This 3-in-1 Cleanser Is the Lazy Girl’s Saving Grace for Her Face
Anyone who writes about skincare for a living owns a ton of cleansing products.
Cleanser is the one product everyone's encouraged to use, regardless of their skin type or experience with skincare. Because of that, almost every beauty brand has a cleanser in their product roster. That said, I'm definitely not on the hunt for new cleanser (or so I thought). I have three different cleansers in my shower, three on my bathroom counter, two in my main travel bag, one in my work bag and various cleansers floating around my apartment.
Because of the mass array of cleansers out there, I usually don't go out of my way to review them—but when I received a press release about Banila Co's Clean It Zero cleansing balm, it had a completely different appeal than anything I'd recently read about or tried. I reached out to a rep for the K-beauty brand about reviewing the product, and was swiftly sent a jar to sample.
The Product
The baby pink-colored, oil-based cleansing balm, made of papaya, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and Japanese onsen water, comes in a pretty pink jar, with a volume of product that should last you a while. At only $19 a pop, the cleanser a bestseller on Amazon.
I'd never used a cleansing balm before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Also, a big issue I have with most of the cleansers I've used prior is, despite heavy-duty rubbing, stubborn eyeliner or mascara refuses to leave my skin, giving me annoying black marks under my eye, requiring me to use additional products to remove the makeup.
The description of Clean It Zero claims its sherbet-like consistency turns into a cleansing oil that melts makeup right off your face (waterproof mascara and all) while gently exfoliating and removing, dirt, oil and dead skin cells. Additionally, it can apparently be used to clean makeup brushes, remove blackheads, remove deodorant residue and help with a closer shave. Sounds like a dream product, right?
The Experience
Trust me, age means nothing when it comes to feeling lazy about washing your face before bed. I can't tell you how many nights I've decided to forgo cleansing, only to force myself out of bed to do it because I hate how suffocated my face feels.
The first night that I tried Clean It Zero, I returned from a friend's Saturday night birthday bash. I was wearing a ton of makeup—heavy eyeliner, waterproof mascara, eyebrow gel, smokey purple eyeshadow, pink lipstick and a heap of concealer, blush, bronzer and full-coverage foundation. I absolutely dreaded taking off my makeup that night, but I knew this was not one of those evenings I could get away with waiting until the morning.
I grabbed for my Clean It Zero, took a little scoop from the mini-spatula that comes with the balm and began to gently rub my entire face (eyes included) with the product. Instantly, my makeup began to melt off into an oily consistency. I'll be honest, I looked like a crazy zombie, but it meant the product was clearly doing its job. After I could feel the waterproof mascara completely disintegrated, I took some warm water and splashed it onto my face, rubbing it into my skin a bit. No joke, all of my makeup was off with little more than the snap of a finger. It was the most mesmerizing thing I'd witnessed with a cleansing product.
I wish I could demonstrate the process as well as @LooksByLexington does below (believe me, I tried to capture it), but let's just say what you see in her video is an incredibly accurate depiction of how the product works!
When I finished rinsing off the cleanser, I reached for a washcloth to dab the extra dampness, but as far as any makeup was concerned, my face was crystal clear. It felt super smooth and hydrated, too. I reached for my nighttime face oil and called it a day! Since then, I use regular cleanser each morning when I just need to do a standard rinse, and I save Clean It Zero for nighttime after wearing a full face of makeup.
Bottom Line
Wow, to say I'm impressed by Clean It Zero is an understatement. It really is the ultimate lazy girl's go-to. I'm blown away with how quickly the cleansing process goes with this product, and how my face looks and feels squeaky clean within seconds. The packaging is super feminine and cute, and the product is little cost for longtime use. There are so many applause-worthy things to say about Clean It Zero—I recommend it to anyone!
In the mood for more lazy girl content? HERE's the lazy girl's guide to staying fit all year long!