Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm for sensitive skin
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Tocopherol
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other pre-cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Suitable for normal skin as ethylhexyl palmitate and carthamus tinctorius seed oil provide emollient action and antioxidant benefits, though these ingredients offer only supportive benefits for your redness and irritation.
- The cleansing balm offers moderate makeup removal due to the presence of ethylhexyl palmitate and carthamus tinctorius seed oil in concentrations that aid in dissolving makeup and impurities.
- The product is safe for your sensitive skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine. Start 3x/week before building up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. Follow with your usual moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated.
- Gently press a small amount of the makeup remover onto your face using a soft cotton pad. Avoid any harsh rubbing to protect your sensitive skin.
- Apply the makeup remover on dry skin to ensure better tolerance for sensitive areas. This helps reduce any potential irritation or redness.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the direct eye area to ensure safe application.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 9.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleansing balm is highly effective at removing all types of makeup and sunscreen, leaving skin feeling soft and nourished. It is frequently praised for its gentle, fragrance-free formula, making it suitable for sensitive and dry skin types. Some users report temporary blurry vision after use, and a moderate number find the price point high. A small number of users experienced breakouts or disliked the packaging and scent.
Highlights
Melts makeup Mostly Mentioned
- “Melts waterproof mascara”
- “Dissolves long-wear foundation”
- “Removes glitter easily”
- “Breaks down sunscreen”
Fragrance-free Often Mentioned
- “No strong scent”
- “Good for sensitive noses”
- “No perfume irritation”
- “Clean ingredient list”
Gentle formula Often Mentioned
- “No stinging eyes”
- “Safe for sensitive skin”
- “Doesn't irritate contacts”
Non-drying finish Often Mentioned
- “Leaves skin soft”
- “Face feels nourished”
- “No tight feeling”
- “Hydrating for dry patches”
Luxurious texture Sometimes Noted
- “Silky balm-to-oil”
- “Spreads easily”
- “Little goes a long way”
- “Satisfying melt”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Expensive for cleanser”
- “Pricey for the amount”
- “Not budget-friendly”
- “Costly daily staple”
Temporary blurry vision Sometimes Noted
- “Blurry vision after use”
- “Cloudy film on eyes”
- “Oily film on contacts”
- “Foggy sight for minutes”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused cystic acne”
- “Clogged my pores”
- “Triggered breakouts”
- “Too heavy for oily skin”
Jar packaging Rarely Noted
- “Unhygienic tub”
- “Hate dipping fingers”
- “Hard to open lid”
- “Messy to scoop”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Smells like old oil”
- “Scent like plastic/wax”
- “Smells like dirty socks”
- “Odd chemical smell”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, clinique.com, walmart.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Clinique Take The Day Off work for sensitive skin?
Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm works safely on sensitive skin because it lacks harsh ingredients, though it offers only supportive benefits for redness and irritation. Makeup removers that fit this skin better need effective hydrating ingredients, no risk of irritation, and soothing properties to calm redness.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser works for sensitive skin because it contains ethylhexyl palmitate and safflower seed oil, which help soften the skin and provide antioxidants without harsh ingredients. However, makeup removers that fit sensitive skin better need effective hydrating ingredients, soothing properties to calm redness and irritation, and gentle cleansing agents.
What does Ethylhexyl Palmitate do for sensitive skin?
Ethylhexyl Palmitate helps keep skin soft and smooth, but it may not be a good fit for sensitive or easily clogged skin because it is an isopropyl ester that tends to cause breakouts. Products for sensitive skin need to be lightweight and non-clogging, using calming ingredients that soothe dry or irritated areas without heavy oils.
What does Safflower Seed Oil do for sensitive skin?
Safflower seed oil is unlikely to be the best choice for sensitive skin because other plant oils like flaxseed oil are proven to significantly decrease skin sensitivity, roughness, and scaling while increasing smoothness and hydration. Sensitive skin needs oils rich in barrier-repairing fatty acids and proven anti-inflammatory properties that calm irritation without triggering sensitivity.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This cleansing balm goes in the evening routine as a makeup remover before cleansing, and once a week before cleansing in the weekly routine. Sensitive skin needs a gentle makeup remover with soothing, calming plant extracts and barrier-restoring oils that clean without causing redness or irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover with retinol in your evening routine by applying it as the first step to dissolve makeup before following with your cleanser and then your retinol treatment. This product is safe for your skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients, but because it only offers supportive benefits for redness, sensitive skin needs a product of this type with added soothing ingredients and barrier-repairing ceramides.
How often should I use it?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening as part of your routine for sensitive skin. It is safe to use daily, though a product for this skin needs soothing ingredients that actively target redness and irritation.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleansing balm is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin because it is made without harsh ingredients, though a few shoppers report low breakouts. Sensitive skin needs cleansers with soothing plant extracts and gentle calming ingredients that lift makeup without leaving heavy residue.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Safflower oil body-human epidermal growth factor microgel emulsions mixed with xanthan gum enhance transdermal absorption, regulate inflammation, accelerate angiogenesis, and promote re-epithelialization and remodeling in full-layer skin wounds in rats.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2022Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Why other pre-cleansers fit sensitive skin better
Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016
Ingredients
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Polyethylene, Peg-5 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Water, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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