There are some skincare products that  immediatey instill fear in me and the utterance of two words in particular send me off into a downward spiral: cleansing oils. I find it hard to compute the idea of slathering my sometimes oily, sometimes combination skin in the stuff. And I’m not the only one who’s of this opinion. 

The great oil debate is one for the ages and the beauty community seems to have two very strong viewpoints. In the pro-oil corner, there are those skincare enthusiasts and experts who applaud cleansing oils to help draw out oil and build up. But then there are those who, like me, are sceptical, worried that the use of oil on oily skin worried will simply clog pores instead.

One thing we know for certain is how effective cleansing oils can be at removing make-up – and as someone who always wants to find the most gentle and effective products to remove make-up but not irritate my spot-prone skin, this leaves me in a bit of a quagmire. 

It wasn’t until the launch of Wishful’s Clean Genie Cleansing Butter, £31, that the cleansing balm world finally provided a viable option that didn’t look too intimidating. Those who have tried a cleansing balm or two will know that as soon as the product is rubbed in, it transforms from a balm to an oil. In other words, an oil-sceptics idea of skincare hell. But, as soon as I scooped out a bit of the Wishful cleansing butter, I was simply lost for words.

The balm texture changes into a milky balm that doesn’t resemble or feel like an oil in the slightest. It felt exactly how I’d imagined a cleansing balm; velvetty and lightweight. And it doesn’t compromise on its make-up removing power either.

After using four scoops on my face, my heavy-duty mascara, eyebrow pomade, foundation and eyeliner lifted with ease. I may have been left with jet black mascara residue under my eyes straight after, but in a way in reassured me that my make-up was actually coming off and not just stubbornly clinging onto my lashes. After I had washed my face, the residue had almost completely gone. Of course there was a few flecks of mascara that settled in the creases under my eyes, but the majority had definitely been removed.

When using the balm, I couldn’t help but thinking how refreshing it felt to use. And while I usually have an aversion to scent in skincare (fearing it’ll aggrivate my spot-prone skin), the Wishful balm had a very subtle cotton fresh scent. But because it was so subtle, I actually quite enjoyed the clean scent, especially after wearing a full face of make-up all day.

A true test of a cleansing balm is in how skin feels afterwards. When it comes to using some cleansers, my oily skin can tend to feel stripped and tight. But, the Wishful balm left my oily, spot-prone skin feeling moisturised and undisturbed. We can attribute this to the green tea extract in the balm working to sooth and clean skin. But, the formula also contains cherry blossom, known for its antioxidant-rich and essential fatty acid content to leave skin looking brighter. 

The mere thought of a cleansing balm-turned-oil texture sends shivers down my spine and deterred me from ever looking to a cleansing balm again. But, the milky-textured Wishful balm has reassured me all hope is not lost. So much so that it’s rightfully earned a prime spot in my evening skincare routine. 

Images: Courtesy of brand.