Review: Boots Botanics Organic Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm

Hot Cloth Cleansing Balms are ever increasing in popularity, with many skincare brands bringing out their own versions. Emma Hardie still rules the roost but at £34.00 a pop, it’s not one for beginners or those on a tight budget.

I wanted to give a balm a try but I wasn’t sure how it would work with my oily and acne-prone skin. I’d heard a few things about the Botanics Balm so thought it would be a good place to start. I use it by wetting my face a little first and then massaging the balm in, using it to take my eye make-up off as well. I remove it by using a hot flannel to wipe the balm off. The balm does come with a wash cloth which is quite good, it has two sides, one soft and one a little rougher for exfoliating. But there's only one and you can easily by a pack of flannels from Primark. It's recommended to use a new one everyday to prevent the build up of bacteria. 

Organic and oil rich ingredients

I find that it does a really good job of taking off all my make-up, especially mascara that can sometimes be difficult to remove. I also don’t find it to leave much of a residue on my skin afterwards. There was a bit of a purge to start with but I think my skin has settled, possibly even improved a little (but I don’t want to speak too soon). It also feels very hydrating and leaves my skin feeling soft. I think the use of a flannel makes it, you couldn’t wash it off with water. At a pinch you can wipe it off with a face wipe, just don’t tell Caroline Hirons and don’t do it every day.

This is a really good starter balm and I would recommend it for people who are curious about using Hot Cloth Cleansers. When this runs out I don’t know if I’ll re-purchase or move on to a more high-end one. Cleansing with an oil or an oil based balm is definitely not a bad thing for skin which is prone to oiliness. 

Botanics 97% Organic Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm is currently on offer in Boots for £7.99 (usual price £8.99).