🇩🇪Germany

e.l.f. Skin Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm for dry skin

High

  • HighDry Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

A great choice for dry skin; a few pre-cleansers fit it even better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 dry skin, as cleansing oils like Cetyl Ethylhexanoate and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride effectively dissolve impurities while ceramides and hyaluronic acid support barrier repair and hydration. Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 further enhance skin barrier function, addressing your dry or flaky skin concerns.
  • The formulation is highly suitable for dry skin due to the presence of ceramides and hyaluronic acid, which provide essential barrier repair and humectant action.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.

How to apply

  • Use this makeup remover in your PM routine every evening to gently clean your face. Always pair with a gentle cleanser afterward.
  • Apply this makeup remover as a pre-cleanser step before using your regular cleanser and moisturizer.
  • Gently wipe a small amount of makeup remover across your face using a soft cotton pad. Avoid any harsh rubbing on dry or flaky skin.
  • Apply the makeup remover directly onto dry skin to easily dissolve makeup without stripping your natural moisture. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
  • Avoid direct contact with your eyes and do a patch test before first use. Discontinue use if irritation occurs.

People Say

★4.7Overall rating based on 13.0k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, users overwhelmingly find this cleansing balm highly effective at melting away even waterproof makeup, leaving skin feeling hydrated and soft. It is frequently noted as being gentle and suitable for sensitive skin, offering excellent value. A moderate number of users report temporary blurry vision if the product gets into the eyes, while a smaller number experience an oily residue or occasional breakouts.

Highlights

  • Effective makeup removal Mostly Mentioned
    • “melts makeup like butter”
    • “removes lash glue with ease”
    • “takes off waterproof mascara”
    • “dissolves everything instantly”
  • Great value Often Mentioned
    • “budget friendly”
    • “fraction of the price”
    • “better than high end”
    • “unbeatable price point”
  • Hydrating and non-stripping Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft and hydrated”
    • “no tightness at all”
    • “leaves skin silky smooth”
    • “moisturizing after rinse”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes Noted
    • “didn't break me out”
    • “no strong fragrance”
    • “extremely gentle”
    • “safe for sensitive eyes”
  • Temporary blurry vision Sometimes Noted
    • “cloudy eyes”
    • “blurry vision for minutes”
    • “film on eyes”
    • “fogs up my sight”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “worst breakout”
    • “gave me cystic acne”
    • “clogged my pores”
    • “caused whiteheads”
  • Oily residue Rarely Noted
    • “leaves a film”
    • “waxy feel”
    • “greasy residue”
    • “hard to rinse off completely”
  • Small quantity Rarely Noted
    • “runs out fast”
    • “wish it was bigger”
    • “small amount for the jar”
    • “finished in two weeks”

Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, target.com, walmart.com, influenster.com, well.ca, and more

Questions and answers

What makes e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Cleansing Balm a great fit for dry skin?

This cleansing balm is a great fit because it effectively melts away makeup while using ceramides, peptides, and sodium hyaluronate to help lock in moisture and repair your skin barrier. It is gentle on dry skin and leaves it feeling soft and comfortable without irritation.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry skin?

This cleanser is a great fit for dry skin because it includes ceramides, sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and sunflower seed oil to help repair the skin barrier and lock in moisture while melting away makeup. These ingredients work together to improve hydration and keep dry skin feeling soft and smooth.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Hyaluronic Acid do for dry skin?

Hyaluronic acid draws moisture into dry skin, giving an immediate and lasting boost in hydration that helps smooth out fine lines and soften rough patches. It is very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation while improving overall skin smoothness and plumpness.

Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011

What do Ceramides do for dry skin?

Ceramides help keep dry skin soft by strengthening the outer barrier and locking in hydration. This improvement in barrier integrity reduces dryness and protects against irritation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2022Dermatologic Therapy, 2019

Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry skin?

This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser, or as a weekly first step to take off makeup without stripping dry skin. Its oils dissolve impurities while ceramides and hyaluronic acid help keep your skin barrier calm and hydrated.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

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 retinol treatment. Its nourishing ingredients help support your skin barrier while removing makeup, which is unlikely to cause irritation.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

How often should I use this cleanser?

You can use this makeup remover in the evening and as part of your weekly routine to effectively dissolve impurities while supporting barrier repair and hydration on dry skin. It is unlikely to cause irritation and has a safe profile because it avoids harsh ingredients and includes soothing components.

The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022

Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?

This cleanser is unlikely to cause breakouts for dry skin, as it has a very low risk of clogged pores according to shopper feedback and contains gentle ingredients. Its rich oils help melt makeup easily while keeping dry skin soft and comfortable.

Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (geraniol, linalool, and parfum).

What the research says

  • Application of Body Lotion for 5 weeks on cosmetic dry skin improved barrier properties, increased levels of cholesterol, ceramides, and long-chain fatty acids, increased beneficial skin bacteria, and enhanced microbiome functional potential compared to baseline.

    Scientific Reports, 2022
  • Hyaluronic acid extracts are safe and efficacious products for skin repair when used in tissue regeneration alone or in combination with herbal or Western medicine.

    Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015
  • A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
  • Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
  • Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.

    Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022
  • Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.

    BMC Oral Health, 2019
  • The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
  • Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001
  • Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012

Ingredients

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Polyethylene, Peg-10 Isostearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Sunflower Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide Np, Ceramide 6 Ii, Ceramide 1, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosphingosine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Geraniol, Linalool, Parfum

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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Prices checked 4 Nov 2026

The Lovi Fit is the same in every country; only the stores and prices differ, and the ones here are for Germany.

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