Product Description:This award-winning hypoallergenic cleanser goes on as a solid balm and transforms into a silky oil on the skin. Its sorbet-soft, lightweight formula effortlessly dissolves stubborn makeup and casts out impurities without stripping the skin of beneficial oils. Papaya extract works to naturally exfoliate the skin and acerola extact is rich in vitamin C which helps to brighten.

Directions: Use spatula to scoop a small amount and massage balm over dry skin. Rinse skin with lukewarm water and pat dry.

My take on it: I currently use Clinique Take the Day Off Balm-very similar concept. It’s a solid balm that melts into a cleansing oil consistency on your face. But at $28.50 for 3.8 oz (112 ml) I wasn’t looking forward to replacing. I will preface this with a little goes a long way, but with daily use on your whole face, you can definitely work through that jar. When I saw Banila Co Clean it Zero and the raving reviews on it, I had to give it a try. When looking into it, it is a Korean product so it’s not readily carried in stores in America but from RoseRoseShop, the 100ml is priced at $17.32 and for 180ml it’s $25.20, comparing prices it’s $0.14 per ml vs $0.25 per ml for Clinique. Definitely the clear winner in cost. It’s handy that it comes with a small spatula, I never thought I needed it until I started using it and man keeps your fingers cleaner, probably makes the product last longer b/c your germy hands aren’t touching it! The smell is pleasant, somewhat sweet and it definitely melts away my makeup. And it’s decently travel friendly because of it’s solid state!

*Clinique Balm is on the left, and Banila is on the right*

Comparison: Overall, I felt they both performed pretty equally. Usually after rubbing it in, I immediately wash with water but I used a tissue initially and then in the last picture on the bottom right I used water and they both came completely off. Texture wise, the Banila is less solid and more sorbet-texture, whereas the balm is much thicker, because of that when washing off the Clinique it always leaves some residue (and then I used another cleanser to remove that feeling) whereas the Banila seems to wash off cleaner/melts more completely. The texture of the Banila is oddly satisfying to scoop out too. However, the Clinique is completely scent free which is probably ideal for those with sensitive skin, but I personally prefer to have scents in my products.

Ingredients:

Clinque-Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Polyethylene, PEG-5 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Water, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol

Banila– Mineral Oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PEG-10 isostearate, Polyethylene, Butylene Glycol, Water, Raspberry, Viscum album, Angelica Polymorpha Sinensis Root Extract, Papaya Fruit Extract, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, BHT, Butylparaben, Acid Red 18, CI 15985

It looks like the Banila Clean it Zero has more ingredients overall, but I would guess that some of those would be for the fragrance–such as raspberry.

Where I bought it- I bought the GIAAANT one at 180ml for $25.20 from RoseRoseShop. This particular item qualifies for free shipping due to its light weight but RRS shipping is very reasonable ranging from 3-6$ depending on how much you’re getting. Shipping is lengthier, I ordered on 2/5/2015 and received it on 2/24/2015. Their service is GREAT, very responsive and fast to concerns, I had actually forgot to order this product with my RRS haul, and it was the initial reason I even went to RRS!! I emailed them the next day and they charged me on PayPal and added it in.

I have to thank Reddit and /r/asianbeauty for helping fuel my addicting :pp