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Cleansing balms always feel luxurious to me, and the True Botanicals Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm takes that air of luxury to another level. I mean, just look at the packaging, the heavy glass, the brown and gold color combo… It truly is skincare to keep out on the sink to show it off!
But what’s inside should matter more than the packaging, so let’s see how it actually worked for me. Is it worth your money?
What the True Botanicals Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm claims
Our viral cleansing balm effectively removes makeup, sunscreen, and dirt – not moisture. No need to double cleanse!
Facts about the True Botanicals Ginger Tumeric Cleansing Balm
Prize and size
One glass pot (have I mentioned already how beautiful the packaging is?) contains 96 g and is available for 48 $ on the website here.
Texture and smell
The first thing you will notice is the bright yellow color, I admit I have never seen it in a cleanser before. The next thing that will catch your attention is how firm the balm is when you scoop some out. When you go in with your finger, it initially feels as if you need to break the surface to be able to move some.
It has an earthy scent – on their website one actress claims “it smells so good” in her testimonial and while I don’t really agree with that statement, I don’t find the scent to be unpleasant.
How to use the True Botanicals Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm
The initial firmness transfers to the skin as it takes longer than other balms I used in the past to melt, but when it does, it melts into a nourishing oil that gets rid of my makeup with ease without irritating my eyes or leaving them cloudy. (More info: Which cleanser is best for your skin type?)
The brand advises you to emulsify with warm water until it is a milky layer and then rinse it off with cold water, but I admit I never found it to rinse completely clean, no matter which combination of warm, cold or tepid water I used. I always had to use a washcloth for removal or do a double cleanse for my skin to feel comfortable. (More info: Do you always need to Double Cleanse?)
Ingredients of the True Botanicals Ginger Turmeric Cleansing Balm
emo 0 0, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil emo 0 3, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate emu, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil aox|emo 0 0–3, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil abrasive/scrub|emo, Cetearyl Olivate emu, Sorbitan Olivate emu, Citrus Reticulata (Tangerine) Peel Oil* 
perf, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil* aox|emo, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Oil* emo, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil* perf, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract aox|so|sb|perf, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugarcane) Extract h, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract surf, Tocopherol aox 0–3 0–3, Citrus Aurantium (Neroli) Oil , Azelaic Acid 
aacne|so|buff, Lactic Acid exf|h|buff, Phosphoric Acid buff, Sodium Benzoate pres, Aqua/Water/Eau solvHover the mouse over an ingredient for short explanation. Read more on INCIDecoder.
The balm consists of ten different oils, Sunflower Seed, Vegetable, Avocado, Jojoba, Tangerine, Argan Kernel, Oat Kernel, Cucumber, Ginger Root and Neroli Oil. Some of them have skin benefits while others like the Tangerine Peel for example are mainly a fragrant essential oil. (More info: Is fragrance in your skincare dangerous?)
Then there are a few emulsifiers and extra Lactic and Azelaic Acid as well as Sugar Cane Extract, which is often used as natural source of Alpha Hydroxy Acids. (More info: The benefits of Azelaic Acid in skincare explained and The benefits of exfoliating acids in skincare explained)
To be honest, I don’t think the exfoliating effect of this one is strong, but maybe it supports the brightening effects the Turmeric Root Extract claims to have.
More info: How to read the ingredient list in your skincare products
Does it live up to its claims?
Only some.
It does remove makeup, dirt and sunscreen, at least from what I can tell, and doesn’t strip the skin. But you definitely need a wash cloth or a second cleanse to get it off completely, it doesn’t rinse clean, which is what I would expect from a balm claiming “no need for double cleansing.”
How does it compare to…
Geek and Gorgeous Mighty Melt Cleansing Balm
Geek and Gorgeous make a few of my favorite products, and their Mighty Melt Cleansing Balm is among them. It feels beautiful, rinses clean and has no noticeable scent. It also has way less different oils and extracts in the ingredients, so if you want those for their potential skin beneficial effects, True Botanicals is the better choice.
As we are talking about a cleanser though, I much prefer Geek and Gorgeous in terms of performance and price.
You can read my full review of the Geek and Gorgeous Mighty Melt Cleansing Balm here.
Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm
Another one that rinses clean on its own, at least when you spend some time washing it off, and is both more affordable and less intense in scent than the offer from True Botanicals. Here some additional skin beneficial ingredients like oils and plant extracts are present, although less than in the one from True Botanicals. While it didn’t irritate my eyes, it would leave them cloudy for a while after makeup removal. It is more affordable than True Botanicals.
You can read my full review of the Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm here.
pixi Nourishing Cleansing Balm
For this comparison I had to dive deep into my blog archives, as I reviewed the pixi Nourishing Cleansing Balm back in 2016 – should you go back and read the old post, please bare that in mind! It is the one that is most comparable to True Botanicals in terms of richness, one that I would recommend for more dry and mature skins, but more affordable. The main components here are Sweet Almond Oil and Cocoa and Shea Butter, and the scent is quite strong, but more pleasant than the True Botanicals one. It isn’t from the ingredients though, but has some added fragrance to achieve that.
You can read my full review of the pixi Nourishing Cleansing Balm here.
Would I repurchase and which skin types do I recommend it to?
While I am a huge fan of the packaging – it IS beautiful – the balm itself is not my favorite. It gets the job done, but neither the scent nor the way it feels on my skin excite me. The whole brand is aimed at more mature skin though, so if your skin is mature and dry (and not mature and combination oily like mine) it might be a much better fit for you.
Shop True Botanicals skincare here
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