TNI Product Review: Farmacy Green Clean Cleanser + Makeup Remover Balm

Cleansing balms have become all the rage in the last few years as the popularity of double-cleansing has moved more into the mainstream.

But what is double cleansing? Despite how it may sound, no, it’s not washing your face twice. It’s the use of a cleansing balm or oil to break down skincare and makeup products before using a cleanser.

Don’t worry if you’re still mystified—I’ll explain all of that below, along with my in-depth review of the Farmacy Green Clean Cleanser + Makeup Remover Balm.

And boy, am I excited to get into this review! As an avid follower of the double-cleansing method, I’ve got quite a lot to say about this cleansing balm and some reasons why you may (or may not) want to try it, too. Let’s dive in.

What is Double Cleansing?

Before we get into the review, I’d like to quickly go over what double cleansing is in case you’ve never heard of it before. 

While you don’t need to double cleanse with this product, that’s what it is primarily used for, so it makes sense (at least to me) to explain what this method is before getting into the product details.

As mentioned in the introduction of this article, despite what the name might suggest, double cleansing is not washing the face twice with a cleanser. 

Double cleansing is the method of using a cleansing balm or oil to break down products that you may have a hard time removing with just a facial cleanser, as well as excess oil on the face. You then use your usual cleanser afterward.

The concept is that like dissolves like, and, since many makeup and sunscreen products are made with oil or silicone-based ingredients, balms and oils are really good at breaking those materials up and washing them away.

The result should leave your skin feeling clean and clear of product residue without totally stripping your face of oils. 

Afterward, you may want to use a cleanser if the product does not emulsify with water or if you need additional treatment from your cleanser, such as exfoliation or brightening.

Double cleansing or just cleaning your face with a balm or oil can be a great method for those with dry skin, or those who use lots of heavy products and want to ensure their skin is completely clear before moving on to the next phase of their skincare routine.

Product Overview: The Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm + Makeup Remover

Okay, now let’s get the facts laid out about this product. 

In this section, I’ll be going over the ingredients contained in the balm, the pricing points, and the packaging Farmacy uses.

I will include some personal side notes, but if you’re just looking for the full review portion, jump to that section here.

Ingredients

The primary ingredients in the cleansing balm are sunflower and ginger root oils, turmeric, moringa extract, and papaya enzymes. 

However, I also read in the ingredients list that this cleansing balm contains glycerin, which made me very excited to try the product. 

As a side note, I use vegetable glycerin as an entirely separate product after my showers to keep my eczema-prone skin hydrated. Seeing that it’s also used in the balm, I knew my skin would react well.

It does contain about 32 other ingredients, though, so I went and did some research using some of the internet’s top ingredient watchdog sites:

• Skin Safe®: Green Clean earns a 91% allergen-free rating. It is free of 14 different known allergen-causing ingredients. Some of these are coconut, gluten, parabens, dyes, nickel, and lanolin.
• INCIDecoder: Out of 32 ingredients, only four are classified as “icky.””. These were mostly fragrance oils like lime, bergamot, orange peel, and Cananga Odorata flower. Four ingredients got a “goodie” or “superstar” rating: such as glycerin, sunflower, moringa, and turmeric extract.
• EWG Skin Deep®: Green Clean comes in at a 3 (the lower, the better)—not. Not a great or terrible score. The citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel oil is one of the reasons it is not so well rated, due to its potential as an irritant. EWG is also concerned about the ylang-ylang oil’s potential for allergies and causing immunotoxicity.

So, yes, there are some ingredients that you may need to watch out for if you have very sensitive skin. As always, do a patch test before using it on your full face.

I was also very pleased to see on their product page that this product, in its solid balm form, is 100% TSA-approved, meaning you can take this in your carry-on in its full-size version. 

I’m a little leery of this since TSA rules seem to change depending on your location and the temperament of the agents you get, but it’s good to know. 

As of writing, I don’t see any money-back or replacement guarantee if TSA decides to scoop your balm. 

Price

The Green Clean cleanser and makeup- removing balm comes in four different sizes and, thus, four different price points.

This includes:

• 12ml for $8
• 50ml for $24 
• 100ml for $36 
• 200ml for $65.

The 12 and 50ml sizes are their trial and travel sizes, respectively, while the larger volumes are their typical product size.

I’m no businesswoman, but this seems like very intelligent pricing to me. 

The trial or travel size allows consumers to try out the cleansing balm for a lower price as opposed to shelling out $36 bucks for a product they may not even like.

And yes, for that price, this is going to be a con of this product for me. For the same price, you could purchase several very similar cleansing balms that do the same thing.

With that being said, while the price could be inaccessible for many, you are getting a great deal considering the sustainable and clean ingredients contained in this cleansing balm.

So, if you’re looking for a product that not only works but is also very high-quality, this is it. You need look no further.

Packaging

The Green Clean cleansing balm is contained in a plastic jar with accompanying materials that are all 100% recyclable. 

The packaging feels very high-quality, and on top of that, contained in each jar, you’ll also find a thin plastic cover that has ridges that hold a small spoon in place.

This spoon can be used to help keep your balm more hygienic by scooping out small amounts of balm at a time, as opposed to using your fingers or nails, which could have bacteria on them.

However, as someone who is increasingly concerned about microplastics and knowing that Farmacy makes a big deal about its sustainability, I was surprised to see every part of this product is made of plastic. 

Very often, even if you recycle plastic, there’s no guarantee it will make it to a recycling facility.

However, I dug around on Farmacy’s website to see if they had some information on this and found some information here on their recycling page where they briefly mention their partnership with Terracycle and how exactly to recycle your Farmacy product.

I’ll dig more into their recycling program in the sustainability section of my brand review. You can jump to it here.

With that said, I would love to one day see this cleansing balm (and the spoon) in aluminum or even glass packaging, so it could potentially be reused—especially considering they already use this packaging for some of their other products.

By using this material, regardless of whether it ends up being reused, recycled, or in a landfill, we would have a little more peace of mind that it won’t be contributing to the increasing microplastics crisis.

Not only that, but these packaging alternatives would lend to a more luxurious feel for a product that does sit at a bit higher of a price point.

Brand Review: Farmacy

In a market full of less-than-honest brands with dubious motivations and intentions, Farmacy is a breath of fresh air. 

While they do have some kinks to iron out on their website, it does seem like they are continuing to work their way in the right direction with their philanthropy, transparency, and commitment to creating high-quality products.

Transparency

Farmacy does a great job of making information about their products very accessible.

Most impressively, you can find information about all 428 of their ingredients in their ingredient glossary. 

Yes, all of them not just the pretty- sounding ones like moringa oil and turmeric extract.

You can also read about ingredients like 3-HEXENOL, and they’ll even tell you which of their products uses this ingredient. 
They do this by partnering with ClearForMe, a database platform that manages information about 2 million plus ingredients. This makes it easy for consumers to discover products and learn more about brands’ ingredients.

Ingredient Sourcing

One thing I was really pleased to read on Farmacy’s website is where they actually get their ingredients from. 

According to their website, in 2020, partnered with the Hudson Hemp farmer network, a network of “regenerative farming pioneers,” to access organic, non-GMO, regenerative ingredients.

This network of farms enables them to access more sustainable ingredients for their products.

Sustainability

Farmacy does a fabulous job of communicating about their sustainability efforts. While there is always room for improvement, they are on the right track.

First off, they do something pretty unique. They will actually take back your empty containers and, through their partnership with Terracycle, recycle them for you for free.

Unfortunately, this is a tad hard to find. If you try to access the free shipping label from their How To Recycle page, the link doesn’t work under any of the products. 

I did some digging, though, and found they had a link to the functioning page on their Refund Policy page at the bottom.

Here, you can read more about how to prep your containers and their terms. You will then initiate the process here using your email and order number. 

I can only assume you use the number from your most recent order but there is no information about what to do if you purchased their product in a brick-and-mortar shop.

A quick chat with Farmacy support should be able to resolve this issue, I would hope. 

Other sustainability pluses I discovered were that they are also a clean and cruelty-free skincare brand that is Leaping Bunny Certified. 

This means none of their ingredients, suppliers, vendors, or distributors test on animals.

Per their website, you’ll also find they’ve made a commitment to have 100% carbon-neutral shipping by 2022 and to consolidate their supply chain. 

Obviously, it is now 2024, so they clearly haven’t updated this section yet. I hope they will include a corroborating report at some point, demonstrating if and how they’ve accomplished this.

I already talked a little bit about their packaging in my product review, but here is a bit more information about their brand-wide product packaging sustainability efforts.

• They use all PCR (post-consumer recyclables) plastic, glass, and recyclable materials, with 80-90% of plastic packaging made from “non-virgin materials.”
• All of the product cartons are made of FSC-certified paper (that’s the Forest Stewardship Council) 
• All packaging utilizes soy or vegetable ink.

Philanthropy

Farmacy’s philanthropic efforts are very commendable. 

Directly for consumers, they offer a 25% discount for students and what they call “local heroes,” such as nurses, doctors, military, and hospital employees. 

You can read more about their bigger- picture philanthropy here, where they talk about their work with the Feeding America and Second Harvest organizations. 

In short, these programs help counteract food waste, reduce food insecurity, and promote ethical production of food.

In the last few years, Farmacy has worked with them to:

• Donate 300,000 meals to Feeding America’s® COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund
• Donate 125,000 holiday meals via Feeding America® and Second Harvest
• Triple their donation to 1.5 million meals in 2021

Their website is a bit behind, but they also wrote they intended to then double that donation in 2022 to contribute 3 million meals to the program.

In the past, they’ve also donated skincare products to healthcare facilities and hospitals.

My Review of the Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm

Now for the section you’ve been waiting for. What do I really think of Green Clean? Let’s dive in.

The Packaging

Upon first opening up the Green Clean jar, I was immediately impressed by the inclusion of the plastic spoon. 

I really despise having to use my finger, which can be unsanitary, so this was a really thoughtful addition to the product. 

The little tray that sits on top of the jar is also a nice touch so you don’t have to put the spoon somewhere in your medicine cabinet where it could get dirty. 

My one and only wish would be for Farmacy to make the tray and spoon holder sit in the top of the lid so users don’t have to mess with the tray every time when using the balm. This way, the spoon and balm would stay cleaner, too. 

Currently I have to set the tray aside either on my bathroom counter or a towel, use the spoon to scoop some balm out, and then put the tray back. It’s just an extra unnecessary step, in my humble opinion.

The Balm

When I first opened this balm, the whiff of lime that I got was extremely pleasant but also slightly worrisome. 

As an eczema-sufferer, fragrances can really set off my sensitive skin. I did a patch test, though, and was really pleased with the results, or rather, the lack thereof—there was no irritation.

The balm is so easy to scoop out and apply and feels extremely luxurious as it melts into the skin. 

The strong but pleasant scent makes me feel like I’m having a little spa moment at the end of my day, too, which is great.

Effectiveness

Okay, now for the golden question, does the thing freaking work? Big yes! This balm is able to remove ev-er-y-thing.

Sunscreen, full coverage foundation, eyeliner, lipstick, and waterproof mascara. Yes, I put this thing to the test!

Using just water to rinse my face, I was honestly shocked at how effective this was at washing away all of my products. 

You could also use a damp cloth, which I do use sometimes, if I have some stubborn eye makeup.

I follow the double cleansing method, so I typically use a cleanser afterward, but honestly, I don’t need it most nights. 

My skin not only feels totally clean after using the balm but also like it’s not stripped. So much so that I hardly need to use much moisturizer at night, which is a total 180 for my dry skin.

Finally, a little goes a long way with this balm. This is significant for me since I have not found that to be true with other balms I’ve used in the past.

Skin Response

Yeah, the hype is real. My skin loves the Green Clean balm!

As I’ve mentioned, I have eczema-prone skin but also the occasional acne spots and very dry skin. 

This balm does not clog my pores and, as mentioned, leaves my skin feeling hydrated before I’ve even put on moisturizer. I believe this is due in part to the inclusion of glycerin in this formula. 

While not everyone’s skin will react the same, for me, I wouldn’t use anything else.

Key Takeaways

Overall, I give the Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm + Makeup Remover an A+ for its stellar ingredients, sustainability, great packaging, and—most importantly—its effectiveness. 

As someone with sensitive skin, I experienced no negative reactions and found this product to be very gentle as well as extremely effective at removing even the most stubborn of makeup and skincare.

Here is a summary of why this product earned an A+:

• Double cleansing with products like the Farmacy Green Clean Cleanser + Makeup Remover Balm can be a good method for some individuals to help dissolve makeup and skincare products before using a cleanser, especially. those with dry skin or if they use heavy or difficult-to-remove makeup products.
• The Farmacy Green Clean Cleansing Balm boasts a very thoughtful formulation, with ingredients like sunflower and ginger root oils, turmeric, moringa extract, and papaya enzymes. 
• It does contain some potential irritants that EWG does not approve of, such as fragrance oils. Always make sure to do a patch test, especially if you have sensitive skin.
• Despite its higher price point compared to some alternatives, Green Clean offers value for money with its effectiveness, luxurious texture, and sensitive skin-friendly formulation.
• The inclusion of a plastic spoon for hygienic application really adds to the convenience of using this product and is a thoughtful addition.
• As a brand, Farmacy stands out for its commitment to transparency, sustainability, and philanthropy. From providing detailed ingredient information to partnering with regenerative farming networks and supporting charitable initiatives like Feeding America and Second Harvest, Farmacy demonstrates both a commitment to skincare and leaving behind a net positive footprint both in the environment and local communities.