Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Nourishing for oily acne-prone skin
Panax Ginseng Extract
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Royal Jelly Extract
Squalane
Oenothera Biennis Oil
High
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for oily acne-prone skin; a few pre-cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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
- Offers excellent makeup removal for your oily skin, as ethylhexyl palmitate and cetyl ethylhexanoate effectively dissolve impurities, while squalane and Bambusa Vulgaris Stem Extract Leaf provide supportive hydration and soothing benefits.
- The presence of Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil and Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil offers emollient action, moderately suiting your oily skin, though it lacks targeted ingredients for optimal oil control.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like Panax Ginseng Extract Berry and Royal Jelly Extract.
How to apply
- Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine to clear away impurities. Start by using it 3×/week before working up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. Follow it with your usual cleansing steps to ensure all residue is thoroughly washed away.
- Gently press a small amount of the makeup remover onto your face using soft cotton pads. Avoid harsh rubbing to prevent irritating your blemishes and active breakouts.
- Apply the makeup remover on completely dry skin to effectively break down excess oil and makeup. Clean away thoroughly before moving on to the next skincare steps .
- Do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, this cleansing balm is highly regarded for dry and mature skin, effectively removing waterproof makeup without stripping the skin. Users frequently note its deeply moisturizing properties, luxurious texture, and pleasant scent, leaving the skin feeling soft and hydrated. Some users experience temporary blurry vision, and a few mention fragrance sensitivity or potential breakouts.
Highlights
Effective makeup remover Mostly Mentioned
- “melts waterproof mascara”
- “dissolves heavy makeup”
- “cleanses sunscreen”
Deeply moisturizing Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft”
- “plump”
- “hydrated”
- “non-stripping”
Luxurious texture Often Mentioned
- “sherbet-like consistency”
- “melts quickly”
- “glides smoothly”
Gentle on skin Sometimes Noted
- “no irritation”
- “soothing for sensitive skin”
- “good for redness”
Pleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “sweet honey smell”
- “mild berry fragrance”
- “divine scent”
Temporary blurry vision Sometimes Noted
- “cloudy eyes”
- “film on contact lenses”
- “temporary blurriness”
Can cause breakouts Rarely Noted
- “clogged pores”
- “caused acne”
- “not for oily skin”
Leaves residue Rarely Noted
- “oily film left”
- “requires second cleanse”
- “feels heavy”
Small quantity Rarely Noted
- “jar finishes quickly”
- “expensive for amount”
- “small quantity”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “scent too strong”
- “prefer fragrance-free”
- “sweet smell overpowering”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, sokoglam.com, yesstyle.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Banila Co Clean It Zero Nourishing a great fit for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleansing balm is a great fit because it effectively melts away makeup and impurities on oily skin while keeping it calm and hydrated. It is unlikely to cause irritation thanks to its gentle formula, though it does not include ingredients specifically aimed at oil control.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Ethylhexyl palmitate and cetyl ethylhexanoate make this a great fit because they effectively dissolve makeup and impurities on oily skin. Squalane and bamboo extract add supportive hydration, while ginseng extract and royal jelly help keep the skin calm and comfortable.
What does Panax Ginseng Extract do for oily acne-prone skin?
Panax ginseng extract helps calm oily, acne-prone skin by reducing redness and oxidized oil while improving blemish symptoms. Clinical studies show that regular use can help balance acne-prone skin and support a clearer, smoother complexion.
What does Safflower Seed Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Safflower seed oil is a poor fit for oily acne-prone skin because it lacks the specific protective benefits and specialized ingredients needed to keep pores clear and calm breakouts.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser, and as a weekly step before your cleanser, enzyme powder, cleansing mask, hydrating toner, treatment, and moisturizer.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser, and it is safe to use alongside retinol. It is unlikely to cause irritation and helps keep your skin calm while you use your retinol treatment.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This makeup remover is a great fit for your oily acne-prone skin and is used in the evening routine. It effectively dissolves impurities while offering a very safe profile with soothing ingredients that are unlikely to cause irritation.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Nourishing is unlikely to cause breakouts for your oily acne-prone skin because it avoids harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like Panax Ginseng Extract Berry and Royal Jelly Extract. Reviewers mention that it only has a low chance of causing breakouts, though you may experience temporary blurry vision.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Enzyme-modified ginseng extract cream significantly reduced the global photo-damage score and various roughness measures including total roughness, smoothness depth, and arithmetic roughness average compared to placebo in 23 human subjects.
Rejuvenation Research, 2015A red ginseng hydrogel formulation with 1,2-hexanediol promoted selective growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis and decreased Cutibacterium acnes in 20 female subjects.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2022A 1% fermented black ginseng cream significantly reduced eye wrinkles and brightened skin color in twenty-three human subjects compared to control cream and baseline.
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part A, 2020Safflower 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, 2022Applying an essence containing royal jelly extract significantly increased the stratum corneum water content of the cheeks compared to placebo in healthy Japanese adults over 4 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022A prototype body cream containing bee venom, propolis, honey, beeswax, and royal jelly demonstrated stability for 90 days, high antioxidant capacity of 85.45%, lack of cytotoxicity with over 70% cell viability, and no irritation or allergic reaction in dermatological analysis, while improving skin parameters in a panel test.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Royal jelly protects against epidermal stress caused by UVB and menadione through the upregulation of NQO1 expression by its active compound 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Electrospun poly (vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) patches loaded with evening primrose oil applied to the forearm of volunteers for 6 hours increased skin moisture, with pore size, shape, and fiber diameter influencing oil transport.
Biomaterials Advances, 2022A topical preparation containing urea, sunflower oil, evening primrose oil, wheat germ oil, and sodium pyruvate led to clinical improvement after a month in diverse hyperkeratotic skin conditions except pityriasis lichenoides.
Medicina Cutanea Ibero-latino-americana, 1986Topical application of linseed, evening primrose, and olive oil emulsions accelerated wound closure in rats with excision wounds compared to untreated controls, though via different mechanisms.
Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 2019
Ingredients
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Peg-10 Isostearate, Synthetic Wax, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Panax Ginseng Extract Berry, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bambusa Vulgaris Stem Extract Leaf, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Angelica Archangelica Root Extract, Acerola Fruit Extract, Zea Mays Oil, Beta-Carotene, Polydiethyleneglycol Adipate Ipdi Copolymer, Tocopherol, Acrylates Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Acrylates Methoxy Peg-15 Methacrylate Copolymer
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
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