Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Nourishing for sensitive skin
Panax Ginseng Extract
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Royal Jelly Extract
Squalane
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Average
- AverageNormal 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
- This cleansing balm offers moderate suitability for your normal skin, with ethylhexyl palmitate and cetyl ethylhexanoate effectively dissolving makeup and impurities while Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil and Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil provide emollient benefits for hydration and soothing.
- The formula is generally safe for your sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and is designed to support redness and irritation without causing further sensitivity.
- While it provides good cleansing and basic hydration, it may not offer the most targeted or potent benefits for your specific concerns.
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
★4.8Overall 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
How well does Banila Co Nourishing work for sensitive skin?
This cleansing balm works reasonably well for your sensitive skin, though other products fit it better because they include deep hydration like multiple types of hyaluronic acid, soothing nourishment, and allergen-free formulas.
Biomaterials Advances, 2022Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Squalane, and Oenothera Biennis Oil help soothe and moisturize sensitive skin while it cleanses. A cleanser for this skin needs gentle oils and soothing ingredients that hydrate deeply without causing irritation.
What does Panax Ginseng Extract do for sensitive skin?
Panax ginseng extract helps calm sensitive, irritated skin and reduces redness and itching. It is generally well tolerated and may improve skin comfort, though products for sensitive skin also need soothing and hydrating ingredients to keep the skin barrier strong and protected.
Annals of Dermatology, 2018Journal of Korean Medical Science, 2017
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 this cleanser go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before a cleanser, and during the weekly routine before a cleanser, but it is not used in the morning. Sensitive skin needs a gentle makeup remover with soothing and hydrating ingredients like plant extracts and oils to cleanse without causing irritation.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser, while saving your retinol for your treatment step to keep your skin calm. A cleanser of this type for sensitive skin needs soothing plant extracts and gentle oils to lift makeup without causing redness.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening as part of your routine for sensitive skin. This cleanser fits your skin moderately well, but sensitive skin needs a makeup remover with calming plant extracts and gentle oils to soothe redness while keeping skin soft.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This cleanser has a low likelihood of causing breakouts for sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and is generally safe for your skin type. However, because it is an average fit, products used on sensitive skin to prevent clogged pores need soothing plant oils and gentle hydrators that lift away 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
Electrospun 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, 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, 2022Topical Hydroxydecine cream increased skin hydration by 28.8% at 7 days and 60.4% at 21 days in healthy human volunteers with UV-induced xerosis.
European Journal of Dermatology, 2011Enzyme-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, 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, 2021Defensin-1 from royal jelly stimulated MMP-9 secretion and increased keratinocyte migration and wound closure in vitro, and promoted re-epithelisation and wound closure in uninfected excision wounds.
Scientific Reports, 2017Squalane 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, 2025A 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, 2019Topical application of 10% evening primrose oil (EPO) and Lioxasol creams resulted in increased cell proliferative activity in the skin of female pigs compared to untreated skin, with EPO producing a more pronounced increase in basal layer labelling index and Lioxasol causing a more immediate increase in papillary dermis labelled cells.
Cell Proliferation, 1997
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, 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
How does it fit your skin?
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