Every skincare routine needs a really good cleanser. At Haruharu Wonder HQ, our current obsession is none other than our best cleansing balm, the Haruharu Wonder Centella Sunflower Makeup-Melting Cleansing Balm. When our team was busy developing the perfect cleansing balm, we wanted something that could melt away every trace of waterproof mascara, deep clean pores, and intensely hydrate—but also not leave any greasy residue behind. You know the way your skin feels baby-soft and clean after an especially luxurious facial? We wanted to put all of that in a tub.
Why create a cleansing balm when we already make a best-selling cleansing oil? (That’s our Black Rice Moisture Deep Cleansing Oil if you’re curious.) Simple: Cleansing balms are solid, so they give you way more flexibility. If you love our cleansing oil, you need to try our cleansing balm, especially if you’re looking for a little more portability.
“Cleansing oil can be a little tricky and impractical for packing in a suitcase or gym bag,” explains our founder Jae Won Jeong. “Cleansing balms can go anywhere without leaking.” That’s why she came up with a formula every bit as effective as our cleansing oil that you could take anywhere you wanted. The secret ingredient? Well, there are a few. “Sunflower seed oil unsaponifiables for effective cleansing, plus jojoba oil, and argan kernel oil—because they give the formula a luxurious creaminess and leave your skin clean and soft without any tightness,” she says. The result is what our team calls a “3-in-1 multitasker,” meaning it starts at a solid state that lets us pack the formula with nourishing ingredients like shea butter, melts into an oil to deeply cleanse, and catches and removes loosened sebum and dirt so you can rinse them away.
But don’t just take it from our founder; our whole team can’t get enough of this sorbet-smooth K-beauty cleansing balm. Below, our honest review of the Haruharu Wonder Centella Sunflower Makeup-Melting Cleansing Balm and seven reasons why you should definitely add this Korean cleanser to your daily skincare routine. Keep reading to find out just what makes it so popular.
1. It removes waterproof makeup and SPF.
If your cleanser isn’t cleansing everything, then it’s not doing its job. This one will seriously get everything off, including that waterproof mascara that’s stuck to your lashes like glue and usually takes 20 makeup wipes to lift off. We even made all the waterproof mascara fans on our team test it for extra confirmation. “I use this for removing waterproof makeup and sunscreen,” says Jennifer from our Sales Team. “The smooth texture melts quickly and there’s no residue left.” While we sometimes use this on its own, it’s also the ideal first step for double cleansing (using oil-based and water-based cleansers together to get the deepest clean). Our founder especially recommends pairing it with our water-based Black Rice Triple AHA Gentle Cleansing Gel “for perfect double cleansing that refreshes your skin at the end of a long day.”
2. It deep-cleans pores but never strips your skin.
One of the hero ingredients in this cleansing balm is jojoba oil, which has a similar structure to the natural oils in your skin. This helps it balance your skin’s oil levels and enter your pores to melt away extra sebum and blackheads. “This formula is the best thing to give me the deep cleanse I want,” says Hannah M. from our Sales Team. “At the same time, I noticed that it doesn’t strip my skin and dry it out.”
3. It’s easy to apply.
No one wants a cleansing balm that gets stuck under your nails and clumps up. We tested the melt point of our formula to make sure that as soon as it meets your skin, it instantly transforms into a milky texture. There’s a plastic scooper inside the lid to make things easier, but the formula is so easy to work with, you can also scoop it up with your hands (we won’t tell). “This cleansing balm melts immediately,” confirms Annalisa from our Marketing Team. “It also melts off my makeup so easily, even when I’m wearing heavy makeup or a lot of waterproof formulas. It makes taking my makeup off go so much smoother.”
4. It’s gentle on all skin types.
To create a balanced formula that works on all skin types, we made this cleanser fragrance-free and infused it with soothing Centella asiatica extract and hydrating squalane. Even our team members with the most sensitive skin reach for this regularly. “It’s so gentle on my skin,” says Madjiguene, an intern on our Marketing Team. “It doesn’t dry out my skin either or irritate it.”
5. It won’t irritate your eyes.
Contact lens wearers, we heard you when you said you didn’t want another makeup remover that stings your eyes or leaves a film. “This cleansing balm is my favorite because it doesn’t make my eyes blurry and it feels soft like a cloud,” says Sejin Kang from our Design Team. “I don’t need too much either; I take a little bit and massage it with a little water, let it turn into a milky oil, then wash it off with the AHA Gentle Cleansing Gel.”
6. It leaves your skin super soft and hydrated.
You’ll often hear dermatologists and beauty experts say that cleansing is an essential first step to create a prepped canvas for the rest of your skincare products. We wanted the starting point after using our cleansing balm to feel even better—like your face after a spa day. This formula is also rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E for an extra boost of nourishing benefits. “This isn’t like other cleansers I’ve used because it leaves my skin feeling extra soft, fresh, and clean,” says Vanese from our B2C Team. “It removes all the impurities from my skin too.”
7. It’s the perfect way to end your day.
When you can’t make it to the spa on a Tuesday night after work, this cleansing balm might just be the next best thing. “It’s my little reset button at the end of the day, like a mini-spa moment for my face in the evening,” says Pankti from our Marketing Team. “Not only does it melt away makeup like a dream and make my skin feel fresh, it’s also the perfect base to do a five-minute facial massage. It feels amazing—just try it!”
Meet the Author
haruharu wonder contributor Sarah Y. Wu has a decade of experience in the industry as a beauty editor, copy director, and brand consultant. Her bylines have appeared in outlets including Teen Vogue, Forbes, Allure, Marie Claire, Glamour, NYLON, Bustle, The Zoe Report, Vogue, WWD, and Byrdie. She’s also the copywriter and copy director for some of your favorite skincare, fragrance, and makeup brands. While she’s tried thousands of products over the course of her career, she’ll always save a spot in her beauty routine for Haruharu Wonder’s Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream and Centella Sunflower Makeup-Melting Cleansing Balm. Connect with her on Instagram @say.wu.
7 Reasons Why You’ll Love Our Best Cleansing Balm And exactly how to use it.
Every skincare routine needs a really good cleanser. At Haruharu Wonder HQ, our current obsession is none other than our best cleansing balm, the Haruharu Wonder Centella Sunflower Makeup-Melting Cleansing Balm. When our team was busy developing the perfect cleansing balm, we wanted something that could melt away every trace of waterproof mascara, deep clean pores, and intensely hydrate—but also not leave any greasy residue behind. You know the way your skin feels baby-soft and clean after an especially luxurious facial? We wanted to put all of that in a tub.
Why create a cleansing balm when we already make a best-selling cleansing oil? (That’s our Black Rice Moisture Deep Cleansing Oil if you’re curious.) Simple: Cleansing balms are solid, so they give you way more flexibility. If you love our cleansing oil, you need to try our cleansing balm, especially if you’re looking for a little more portability.
“Cleansing oil can be a little tricky and impractical for packing in a suitcase or gym bag,” explains our founder Jae Won Jeong. “Cleansing balms can go anywhere without leaking.” That’s why she came up with a formula every bit as effective as our cleansing oil that you could take anywhere you wanted. The secret ingredient? Well, there are a few. “Sunflower seed oil unsaponifiables for effective cleansing, plus jojoba oil, and argan kernel oil—because they give the formula a luxurious creaminess and leave your skin clean and soft without any tightness,” she says. The result is what our team calls a “3-in-1 multitasker,” meaning it starts at a solid state that lets us pack the formula with nourishing ingredients like shea butter, melts into an oil to deeply cleanse, and catches and removes loosened sebum and dirt so you can rinse them away.
But don’t just take it from our founder; our whole team can’t get enough of this sorbet-smooth K-beauty cleansing balm. Below, our honest review of the Haruharu Wonder Centella Sunflower Makeup-Melting Cleansing Balm and seven reasons why you should definitely add this Korean cleanser to your daily skincare routine. Keep reading to find out just what makes it so popular.
1. It removes waterproof makeup and SPF.
If your cleanser isn’t cleansing everything, then it’s not doing its job. This one will seriously get everything off, including that waterproof mascara that’s stuck to your lashes like glue and usually takes 20 makeup wipes to lift off. We even made all the waterproof mascara fans on our team test it for extra confirmation. “I use this for removing waterproof makeup and sunscreen,” says Jennifer from our Sales Team. “The smooth texture melts quickly and there’s no residue left.” While we sometimes use this on its own, it’s also the ideal first step for double cleansing (using oil-based and water-based cleansers together to get the deepest clean). Our founder especially recommends pairing it with our water-based Black Rice Triple AHA Gentle Cleansing Gel “for perfect double cleansing that refreshes your skin at the end of a long day.”
2. It deep-cleans pores but never strips your skin.
One of the hero ingredients in this cleansing balm is jojoba oil, which has a similar structure to the natural oils in your skin. This helps it balance your skin’s oil levels and enter your pores to melt away extra sebum and blackheads. “This formula is the best thing to give me the deep cleanse I want,” says Hannah M. from our Sales Team. “At the same time, I noticed that it doesn’t strip my skin and dry it out.”
3. It’s easy to apply.
No one wants a cleansing balm that gets stuck under your nails and clumps up. We tested the melt point of our formula to make sure that as soon as it meets your skin, it instantly transforms into a milky texture. There’s a plastic scooper inside the lid to make things easier, but the formula is so easy to work with, you can also scoop it up with your hands (we won’t tell). “This cleansing balm melts immediately,” confirms Annalisa from our Marketing Team. “It also melts off my makeup so easily, even when I’m wearing heavy makeup or a lot of waterproof formulas. It makes taking my makeup off go so much smoother.”
4. It’s gentle on all skin types.
To create a balanced formula that works on all skin types, we made this cleanser fragrance-free and infused it with soothing Centella asiatica extract and hydrating squalane. Even our team members with the most sensitive skin reach for this regularly. “It’s so gentle on my skin,” says Madjiguene, an intern on our Marketing Team. “It doesn’t dry out my skin either or irritate it.”
5. It won’t irritate your eyes.
Contact lens wearers, we heard you when you said you didn’t want another makeup remover that stings your eyes or leaves a film. “This cleansing balm is my favorite because it doesn’t make my eyes blurry and it feels soft like a cloud,” says Sejin Kang from our Design Team. “I don’t need too much either; I take a little bit and massage it with a little water, let it turn into a milky oil, then wash it off with the AHA Gentle Cleansing Gel.”
6. It leaves your skin super soft and hydrated.
You’ll often hear dermatologists and beauty experts say that cleansing is an essential first step to create a prepped canvas for the rest of your skincare products. We wanted the starting point after using our cleansing balm to feel even better—like your face after a spa day. This formula is also rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E for an extra boost of nourishing benefits. “This isn’t like other cleansers I’ve used because it leaves my skin feeling extra soft, fresh, and clean,” says Vanese from our B2C Team. “It removes all the impurities from my skin too.”
7. It’s the perfect way to end your day.
When you can’t make it to the spa on a Tuesday night after work, this cleansing balm might just be the next best thing. “It’s my little reset button at the end of the day, like a mini-spa moment for my face in the evening,” says Pankti from our Marketing Team. “Not only does it melt away makeup like a dream and make my skin feel fresh, it’s also the perfect base to do a five-minute facial massage. It feels amazing—just try it!”
Meet the Author
haruharu wonder contributor Sarah Y. Wu has a decade of experience in the industry as a beauty editor, copy director, and brand consultant. Her bylines have appeared in outlets including Teen Vogue, Forbes, Allure, Marie Claire, Glamour, NYLON, Bustle, The Zoe Report, Vogue, WWD, and Byrdie. She’s also the copywriter and copy director for some of your favorite skincare, fragrance, and makeup brands. While she’s tried thousands of products over the course of her career, she’ll always save a spot in her beauty routine for Haruharu Wonder’s Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream and Centella Sunflower Makeup-Melting Cleansing Balm. Connect with her on Instagram @say.wu.