Double cleansing feels like a chore. But my sunscreen was ghosting me — leaving a film no single wash could touch.
The real test? My chin. Those tiny, stubborn grits that no amount of squeezing fixes.
It’s Then I Met You‘s Living Cleansing Balm. $40 for 3.7 oz. They claim it melts everything — makeup, SPF, the day’s grime — without a tight finish.
Sorbet Texture
Starts as a solid, warms into a silky oil on contact.
No Blur Vision
Rinses completely clean with water — no milky residue.
Scent Story
A subtle, herbal citrus — not a fake spa smell.
Photo: Viva Luna Studios / Unsplash
It’s an oil-based cleanser, but not just any oil. The hero is heptyl undecylenate — a plant-derived ester that mimics skin’s natural lipids.
- Heptyl Undecylenate: Dissolves sebum and sunscreen without stripping
- Sea Buckthorn Oil: Antioxidant-rich, gives it that orange hue
- Olive-Derived Squalane: Adds slip and a hint of hydration
- Japanese Licorice Root: Soothing, calms redness post-cleanse
Photo: Content Pixie / Unsplash
Massaging it in is the best part — it glides, doesn’t drag. Transforms from balm to oil to a light, milky emulsion.
By week two, I noticed my second cleanse barely foamed. Proof it was taking the first layer off — my foam cleanser was finally working on skin, not on leftovers.
Photo: Chalo Garcia / Unsplash
Fewer blackheads on my nose. Zero new cystic spots along my jaw. But my hormonal chin bumps? Unmoved. It prevents new clogging — doesn’t excavate deep, old debris.
Photo: Victor Meza / Unsplash
Double cleansing isn’t a trend — it’s a technique. And this balm makes it feel less like a chore, more like a treat. My pores are quieter.