How much do you think a good cleansing balm should cost?
For under $20, you can get the Versed Day Dissolve Cleansing Balm or Byoma’s Melting Balm Cleanser. I would definitely skip The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm though—that did not work well for my oily skin.
On the flipside, $52 gets you the True Botanicals Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm, which I surprisingly liked a lot for the scent and makeup removal.
The Tatcha Cleansing Balm is a solid $38. Not too expensive, especially when you compare it to The Essence. But it’s also not the cheapest on the block.
It’s pretty much on par with a lot of other Sephora cleansing balms: Farmacy Green Clean ($36), Glow Recipe Papaya Sorbet Enzyme Cleansing Balm ($32), or YTTP’s Superberry Dream Cleansing Balm ($39). However, it is important to note that the fill size of the Tatcha one is smaller than the others.
Is the Tatcha Indigo Cleansing Balm worth it though?
Why I Like the Tatcha Cleansing Balm
I wouldn’t say this formula is particularly innovative (not a knock on Tatcha—there are only so many things you can do in a cleansing balm), but there are a handful of things I enjoy about this product.
Packaging Expert
If there is one thing I will always scream from the top of my lungs about Tatcha, it’s that their packaging is always well thought out. This is no exception.
Every unboxing always feels like a gift. I also liked how the “spatula” they provided with this product was a cute little coin. Truly is not essential because this cleansing balm is a really quick melting style, so you could honestly scoop it out with your fingers. But I appreciate the inclusion of it.
Amazing Slip, No Residue
The Tatcha Cleansing Balm feels great from first application to the rinse off. Because the product melted so quickly, I was able to get an even coating on my hands extremely quickly. Once applied on the face, it had a really great slip, allowing me to do my “gua sha” with my fingers easily. It also took off all my makeup and sunscreen.
The product also combines with water easily, but it doesn’t get as milky as other cleansing balms I’ve used. I was a little worried when I didn’t see as much emulsification—because I wasn’t sure if it would rinse off cleanly.
After using a towel to wipe off all of the emulsified cleansing balm, my skin felt super clean without being stripped. There was also no residue left behind; an oily “washed” face is always a pet peeve of mine.
One of the biggest perpetrators of that oily residue would have to be the Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm and the Elemis Collagen Cleansing Balm. They both do a good job of removing the makeup and SPF I have on, but they are just so oily after you emulsify and rinse them off. Not a fan.
Nice Ingredients
There are effective ingredients in here, but also keep in mind that this is only on your skin for a couple minutes. So it likely isn’t going to be absorbing it as readily as it would from a moisturizer or serum.
Hadasei-3: I was actually shocked that they were able to get this into the product because it is a water-based ingredient. But there is actually a pretty high water content in this, based on the ingredient list. Normally cleansing balms are just oils and not emulsions. But the third ingredient is an emulsifier, so this checks out.
Indigo Extract: Not only is it giving that gorgeous blue color, but it is also great for anti-inflammatory benefits.
Why I Didn’t Like the Tatcha Cleansing Balm
There aren’t really many things that I can say in this category… But I can certainly come up with some things 😈
Melting or Mushy?
Because of the formula, it does melt on skin contact super quickly. That makes for a great experience when you’re applying product to your face. But it also makes the texture of the product feel kind of mushy.
Some people who have texture or sensorial issues might not like how it feels before it has fully melted on your hands. The interim period is interesting…
But that also underscores the importance of the provided disc for scooping the product out. It’s not really the type you want to use your finger for it you hate that type of texture.
I suppose it is also better for the longevity of the product to use the scooper, so you aren’t introducing an excess of bacteria into the product (which does have water in it, so it can go bad more quickly).
Fragrance Experience
This might be a hot take, but I actually like fragrance in my cleansers (both oil and water-based). It makes me enjoy the experience of cleansing a lot more and feels “spa-like.”
The Tatcha Cleansing Balm is fragrance-free, so you don’t get any of the smells of essential oils or fragrance added in. That means it’s great for sensitive skin people who can’t do any fragrance (and likely a choice because it is in the Indigo sensitive skin line). But i wish it had it in there!
Is the Tatcha Cleansing Balm Worth It?
In terms of a sensorial and effective nature, I think the Tatcha Cleansing Balm rightfully deserves the $30+ price tag. But like most things Tatcha, i will wait until it goes on sale before purchasing because they’re expensive!
The pros definitely outweigh the cons for me, especially because there is no residue behind. My skin absolutely feels great after cleansing with this. And i also appreciate how the packaging makes the cleansing process a pleasure. Or a ritual, if you will.
So yes, I would recommend the Tatcha Cleansing Balm!
Grab it from your local retailers:
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