About time Estée Lauder expanded the Advanced Night Repair range and gave us something new to be excited about. New launches include Advanced Night Repair Concentrated Recovery PowerFoil Mask (yet to try) and Advanced Night Micro Cleansing Balm. It’s an established fact, I have a weakness for cleansers. Plus I’ve used and loved the serum (repurchased multiple times) for years now, so based on the experience of the serum I didn’t hesitate on giving this balm a try.
Claims: Micro-Purifying, Micro-revitalizing. This lightweight balm melts into a silky cleansing oil as you massage over skin, then transforms with water into a milky emulsion that rinses easily for a clean, conditioned feel. Removes makeup and impurities, including pollution, as it purifies deep within skin’s surface to improve your overall healthy look.
When to use: Estée Lauder specifically say Use at night, then follow with Advanced Night Repair skincare to create a revitalizing nightime ritual for healthier, younger-looking skin.
Ingredient Listing: Ethylhexyl Palmitate (derivative of palm oil, provides dry slip factor), Carthamus Tinctorus (Safflower) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth 30 Tetraoleate (fatty acid), Polyethylene, PEG-5 Glyceryl Triisostearate (emollient, emulsifier), Water\Aqua\Eau, Silybum Marianum (Lady’s Thistle) Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract (Japanese Knotweed), Algae Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile), Lavendula Angustifolia (Lavender), Methyldihydrojasmonate, Tocopherol, BHT, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol (preservative)
One ingredient may stand out for wrong reasons, Polyethylene – which may cause skin irritation. Green/Natural/Organic Beauty People, this formulation is “Toxic” for you!
Similar ingredient listing and formulation (consistency and feel) to Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing balm. After all, Clinique falls under the Estée Lauder umbrella! However with the addition of some lovely extracts Lady’s Thistle, Algae, Chamomile, Lavender it brings it in line with the Advanced Night Repair range.
This may not be considered a typical cleansing balm ingredient listing with typical carrier oils and essential oils. However this is very typical of an East Asian cleansing balm like RMK Cleansing Balm, Su:m 37 Skin Saver Melting Cleansing Balm or Banilla Co. which have similar ingredients, texture and consistency in their cleansing balms.
Packaging: Housed in a plain plastic tub with classic gold lining twist open lid. Light enough to carry for travel (70ml – $40).
Texture & Consistency: The balm needs a little bit work of digging in unlike our beloved Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm. It’s a proper solidified balm (think Clinique Take the Day off). It would have been nice touch, if Estée Lauder actually provided a spatula to dig in (like the Asian brands do with the solidified cleansing balms).
Scent: Faint scent of Advanced Night Repair serum. Actually let me add, very very faint almost to nothing if you don’t have a nose of sniffer dog.
Performance: Once on the finger and face, immediately melts to an oil, melting makeup and providing good grip for an extended massage. Whilst this removes makeup just fine, it stung my eye like a MOFO! My fault I got carried away and lets be honest I should have known better. So next time I removed makeup little bit cautiously around eye, continued cleansing and everything came off just fine. It can be used as makeup remover, second cleanse or morning cleanse. Although I would prefer something more lush with oils for second or morning cleanse. It provides a really good grip to massage, no slip slop business.
The balm emulsifies beautifully with water to milky goodness, however my preference still lies with a proper warm steaming wash cloth over my face. My skin doesn’t feel dry, stripped or stretched. No magical skin improvements from using this balm. Does the job!!!
So in conclusion, is this a ‘must have’ balm? Nope, there are other options available with similar formulation which perform just as well and at a fraction of price. However like me, there is slight possibility to get sucked in the hole “extension of Advanced Night Repair range” and fall for the balm.
HHW.com
xx
Excellent review! If it stings the eye, it doesn’t make it on my list. 🙂
Thanks doll! Eye blur and sting wasn’t pleasant but apart that good balm😊
Lovely review. I will not run out and purchase immediately but its on the maybe list. I always like to try new things! 🙂
May be try a sample first to see if it tickles your cleansing soul😂 and then take the plunge😉
Looks lush. 😐 I want it.
Yep looks lush but is it actually lush? That can be debated🤔
Oh shizz! In that case I’ll put it on the BOTTOM of my to-buy list. 😉
If you get a sample before buying, you could make up your mind if it’s lush or not 😉
Oh I always love Estee Lauder skin products but reading your post n it’s price I think I ll give it a pass 😦
Me too, although if you could get your hands on a sample, you could try it without any investment. It’s not awful product but it’s not ground breaking either.
True that and sometimes it might be good for another skin type..sample us a good option
I really enjoy your reviews
Thank you xx
Hmm, sounds nice enough, but nothing to rush out and buy. If it’s going to purely be used as a first cleanse/makeup remover I’d probably just go with TTDO as I assume the EL is pricier. I haven’t seen it in Australia yet, but I’ll keep an eye out at the counter and have a play x
The Beauty Bloss
Unfortunately when I saw “advanced night repair” I was so excited and built up my expectation only to be left underwhelmed😒
Hey Hidden,
will you also review the new Advanced Night Repair Night Micro Cleansing *Foam* once you get your hands on it? I really want to know its composition. I’m hoping for very mild sulfates that respect the acid mantle. The balm already sounds heavenly.
Unlikely I will be buying or reviewing the foam. Hopefully if I get a chance to glance the inci list id be curious.
Well, I have it and I love it! As it really gives a great cleansing of the skin. One of the best…! Go get it. 😉
Amazing review hidden harmony world! I have been using the body shop camomile cleansing butter to remove makeup and I am almost out of it. Came across this product after seeing it doing the popular rounds on youtube. You did mention that there are other similar balms for a fraction of a cost, I would really appreciate if you could directme to some of the other balms. Also thank you for the honest review. I intrigued enough to try a sample of this before jumping in.
Thank you Shruti, other inexpensive balms I mentioned were Banila Co, Heimish which are Korean brands and perform just as well xx