Shop the Philosophy Meltaway Cleaning Balm here.
There are some skincare products that just stick with you. The ones that instantly take you back to a certain time in life. For me, the Philosophy Purity line is one of those. It was probably the first skincare product I ever truly loved, way back in middle school when I was just starting to discover skincare products. So when I saw they launched a Purity cleansing balm in January 2026, I was immediately curious.
The first thing I noticed when I opened it? That very distinct Philosophy scent. If you’ve used Purity before, you know exactly what I mean. It’s familiar in that nostalgic way, but this version actually feels a little softer on the fragrance side which, personally, I always appreciate.
What makes this product interesting is that it’s an oil cleanser in balm form. If you’re new to oil cleansing, here’s the cool part: when the balm touches your skin, your natural body temperature melts it into an oil. That’s when it gets to work dissolving makeup, sunscreen, and the day’s buildup. I only had a little mascara on when I tried it, but it melted everything off without any scrubbing. Just hands, no water needed at first.
And that’s the beauty of oil cleansing. It’s incredibly gentle but very effective.
One thing I love explaining to clients is that oil cleansers aren’t just for dry skin. They’re actually great for almost everyone. When you massage an oil cleanser into the skin, it almost feels like applying a lightweight moisturizer. That’s why people with oily skin often love them too—you get nourishment without piling on thick creams.
Here’s how I usually think about it in a routine:
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Dry skin? You could honestly stop here and move on to your next skincare step.
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Oily or breakout-prone skin? Follow with a second cleanse—maybe a medicated cleanser or something lightly exfoliating.
That two-step approach is often called double cleansing, and it works beautifully when you’re using active ingredients. Because here’s the truth about healthy skin: you need to remove dead skin cells, but you also need to nourish the barrier. An oil cleanser can actually help with that nourishing step while still giving you a really effective cleanse.
The new Purity balm honestly checks a lot of boxes for me. It’s nostalgic, gentle, effective at removing makeup, and priced right in line with most oil cleansers at around $38.
And maybe that’s the best reminder skincare can give us: sometimes the products we loved years ago still have something new to offer. A fresh format, a slightly updated formula, or just a different place in our routine.
Skincare doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to support your skin in the season it’s in right now.
