Glow Recipe's New Papaya Cleansing Balm Breaks Down My Makeup and SPF in One Application

I, Sarah Han, treasure my cleansing balms. In fact, I don't consider my skin-care routine complete unless I start with one, before moving onto my second cleanser (double cleansing is life). So when I found out one of my favorite Korean-inspired beauty brands, Glow Recipe, was coming out with the Papaya Sorbet Enzyme Cleansing Balm, I audibly squealed. 

In recent months, I've also made it a goal to exfoliate more consistently, which means using products with gentle-yet-effective concentrations of acids every day or every other day — for example, I've been using Glow Recipe's Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner religiously to shrink the appearance of my pores and get that glassy skin I crave. 

While the toner's exfoliating properties are a little stronger, this new cleansing balm still contributes to my goal since papaya "contains a natural enzyme called papain, which helps gently exfoliate skin and reveals a glowy complexion," Ginger King, a cosmetic chemist and founder of Grace Kingdom Beauty, tells Allure. 

I also learned from King that cetyl ehtylhexanoate and sorbitan oleate, two esters that have the same effectiveness of oil cleansing without the extra grease, are the heavy-lifting ingredients that I've been praising for taking off all of my makeup and sunscreen. As for the other key ingredients found in the balm, she says that papaya extract "contains natural vitamin A and vitamin C to further exfoliate and brighten skin" and papaya seed oil helps moisturize skin. Blueberry extract, which is also found in Glow Recipe's Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser, is an antioxidant that protects the product's integrity in this particular formula.

And in conjunction, the cleansing balm and toner make my skin super happy and smooth. And just like the Pore-Tight Toner drew inspiration from the Korean Aqua Peel Facial, the balm draws inspiration from heated, full-body enzyme baths, "a popular spa treatment to detoxify and gently exfoliate the skin that we would get after a long flight to Korea," Sarah Lee, cofounder and co-CEO of Glow Recipe tells Allure. 

Lee, and fellow cofounder and co-CEO Christine Chang, also wanted to formulate a product that not only removes makeup and sunscreen, like most cleansing balms on the market but also provides visible skin-smoothing benefits. And let me tell you — I've tried countless cleansing balms over the years, and I don't think my skin has ever felt so baby soft after the first cleanse with Glow Recipe's Papaya Enzyme Cleansing Balm. The peach-hued formula is so plush that it melts immediately into the skin, which minimizes the possibility of any skin tugging. 

Application-wise, Mona Gohara, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, recommends massaging cleansing balms "three times around the face with gentle pressure." I personally work the product into the outer parts of my face before zeroing in and around the eyes, where my makeup tends to be the heaviest. 

Because it's a little thicker than other balms I follow up with a solid 30 seconds of rinsing with cool-ish water, and even after all that my face, especially my sensitive eye area, doesn't feel stripped or irritated (it's also safe for contact-lens wearers). The same goes for liquid eyeliner; it just needs a little extra time to completely melt away (see picture below), but I don't mind the extra massaging and unwinding. It's also not a deal-breaker for me since I usually wear pencil eyeliner, which is generally easier to take off. 

Though it feels like I could end my cleansing routine with this balm, I always follow up with KraveBeauty's Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser — Gohara recommends following up with a gentle, pH-neutral cleanser — or Pixi Beauty's Clarity Cleanser, if I've been dealing with rogue breakouts. It gives me extra assurance that every bit of grime, including what's invisible to the human eye, is swept away.

All in all, Glow Recipe's Sorbet Papaya Enyzme Cleansing Balm truly carries its weight for me and removes all of my makeup and SPF at the end of a long day — all while leaving my skin soft and moisturized as heck. And while I don't need extra convincing to double cleanse, the luxurious, buttery experience is a major bonus.

Get it from sephora.com or glowrecipe.com for $32.