Cleansing Balms: Insights, Top Brands, and Strategies For Product Development

Team eyva
February 4, 2025
min read

Cleansing balms are becoming an essential part of modern skincare routines, celebrated for their ability to cleanse gently while nourishing the skin. 

With their solid-to-oil texture, these products effectively break down makeup, SPF, and excess oils without disrupting the skin's moisture barrier. Their unique, dense, almost solid, but still soft melting texture offers a luxurious cleansing experience, leaving the skin feeling hydrated and soothed.

This eyva article delves into the growing popularity of cleansing balms, supported by key data and actionable insights. Whether focusing on formulation, consumer preferences, or emerging attributes, cleansing balms present a dynamic opportunity for innovation in skincare.

Cleansing Balm Keyword Insights

Image Source: eyva (derived from Google Search data)

The demand for cleansing balms continues to rise, as proven by a Google monthly search volume of 17K and a 9% year-over-year (YoY) growth. 

This steady increase highlights a growing consumer preference for gentle yet effective cleansing solutions that cater to modern skincare needs. When analyzing keyword trends, it's clear that consumers are not only searching for general information but also for specific products and brands, indicating both curiosity and brand loyalty.

In terms of related searches, “cleansing balm” is often searched with “klärend” (“clarifying”), amassing an impressive 15K monthly searches and a +133% YoY growth. The brand Babor also saw a notable increase in searches, with 1.5K monthly searches and a +65% YoY growth. Under Babor, consumers are also interested in its hyaluronic acid cleansing balm, with 880 monthly searches for “babor hyaluron cleansing balm,” which saw a +24% YoY search growth. 

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In the Market

Currently, there are 165 unique cleansing balm products from 132 brands listed on etailers, such as Notino, Douglas, and Flaconi. And, over the past three months, a +8% growth in the availability of cleansing balms was detected. 

Zooming into product launches, there’s been a 4.43% increase in cleansing balm products introduced in the past three months. The prices of these products range from 12.95 EUR to 75 EUR, with Nø with the most affordable offering (Cleansing Balm Nø Magic tøday Magic Melting) and myBlend with the most expensive price tag for its Intense Cleansing Balm-To-Oil.

Key Players

Image Source: eyva (derived from etailer data)

The key players in the market of cleansing balms are Banila Co., Makeup Revolution, Elemis, and Babor. Among all four, South Korean brand Banila Co. is an undisputed leader in cleansing balms, with its 4.9-starred Clean It Zero line of cleansing balms that are made for different skin types, such as oily skin, dry skin, and combination skin. Clean It Zero’s affordable pricing range (8.00-38.20 EUR) also makes effective cleansing products accessible to consumers from various budget brackets. 

Trending Products

Image Source: eyva (derived from etailer data)

The most trending cleansing balm products are from the brands Nø, Beauty of Joseon, Clinique, and BYOMA. Clinique’s Take the Day off Jumbo TTDO Cleansing Balm is a standout product with 4.7 stars from 847 reviews. It also takes the 26th spot on Douglas’ Skincare product rankings. Aside from its thorough cleansing effects, it is also highly regarded for its makeup removing properties, gentleness, and scent. 

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Points For Product Development

As cleansing balms continue to grow in popularity, brands have the opportunity to innovate and diversify their offerings. To create a best-selling cleansing balm, product managers may turn their focus on the following key areas:

Infuse cleansing balms with Ingredients that bring added benefits. 

Modern consumers expect more from their skincare products than just basic cleansing. A next-generation cleansing balm should do more than dissolve makeup—it should also nourish, hydrate, and protect the skin. Consider ingredients like hyaluronic acid, adaptogenic botanicals, and probiotics or postbiotics to support the skin’s microbiome. 

Come up with sustainable and ethical formulations.

Clean beauty and eco-consciousness are no longer optional in today’s market; they are essential. Consumers are now more informed than ever, scrutinizing ingredient sourcing, packaging sustainability, and ethical business practices. This being said, consider utilizing biodegradable or upcycled packaging materials to minimize waste, refillable product options, and making use of ethically sourced plant-based waxes and butters as alternatives to synthetic or animal-derived ingredients.

Create products that will suit every budget. 

Cleansing balms are undoubtedly a coveted item in skincare routines these days, so it would be a good idea to make it accessible to consumers from varying budget brackets. Consider offering tiered options—a premium formulation for high-end customers and a streamlined version with essential benefits for budget-conscious buyers—without compromising the product’s performance. 

Takeaways

Image Source: Freepik

Cleansing balms are not just a passing trend-they are becoming a core category in skincare, fueled by a consumer shift towards gentle yet effective cleansing solutions. The data shows clear demand for products that address a range of skin concerns such as dryness, sensitivity, and the need for barrier protection. To capture this growing market, brands must focus on offering nourishing, non-stripping formulas while aligning with the increasing preference for clean, ethical formulations-vegan, cruelty-free, and palm oil-free attributes are gaining traction.

The future of beauty is driven by AI. With eyva, your brand can harness data, predict trends, and innovate with confidence. Are you ready to lead the next beauty revolution? Start by booking a demo with eyva today.

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