e.l.f. Skin Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm for oily skin
Sodium Hyaluronate
Ceramides
Peptides
Glycerin
Sunflower Seed Oil
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for oily skin; other pre-cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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
- This cleansing balm offers moderate suitability for your oily skin, as cleansing oils like Cetyl Ethylhexanoate and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride effectively dissolve makeup without causing irritation. While it provides general hydration and cleansing benefits, it lacks specific ingredients for strong seboregulation to address oily shine.
- The formulation is safe for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh or prohibited ingredients, ensuring no risks of irritation.
- The product's primary function is makeup removal, which it performs well, but its benefits are largely supportive rather than directly targeting your main concern of oily shine.
How to apply
- Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine. Start 3×/week and increase to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. It prepares your skin by melting away excess oil and makeup.
- Gently press a small amount onto your dry skin using your fingertips. Massage softly and avoid harsh rubbing to protect your pores.
- Apply this product on dry skin to effectively break down heavy makeup and surface oil. Massage it gently before washing it off with water.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin feels comfortable.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 13.0k+ reviewsBased 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
How well does e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm work for oily skin?
This cleansing balm works reasonably well for your oily skin by melting away makeup without causing irritation, though it does not control oily shine. An ideal product for oily skin of this type needs oil-controlling ingredients to keep shine in check.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate and caprylic capric triglyceride make this cleanser a decent fit because they dissolve makeup well without irritating oily skin. Because it lacks ingredients that control oil and relies on heavier oils, an oily skin type needs lightweight or oil-balancing ingredients to stay fresh.
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for oily skin?
Hyaluronic acid helps oily skin by reducing extra oil and sebum production without causing irritation. Clinical studies show it successfully balances oil levels while keeping the skin comfortable.
What do Ceramides do for oily skin?
Ceramides help balance and strengthen oily skin by supporting the natural barrier and keeping moisture locked in without feeling heavy. They may also help calm irritation and reduce blemishes when used as part of a regular daily routine.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser, or as a weekly step. It dissolves makeup safely, but a product for this skin needs added ingredients to manage oily shine.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleansing balm in the evening before your retinol routine to gently melt away makeup without causing irritation. To truly fit oily skin and control shine, a product of this type needs added ingredients that balance oil production.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening whenever you wear makeup, as it dissolves cosmetics safely without causing irritation on oily skin. However, because it lacks ingredients to control oily shine, oily skin works best with products that also include oil-balancing ingredients like niacinamide.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause breakouts, as it has a safe formula with a low chance of clogging pores for oily skin. However, because it lacks ingredients to control excess oil and shine, oily skin often needs a cleanser with oil-balancing and clarifying ingredients to stay clear.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (geraniol, linalool, and parfum).
What the research says
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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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, 2019A 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, 2017The 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, 2020Ten 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
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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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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