Review: Sunday Riley Blue Moon Cleansing Balm

If I had to pick my favourite step of skincare it would undoubtedly be cleansing. Sometimes a new serum or acid toner comes out that makes me rethink, but I always come back to the joys of cleansing off the day with a sumptuous balm, a gentle milk, or a refreshing gel. The Blue Moon Cleansing Balm from Sunday Riley is no exception. This gentle cleanser works effectively to clear away dullness and impurities without stripping the skin or making it feel tight.

What Makes It Special:
This hydrating cleanser starts off solid but melts almost immediately with the warmth from your skin, and transforms into an oily but light-feeling balm. It has the texture of a sugar scrub at first, but softer and less abrasive than you might expect, and the sugar particles dissolve fairly quickly, which means you get maybe 60 seconds of a gentle buff on the skin before being left with the moisturising and nourishing feeling of the buttery balm.

The Sunday Riley Blue Moon Cleansing Balm can be used to remove makeup, but I wouldn’t waste it on that. It is a joyful cleanser with amazing ingredients, and personally I want all that softening Cocoa Butter and those delicious oils directly on my skin, not trying to plough through foundation.

What I Like About It:
The initial buffing effect from the sugar works wonders for smoothing and refreshing dull, dry skin while the inclusion of the Moringa Butter, Cocoa Butter and Squalene nourish the skin left underneath. I like to massage a thumbnail’s worth all over my face for about a minute, buffing in circular motions with the sugar particles, and then leave the melted cleanser on as a mask for a few minutes before rinsing off with warm water and a washcloth or in the shower. My face is left feeling clean but not stripped, and my skin smooth and softened. The scent is heavenly, it’s a combo of the Tangerine, Sweet Orange, Blue Tansy, German Chamomile, Ylang Ylang, Neroli Flower and Roman Chamomile oils (quite the blend…) plus Vanilla Fruit Extract, but in reality, the strongest fragrance that comes across is the Blue Tansy, making it sweet and herby, but still lightly floral. It’s also what gives the balm it’s pale blue hue. Relaxing and refreshing at the same time.

What I Don’t Like About It:
The balmy nature of this cleanser means it needs to be removed with warm water and a washcloth. This isn’t a ‘splash off’ cleanser, which isn’t a negative for me, but if it’s worth noting if you prefer a cloth-free cleanse.

Application:
You can use the Sunday Riley Blue Moon Cleansing Balm as a first cleanse, second cleanse or as a mask on days when you’re trying to combat dullness and dry/dehydrated skin. I use this once a week or so when I feel like some manual exfoliation, you could use it more often, but I wouldn’t go crazy with it, and I wouldn’t use it daily.

Product Claims:
Removes makeup – yes, but I wouldn’t waste it on that.
Leaves skin thoroughly clean, comfortable, hydrating and glowing – a big tick to all four.
Soothes surface redness – I didn’t notice any change here, but I do only use it weekly.

Ingredients:
CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, SUCROSE LAURATE, JOJOBA ESTERS, ACACIA DECURRENS FLOWER WAX, GLYCERIN, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED WAX, POLYGLYCERIN-3, GLYCERYL BEHENATE, C10-18 TRIGLYCERIDES, THEOBROMA CACAO (COCOA) SEED BUTTER, PEG-8 BEESWAX, CETYL ALCOHOL , CETETH-20, STEARETH-20, POLYGLYCERYL-6, POLYGLYCERYL-3 BEESWAXL, SQUALENE, TANGERINE (CITRUS TANGERINA) OIL, CITRUS SINENSIS (SWEET ORANGE) OIL, TANACETUM ANNUUM (BLUE TANSY) LEAF OIL, MATRICARIA RECUTITA (GERMAN CHAMOMILE) ESSENTIAL OIL, VANILLA PLANIFOLIA FRUIT EXTRACT, YLANG YLANG (CANAGA ODORATA) FLOWER OIL, CITRUS AURANTIUM VAR. AMARA (NEROLI) FLOWER OIL, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS (CHAMOMILE ROMAN) FLOWER OIL, PHENOXYETHANOL, MORINGA OIL/ HYDROGENATED MORINGA OIL ESTERS (MORINGA BUTTER), CHLORPHENESIN, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL.

Details:
It is currently available in one size (100g / 3.4oz) for $80 / £46

Available From:
Mecca
Cult Beauty

Repurchase:
Have done repeatedly, this is at least my third tub, and I will continue to repurchase. Love it and am yet to find a comparable product.