I tried CeraVe’s first-ever £14 cleansing balm – but does it rival Elemis?

CeraVe’s cleansers are a staple in my bathroom cupboard. Be it the SA exfoliating cleanser (£10.88, Amazon.co.uk) when my skin feels congested or the hydrating cleanser (£9.38, Amazon.co.uk) on a dry, cold winter’s day, I can count on CeraVe to give my face what it needs (without breaking the bank).

While the brand has a micellar water (£13.50, Boots.com), it’s never properly tapped into the market for make-up removal – until now. Enter CeraVe’s first-ever cleanser balm that promises to melt away mascara and foundation.

At just £14.49, it’s set to undercut competitors like Elemis, Eve Lom and Clinique. The question is, can it compete with these powerhouse formulas? I got my hands on it before it launched to find out.

How we tested

I massaged the cleansing balm between my hands to let it emulsify before working it into my skin and using a hot flannel to wipe away make-up and residue. I considered everything from the packaging to the product’s consistency and feel, efficacy in removing make-up and results. Similarly, I considered how it compared to its competitors. You can read a detailed breakdown of my testing criteria at the end of the review.