BANILA CO Clean It Zero, Decoded: Which Cleansing Balm Is Right for Your Skin?

I personally love cleansing balms because they don't tend to irritate your pores, they're not liquid (so they're easy to take with you as a carry-on for trips, with no worries about spilling), and with one balm you don't really need a separate cleanser for your eyes and lips. I've tried so many of them, and my best pick — the one I truly live by — is the Banila Co Clean It Zero cleansing balm. I have sensitive, rosacea-prone skin, and this balm doesn't irritate it; it wipes off all of my makeup, including my waterproof mascara and eyelashes.

Cleansing balms are easy to use. Just take a scoop from the jar, it melts into your skin as soon as you apply it, and it gets rid of all of the grime of the day. You can use a tissue to wipe it off or just wash off with water and a foam cleanser. It is, quietly, one of the most-recommended first-cleanse balms in all of K-beauty, and a permanent fixture on the Baerry cleanser shelf.

Because of my personal love for the BANILA CO Clean It Zero cleansing balm, I will do a deep dive into their entire lineup so you can find the right one for you!

Why is Clean It Zero the cult-classic K-beauty cleansing balm?

A cleansing balm is the oil-based first step of a double cleanse (the two-step K-beauty method of an oil cleanser followed by a water-based one). The logic is simple chemistry: oil dissolves oil. Water-based face washes struggle to break down waterproof sunscreen, foundation, and the sebum that builds up over a day — but an oil-based balm lifts all of it off without you scrubbing.

Clean It Zero earned its cult status by doing this gently — it's even been named an Allure Korea Best of Beauty Editor's Pick. The balm-to-oil texture emulsifies into a milk when you add water, so it rinses away completely instead of leaving a greasy film, and it's formulated with hot-spring water (Onsen-Sui) and botanical extracts so skin feels conditioned rather than stripped. Every balm in the lineup is also vegan. The only real decision left is which one suits your skin — and that's what the variants are for.

Key Takeaways

Clean It Zero is a cleansing balm — the oil-based first step of a double cleanse that melts away makeup and SPF without stripping skin.
The lineup has four variants, each matched to a skin type: Pore Clarifying (oily/combination), Calming (sensitive), Nourishing (dry/mature), and the all-rounder Original.
Pore Clarifying uses tea tree and salicylic acid for oily, blackhead-prone skin; Calming leans on centella for redness-prone skin.
All four are vegan and use the signature sherbet-to-oil texture that emulsifies and rinses clean with water.
A balm is the first cleanse, not the only one — follow it with a gentle water-based cleanser to finish.

Meet the Clean It Zero lineup

Four balms, four jobs. Here's how each one is built and who it's for — starting with the three core variants, then the cult Original.

Clean It Zero Pore Clarifying: best for oily & blackhead-prone skin

Pink cleansing balm with tea tree and salicylic acid for melting makeup on oily blackhead-prone skin

Shop the Clean It Zero Pore Clarifying balm →

The Pore Clarifying balm is the one to reach for if your skin runs oily or combination and you battle blackheads. It's built on a balm-to-oil base spiked with tea tree oil and salicylic acid (the K-beauty BHA) plus 4-Terpineol, so it melts makeup while helping clear out congested pores.

Think of it as a deep-clean first cleanse for the days you wore heavy SPF and a full face. The "magnet oil" blend lifts impurities out of pores without disturbing your skin's moisture balance.

Best for: oily and combination skin, visible pores, blackheads.

Clean It Zero Calming: best for sensitive, redness-prone skin

Green centella cleansing balm for calming sensitive redness-prone skin while removing makeup

Shop the Clean It Zero Calming balm →

If your skin flushes easily or reacts to everything, the Calming balm is your match. It's powered by centella asiatica — the soothing "cica" extract K-beauty leans on for reactive skin — alongside chamomile and a blend of calming botanical oils.

It's also an easy first jar if you're new to balm cleansing and want something gentle.

Best for: sensitive, reactive, redness-prone, or barrier-stressed skin.

Clean It Zero Nourishing: best for dry & mature skin

Rich ginseng and shea butter cleansing balm for dry mature skin that melts makeup without stripping

Shop the Clean It Zero Nourishing balm →

The Nourishing balm is the richest of the family, formulated with ginseng (root, berry, and seed) and shea butter to leave dry or mature skin feeling cushioned and soft after rinsing.

It's the cold-weather, tight-skin, "my cleanser shouldn't make things worse" pick — the most conditioning way to take everything off.

Best for: dry, dehydrated, or mature skin, and winter routines.

Clean It Zero Original: the cult all-rounder (my personal pick)

Classic Clean It Zero original cleansing balm with vitamin C that melts makeup for all skin types

Shop the Banila Co Clean It Zero balms →

The Original is the one that started it all — and, honestly, it's still my personal favorite. It's the balanced, all-skin classic: a vitamin-C-rich formula with cranberry and pomegranate extracts and SPA-BIOME fermented hot-spring water that melts everything off and leaves skin clean but never tight. If you don't have a specific concern to target, this is the default everyone reaches for.

If you want that same melt-and-comfort experience, the Nourishing balm is the closest in feel, with the Calming balm a gentler, lighter alternative.

Best for: all skin types, first-time balm users, anyone who wants the no-fuss classic.

Which Clean It Zero should you pick?

Oily or combination, blackheads? → Pore Clarifying
Sensitive or redness-prone? → Calming
Dry, mature, or tight after washing? → Nourishing
Not sure / want the classic? → Original (or Nourishing for the same comfort)

How to use Clean It Zero (the double-cleanse method)

A cleansing balm is the first of two steps. Here's the order that gets you a truly clean face:

Scoop a small amount with the spatula and apply to dry skin, no water yet.
Massage in circles for 30–60 seconds to melt makeup, sunscreen, and sebum.
Add a splash of lukewarm water and keep massaging — the balm turns milky and emulsifies.
Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
Follow with a gentle water-based cleanser (a foam or gel) to finish the double cleanse.

Find your Clean It Zero cleansing balm →

Sources:

More Banila Co picks →

FAQ

Is Clean It Zero good for acne-prone skin?

Yes — balm cleansing is generally gentle, and the Pore Clarifying variant adds tea tree and salicylic acid to help with congestion and blackheads. As with any oil-based product, rinse thoroughly and follow with a water-based cleanser. These are cosmetic cleansers, not a treatment for cystic or severe acne — see a dermatologist for that.

What's the difference between the Banila Co Clean It Zero variants?

Same melt-away balm-to-oil base, different actives: Pore Clarifying (tea tree + salicylic acid) for oily skin, Calming (centella) for sensitive skin, Nourishing (ginseng + shea) for dry skin, and Original as the balanced all-rounder.

Do I still need to use a cleansing foam or another second cleanser?

For a full double cleanse, yes — the balm removes makeup and SPF, and a gentle water-based cleanser clears anything left behind. On a bare-face, no-SPF day, the balm alone can be enough.

Will a cleansing balm leave my skin greasy?

Not when you emulsify it properly. Adding water turns the oil into a milk that rinses clean — the step people skip when they complain about residue.

Written by Sophi Lee

Sophi Lee is Baerry’s Beauty Editor — INFP, makeup collector, and matcha lover! Avid K-beauty fan that spends her nights glowing up and loves looking her best during the day at class. She loves researching K-beauty science so you don’t have to.