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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original versus Good Molecules Instant Cleansing Balm .

Last updated on December 05, 2023. Published on July 24, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 5 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain exfoliants and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens, silicones or sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Makeup Remover South Korean Brand South Korea
Face Cleanser American Brand United States

Makeup Remover

Makeup removers work to remove makeup from the skin.

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Price

Shop

Buy Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original

Starts at $12.35
Shop

Buy Instant Cleansing Balm

Starts at $15.00

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
ph level
6.1
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

Brightening

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Rosacea
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Exfoliators

Benefits

Hydrating
Brightening

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
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Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Emollient
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Ethylhexyl Palmitate is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid. It is a fatty acid ester.

The fatty acid content of Ethylhexyl Palmitate makes it an emollient. Emollients help soften and hydrate your skin by trapping moisture within.

Ethylhexyl Palmitate is also used to help improve the texture of cosmetics. It helps other ingredient dissolve in products and help disperse ingredients more evenly. In fact, it is commonly used to evenly mix sunscreen ingredients such as avobenzone and ethylhexyl triazone. It can also help stabilize the fragrances in a product as a fragrance fixative.

Ethylhexyl Palmitate can be used to substitute mineral oil.

Learn more about Ethylhexyl Palmitate

Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original contains this as ingredient number 1.

Good Molecules Instant Cleansing Balm contains this as ingredient number 1.

2
What it does: Emollient
Community Rating: Mixed

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.

It is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to products when applied. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.

Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original contains this as ingredient number 2.

Good Molecules Instant Cleansing Balm contains this as ingredient number 2.

3
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate comes from Isostearic Acid and glycerin.

It is an emollient, emulsifier, and gentle cleanser. As an emollient, it helps trap moisture to keep skin soft and hydrated. Emulsifiers help prevent ingredients from separating.

This ingredient is common in oil-based products. This is because it helps oil-ingredients be easily washed away without leaving a residue.

Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate may not be fungal-acne safe.

Learn more about Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate

Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original contains this as ingredient number 3.

Good Molecules Instant Cleansing Balm contains this as ingredient number 3.

4
What it does: Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.

One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.

Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.

Learn more about Tocopheryl Acetate

Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original contains this as ingredient number 9.

Good Molecules Instant Cleansing Balm contains this as ingredient number 8.

5
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Mixed

1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.

In products that are water-based, this ingredient can help stabilize perfumes and fragrances. It can also help make the texture of products softer and more smooth.

Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original contains this as ingredient number 13.

Good Molecules Instant Cleansing Balm contains this as ingredient number 6.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

15% are loved or liked
20% have mixed ratings
30% are disliked or very disliked
35% have no rating yet
17% are loved or liked
33% have mixed ratings
42% are disliked or very disliked
8% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original 20 ingredients

4.8 /5
from 9 ratings
Drying (1) Heavy (1) Light Scent (1) Oily (1) Works Well (1)
cgi's avatar

cgi

3 months ago · Oily Skin
Review

give it a try
i liked this cleansing balm. it goes second place on my list of favorite cleansing balms but this one was actually really good. i did...

give it a try
i liked this cleansing balm. it goes second place on my list of favorite cleansing balms but this one was actually really good. i did like that it came with a little scooper so i wouldn't spread bacteria from my hands when picking up product. it is a little hard to take off but it easily cleaned up all my makeup and dirt from my face. what i don't like is that it literally gets in my eyes when i get to the part where i have to take my mascara off but other than that, i like this. i would buy it again if it wasn't for the price.

DamDamfino's avatar

DamDamfino

3 months ago · Combination Skin
Review

I was really late on the Banila Clean it Zero trend. I mean, I had heard of it for years but didn't buy it or try it until 2022.
Did it live up...

I was really late on the Banila Clean it Zero trend. I mean, I had heard of it for years but didn't buy it or try it until 2022.
Did it live up to the hype? Eh, maybe not?

I enjoy the tactile sensation of spreading a semi-solid around my face. I do like the idea of a cleansing balm a lot. Most of the time I rub this on my face before hopping into the shower to rinse it off, and having the product stay on my face without dripping off is very nice!

I use it as a sunscreen and makeup remover before my second cleanse. At that task, it does a great job. But I don't think I could use this on it's own.
I find it to be very drying to my skin after rinsing off. A weird, almost gritty dry feeling.

I appreciate including the spatula to make scooping out the product more hygienic, but the problem is...where do I put the spatula in between uses? I just wish there was a better solution that involved less hands and less washing, because having to unscrew the cap, remove the spatula from the clear plastic lid, remove the clear plastic lid, then scoop the product, replace lids, wash face...etc etc is actually quite annoying to do every day while trying to keep everything clean and hygienic. Screwing a lid back on when I have a handful of product is *not* my favorite thing to do. I wish there was just a built in storage option for the spatula or something. Maybe a screw top jar just isn't the greatest packaging - or, I'd just rather use my fingers to scoop out the product!

For the price, its actually very inexpensive and will last a long time since you don't need to use a lot each time. A little goes a long way... but scooping always lends itself to scooping a large amount. I find myself using more than I should/need more often than not.

Would I repurchase this? If I were in a bind, sure. But right now I'd rather try other cleansing balms to find one I like better.

Good Molecules Instant Cleansing Balm 12 ingredients

Instant Cleansing Balm hasn't been rated yet.
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Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 41 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Banila Co Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 13 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Good Molecules Instant Cleansing Balm.

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