Review: Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm

A pretty skin starts with a clean skin, and knowing how to cleanse your skin without damaging it is the basis of any good skincare routine 😉 (I actually wrote a whole article about it a while back: How to cleanse your skin properly).

It’s no secret, double cleansing has been an integral part of my evening skincare routine for several years!

Double cleansing means that you first remove your makeup with an oil based product like an oil or a cleansing balm that will dissolve all the pigments, sunscreens and fine pollution dust. Then, in the second step, you clean the skin of its excess sebum and impurities with a gentle product such as a foaming gel or cleansing milk/cream that you rinse off with water.

No, double cleansing doesn’t damage the skin, I promise! On the contrary, if you choose your products well, your skin is very happy to be free of impurities that can end up irritating it over time.

As time goes by and my skin gets drier and drier, I sometimes use a balm or an oil for my morning routine. Some of them can be used on their own, instead of a cleanser, especially when they’re easy to rinse and don’t leave a greasy film!

And I also particularly appreciate the fact that these types of products clean very well while respecting the fragile skin barrier! (welcome to my new dry-prone skin life 😅)

In short, oils and other makeup cleansing balms are an integral part of my routine and I’m always excited to try new ones! So when Paula’s Choice announced the Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm on their US website, I rushed to order it from the US to try it out! (But I waited until the product was available in Europe to review it 😉 )

So here’s my review of Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm, which I’ve been using for several months already!

Skincare How to cleanse your skin properly Facial cleansing isn’t always done properly, yet it’s probably the most important step in a skincare routine. Today let’s take a closer look at the best way possible to cleanse your skin, and all there is to know about it! Read more

Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm, product presentation:

A cleansing balm, it’s true that it was really missing in Paula’s Choice’s products catalogue! The brand has quite a few cleansing products already, but not many makeup removers.

They do have a cleansing oil, but I wonder if I didn’t read somewhere that it would be discontinued (not confirmed!).

Also, the brand’s choice to choose the Omega+ Complex line for this release really makes sense! It’s a product line that focuses on repairing the damaged skin barrier, with ingredients that strengthen the skin’s protective film (like cholesterol, ceramides, amino acids…).

And if there is a time when sensitized skin barrier is at risk, it’s clearly during the cleansing step! An overly stripping product and your skin barrier can end up in your sink (that’s just a figure of speech, but you know what I mean 😉).

Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm promises just that: an effective yet very gentle cleansing and/or makeup removal that respects the skin barrier, whether it’s healthy or sensitized.

You’ll notice that the brand talks about a “cleansing” product and not a “makeup remover” but in reality, this Cleansing Balm can do both! It’s great for removing all makeup pigments, sunscreens and fine dust from pollution, but also impurities and excess sebum.

The only requirement for it to work, as always with this type of products, is that you have to start on dry skin (more details on how to use it below).

I’m not the biggest fan of makeup remover balms, I’ve often mentioned it.

First of all, I don’t like the fact that balms are usually in jars (the pump bottles of oils are much more practical!). Sometimes, balms are also more greasy, and less easy to emulsify than oils, and you have to remove them with a wet washcloth to rinse them properly. And I confess, I don’t like it: I find them scratchy, and on top of that, I have to wash them separately in the laundry… And well, I’m too lazy for all that extra work lol

So the packaging is already a very good point for this Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm: it’s in a tube, very practical!

And the formula enriched with omegas that respects the skin barrier seemed good to me! My skin needs gentle products, especially during the cleansing step.

The formula of the Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm is indeed quite short and sweet. It contains mostly oil based ingredients to dissolve impurities and a little bit of emulsifying ingredients. Like for example:
– Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, a derivative of coconut oil and glycerin, quite nourishing,
– jojoba oil and limnanthe seed oil, rich in essential fatty acids (omegas 3, 6 and 9) to keep the skin barrier in good condition during the cleaning process.

In short, a simple and gentle product, suitable for all skin types, even the most sensitive!

Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm, my experience:

This is going to be very simple and short: I love this product!

The texture is perfect: smooth and which melts easily on contact with the skin, and which remains rather creamy, therefore pleasant to massage.

It doesn’t sting the eyes, removes perfectly all the makeup, even if it’s waterproof! And big plus, it rinses off super easily, without leaving a greasy film on the skin (I hate greasy residues!).

So you can use it as a cleanser alone if you want, it works too, no need to do a second cleansing afterwards if you don’t feel the need (or if you don’t wear much makeup, if the sunscreen you use is not waterproof…). (you’ll find the detailed directions on how to use it below in the “detailed product review” section)

The only thing I want to complain about is its size: it’s too small! I would like double the quantity (for the same price, of course 😜).

I saw on their social media that the brand was talking about how you don’t need to use a lot of it so the tube will last you a long time, but I disagree.

I use a dab of product so I can massage it properly and dissolve my makeup well. If I use less than that, the massage is not as pleasant, and above all, I feel that I pull my skin too much. And as a former skincare trainer who used to train people to do facials, I can assure you that this is never a good idea!

If you want to be able to massage your skin the right way, you need to use the proper amount of cleansing balm. Otherwise, you’re just causing unnecessary tension on the skin.

So, inevitably, the tube runs out quite quickly (in 6 weeks in my case). Which means that if you consider its size, the price is rather high.

I know I’ll probably have questions so here’s a comparison of the Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm with other similar products I’ve tried (in the same tube format):

– The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser: the texture of the Paula’s Choice feels much more “balmy” and removes makeup better IMO. I really like the The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser but I find the one from Paula’s more enjoyable to use, it feels more luxurious 😉 (I talk about it more in this article: How to cleanse your face properly )

– The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm: I’m not a fan of this product from The Inkey List, the Paula’s Choice Clansing Balm is much nicer and it definitely does the job better, there’s no contest (more details on The Inkey List Cleansing Balm in my dedicated review).

In conclusion:

The Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm is a great product: it does the job, it’s very pleasant to use and it’s practical. I really want to recommend it!

But if Paula’s Choice could release it in a larger size for the same price, that would be even better 😉

The Paula’s Choice Omega+ Complex Cleansing Balm retails for $28 for 103ml.