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I like to think of cleansing and makeup removal as its own pre-skincare ritual.
Why? Because it’s not as simple as just splashing your face with soap and water and calling it a day! Recently, I learned about the importance of double cleansing—a K-Beauty staple that involves switching up the products you use to wash your face in order to achieve a deeper clean. For me, the important part is using an oil-based cleanser (or micellar water) to remove makeup. That’s not something I was doing before.
Now that I take double cleansing seriously, I can tell you it’s made a difference for my skin. A cleaner face means your skincare products will penetrate deeply and more effectively. Win-win!
While I do love micellar water as an affordable oil-based cleanser, I’m thrilled to tell you about a newly-launched cleanser from viral beauty brand Sunday Riley. Sunday Riley Aquamarine Melt Hydrating Gel-Balm Cleanser ($48) is basically the double cleanse in one step, given it removes makeup and cleanses with gentle, skin-loving ingredients for a silky-soft clean feeling.
Here’s what I learned while vetting it.
The cool, non-traditional thing about this cleanser is that you don’t need to use water to wash it off. It comes out as a glossy, blue gel and melts into a silky oil upon contact with the skin. The oil then effortlessly dissolves makeup and impurities, and you can simply wipe it off with a damp cloth.
It’s also enriched with soothing ingredients that deeply hydrate your skin as it cleanses. Hyaluronic Acid plumps and hydrates, Malachite detoxifies and balances, Evening Primrose moisturizes, and Cocoa Butter locks in moisture. A combination of sugar-based cleanses helps to provide a deep clean, while still being gentle on the skin barrier.
Since this is a relatively new product, there’s not a ton of customer reviews out there, but I did some digging on TikTok to see what I could learn. Overall, people really like the texture of it, which, as mentioned above, is different than other cleansers. Sunday Riley Aquamarine Melt Hydrating Gel-Balm Cleanser ($48) is lighter and more gel-like, and the rinse-free formula makes it really convenient to take on the go. People also agree that it’s an effective makeup remover, and gets rid of dirt, pollutants, and other impurities without feeling too heavy.
“My face feels so awesome after using this even before I put my toner and moisturizer on. I have zero irritation with this and can’t stop touching my face it’s so soft!! I am super happy with this cleanser,” one person wrote on Amazon. Another user added, “Such a unique cleanser in color, texture, and scent. Nice texture that holds it’s shape. Not oily, runny, or gloopy.”
Though some people remark that Sunday Riley Aquamarine Melt Hydrating Gel-Balm Cleanser ($48) could be more affordable, consider that this one product does what a double cleanse does, just by itself! I’m planning on buying one for myself ASAP.





