The Inkey List oat cleansing balm won an Allure Best of Beauty award in 2020 so I couldn’t wait to see what all the hype was about. The Inkey List is well known for its affordable, yet effective formulas. As a double cleansing fanatic, I would say I’m very picky about oil based cleansers so let’s so if this cleansing balm lived up to the hype. 

Consistency

The Inkey List oat cleansing balm has a very rich texture. I honestly have mixed feelings about the texture because I love the richness, yet at the same time, the formula feels slightly gritty on the skin. One of my biggest complaints about brands like The Inkey List and The Ordinary is that the products are so cheap that they leave out ingredients that improve the texture. This isn’t the first cheap, gritty formula I’ve tried.

My second complaint is that this balm tends to separate in the tube. After about a week of using the product, I noticed that a thin oil would come out of the tube alongside the thick balm. I do feel the oat balm is very hydrating and nourishing to the skin. It melts away all my makeup and sunscreen, but sometimes I feel like I have to rub my eyes a little more than I should to remove mascara. The balm dissolves easily in water and does not leave a film on the skin after washing away which I appreciate greatly.

Scent

This cleansing balm has a mild scent with no added fragrance in the formula. There is a slight percentage of sunflower oil in the formula and that’s honestly what I think I’m smelling here. The scent is neither pleasant nor unpleasant. I don’t think the scent would bother anyone with sensitive skin or those sensitive to fragrance because the scent is so mild and does not linger on the skin. 

Highlighted Ingredients

Oat Kernel Oil– hydrates the skin barrier

Colloidal Oatmeal– soothes redness and irritation; protects the skin

Price

The Inkey List oat cleansing balm retails for $10 for 5 ounces ($2 per ounce) at Sephora. This price is truly insane! While I don’t love this cleansing balm, I can understand why it has a cult following at that price. 

Packaging

The oat cleansing balm comes in an easy to squeeze tube. I actually do enjoy when cleansing balms come in a tube because it’s so easy to throw it in a bag for travel compared to a clunky jar. I didn’t experience any issues with the tube leaking, but I did start having more trouble trying to squeeze the tube when about a third of the product was remaining. 

Results

Overall, I would describe the Inkey List oat cleansing balm as aggressively mediocre. I was a little disappointed in this product as it was an Allure Best in Beauty winner. I expected more from this balm, but I have really high standards for cleansing balms after using my all time favorite cleansing balm, the Banila Co. clean it zero, for so many years. While this balm got the job done, it was kind of an unpleasant experience to use. The word I’m left with is “eh”.

Have you tried any products from The Inkey List?