury Cleansing Cloths.

To learn how to use the Cleansing Balm in facial massage, check out this video on our YouTube channel.

And to learn more about de Mamiel, check out our Brand Spotlight interview with creator Annee de Mamiel.