The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm Review
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Inkey List Oat Balm Cleanser Review
The Inkey List has a ton of best-selling and top-rated products under their belt, but one of the most raved about products is their Oat Cleansing Balm. But is it really worth all the hype? This The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm Review will dive deep into the brand, product and ingredients of this cult-favorite balm cleanser.
About The Inkey List
Colette Laxton and Mark Curry founded The Inkey List in 2018, and has since become one of the biggest skincare brands in the industry. Often compared to The Ordinary, The Inkey List has some differences and a wider range of products.
The brand prides themselves on creating a skincare community to help educate consumers. Their askINKEY is a unique feature to the brand and you can reach out to get questions answered and they will even create a custom routine based on your skin.
They also pride themselves on creating high-quality and well-formulated products that deliver results, without the insane price tag like other competitors. Since its launch, The Inkey List has create several affordable dupes for high end brands like Drunk Elephant and Tatcha.
Additionally, The Inkey List is cruelty-free and their packaging (mostly) recyclable and they are working on making their packaing 100% recyclable.
About The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm
Designed to be used as a first cleanser in a double cleansing routine, the Oat Cleansing Balm dissolves makeup, dirt and oil effortlessly while soothing and moisturizing the skin.
What Does The Oat Cleansing Balm Do?
The oat cleansing balm removes makeup, dirt, oil and bacteria to gently cleanse the skin and prep it for the rest of your skincare products. Oil-based cleansers can remove much more than traditional cleansers, making them a great option for those who wear makeup and sunscreen.
The oat cleansing balm also has a ton of nourishing and soothing properties to help keep the skin hydrated and soothed while ensuring a deep clean.
How To Use The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm
The Oat Cleansing Balm can be used AM or PM (or both). It’s designed to be used as the very first step in your skincare routine. The Inkey List recommends using this as part of a double cleansing routine, but there are many people who use this as their sole cleanser.
- Massage a dime-sized amount onto dry skin, including the eye area to remove any makeup. Work the cleanser in for about 30 seconds
- Add some water to your hands and massage again to emulsify the cleanser
- Rinse with lukewarm water and follow with a second cleanser (if you’re using)
- Follow with the rest of your skincare routine (serums, treatments, moisturizers, etc).
You can also use the Oat Cleanser as a treatment to moisturize, nourish and soothe. Simply apply the cleanser like normal and leave on the skin for at least 10 minutes before rinsing.
The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm Ingredients
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Candelilla Cera (Cire de candelilla), Silica, Sorbitan Stearate, Tribehenin, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Aqua (Water/Eau), Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil
Key ingredients in Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm:
- 3% Oat Kernel Oil: helps to soothe inflammation, redness and irritation while helping heal skin associated with things like eczema or psoriasis. Oat oil is packed with nourishing properties that help to hydrate the skin and keep the moisture locked in as well as antioxidant properties.
- 1% Colloidal Oatmeal: an incredible ingredient for dry, irritated and sensitive skin that helps to reduce redness, calm irritation and soothe sensitive skin. Oatmeal is packed with skin-loving ingredients and barrier strengthening ingredients. Oatmeal is loaded with fatty acids that help to repair and strengthen the skin barrier. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which is much needed for sensitive skin. Oats are also a great source of beta-glucans which help soothe the skin.
- Sweet Almond Oil: a type of plant oil that is made from almonds. Sweet almond oil is a lightweight oil that’s also very moisturizing and nourishing. It’s loaded with fatty acids (oleic and linoleic acids) to help moisturize the skin while strengthening the skin barrier. It also has antioxidant properties which protect and repair the skin from damage.
- Sunflower Seed Oil: another super popular oil both in the kitchen and in skincare. Sunflower seed oil is another great source of fatty acids that help to moisturize and nourish the skin. It’s high in linoleic acid, which makes it a great facial oil for acne-prone and oily skin types. Sunflower seed oil helps to hydrate and moisturize the skin while repairing the skin barrier.
- Tocopherol: also known at Vitamin E, Tocopherol is a type of antioxidant that also has incredible soothing and moisturizing properties. It can help protect the skin against UV damage as well as help repair any damage that as already happened.
The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm Review
The Packaging
The Inkey List Creamy Oat Cleansing Balm comes in a standard tube packaging, which I absolutely love. Most balm cleansers come in a jar with a little scoop, which can easily be contaminated. Since this product is in a tube, you know your product is staying fresh.
The tube makes it easy to squeeze out just enough product, which I really appreciate. I’ve tried some balm cleansers that are so hard to squeeze out of the packaging.
The Price
The Inkey List Oat Cleanser retails for $9.99 for 150ml or roughly 5oz of product. Very affordable, especially since one tube will last you a good while because you don’t need a ton of product to get the job done.
The Texture
The texture of this cleaning balm is unique, as most cleansing oil balms are more solid. This one reminds me of a less goopy vaseline – it’s thick in texture but feels silky and smooth on the skin. It glides on the skin effortlessly so you don’t have to tug at your skin to spread it around.
It’s also the slightest bit grainy because of the oat flour, but it doesn’t feel harsh or like an exfoliant at all.
My Experience
I’ve been using this cleanser for a few months now and I am loving it. The first time I used this product, the first thing that caught my attention was the silky texture of the product. It feels really nice on the skin and doesn’t take a lot of effort to get your makeup off. I wear long-wearing and waterproof makeup and this makes it so easy to remove.
To use it, I simply take about a dime sized amount and massage onto dry skin, working in circular motions. I gently rub over my eyes to remove any eye makeup as well. I try to massage the product in for at least 30 seconds. After that, I wet my hands and emulsify the cleanser by gently massaging in circular motions again. Finally, I rinse my skin well and follow up with a second cleanser.
I have used this cleanser by itself before and really like it as a single cleanser as well. The balm does leave a residue behind, which I personally like because it leaves my skin feeling moisturized and supple, as opposed to dry and tight. My skin just feels so nourished after using this product. And when I follow up with a second cleanser, my skin feels soft, smooth and happy!
Who Should Use The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm?
While the Inkey List Creamy Oat Cleansing Balm is suitable for all skin types, it really shines for those with sensitive, dry and dehydrated skin. Because of it’s soothing and nourishing ingredients, it helps to reduce inflammation, redness and irritation while keeping skin clean but not stripped.
Is The Inkey List Cleansing Balm Good?
Overall, I think this is a great product. It’s affordable, effective and suitable for all skin types. The texture of the balm is silky smooth and it leaves my skin feeling nourished but not greasy or oily. It’s honestly my favorite balm cleanser and oil cleanser I have ever tried.
Is Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm Good For Acne?
The Inkey List Oat Cleanser does not have any acne fighting ingredients, so it won’t really treat acne per se, but because of it’s anti-inflammatory ingredients, it can certainly help reduce inflammation and redness associated with acne. However, it won’t actually treat or prevent acne like salicylic acid or sulfur would.
It may also help acne because it ensures you’re getting your skin clean and not leaving behind makeup, dirt or oil that could lead to acne or breakouts.
Oat Kernel, Sunflower and Sweet Almond oils are rated low on the comedogenicity scale, which means there’s a low change of the oils clogging your pores and leading to acne breakouts.
Is The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm Good For Dry Skin?
Yes, yes and YES. The Inkey List Creamy Oat Cleansing Balm is great for dry skin because it’s packed with nourishing ingredients like Sweet Almond oil which helps to moisturize the skin while strengthening the skin barrier. It also contains Sunflower Oil which has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce redness and inflammation of dry or irritated skin.
The oils can also help to soften rough skin and reduce flaky skin associated with dryness or other skin issues like eczema.
Is The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm Non-Comedogenic?
This cleansing balm has three oils: sweet almond, sunflower and oat kernel oils. Sweet almond oil is relatively non-comedogenic and is rated a 2 on the comedogenicity scale, meaning there’s a low likelyhood of it causing clogged pores.
Sunflower seed oil is rated a 0, meaning there’s little to no change of it clogging pores. Oat kernel oil is also rated a 0. So, 2 of the 3 oils are extremely safe for oily and acne-prone skin. While sweet almond oil is rated a 2, that’s still very low and has only a small chance of causing issues for oily and acne-prone skin types.
The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm Review: Wrap Up
The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm is a great product for those with sensitive, dry and dehydrated skin who need an affordable but effective cleanser. This cleansing balm is also gentle on all skin types as it’s made from natural ingredients like sunflower seed oil which has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce redness and inflammation of dry or irritated skin. I hope you found this The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm Review helpful and be sure to check out some more skincare reviews down below!
