banila co Clean It Zero Original Cleansing Balm
~55 Olive Young reviews decoded one by one · Olive Young ★4.9 (~27k reviews) · 93% 'recent positive' · 91% five-star (official) · Korea's go-to cleansing balm, Original
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Community summary
The single most frequent point in the reviews is cleansing power. Usage notes like 'melts and lifts off makeup, sunscreen, even mascara' and 'wipes away even heavy makeup completely' were the most common at 16 reviews. This is the context of using a cleansing balm as a first-step cleanse to dissolve makeup, and Olive Young's AI summary also names 'excellent cleansing power' as its first axis. That said, these are users' firsthand impressions.
Next comes gentleness and low irritation. Comments like 'gentle with no irritation' and 'doesn't sting the eyes' appear in 12 reviews. Together with praise for emulsifying well for a clean rinse with little residue (9 reviews), this leads into the sense that skin doesn't feel tight and stays hydrated after washing (6 reviews). The Olive Young 4.9 rating and 93% positive back this up.
Sebum/dead-skin care and repurchasing also come up often. The feeling that blackheads, dead skin and clogged pores look clearer for smoother-feeling skin appears in 8 reviews. Long-term stories of steadily repurchasing it as a daily first-step cleanse (4 reviews) follow. That said, being a balm it needs a step of emulsifying on the hands and face, and reviewers repeatedly recommend following with a foam cleanser as a second cleanse.
Counted directly from the ~55 reviews decoded, using only reviews where the wording read clearly. If anything, this undercounts rather than inflates — it's a floor.
By skin type
Official Olive Young star distribution (based on ~27k reviews, 4.9 rating). These are the counts as tallied by Olive Young, not values we assigned.
Phrases we met in the decoded reviews (original nuance kept, not rewritten)
Strengths reviewers kept mentioning
- Strong cleansing power — the most talked-aboutThe most frequent point (16 reviews). Praised for melting and lifting off makeup, sunscreen, even mascara. Olive Young's AI summary also names 'excellent cleansing power' as its first axis.
- Gentle, no irritation — no eye stingingComments that it cleanses gently with no irritation and doesn't sting the eyes appear in 12 reviews. 93% positive and a 91% five-star share back this up.
- Emulsifies well — clean rinsePraised for emulsifying well with water for a clean rinse and little residue (9 reviews). Leads into the sense that skin doesn't feel tight and stays hydrated after washing (6 reviews).
- Sebum / dead-skin care — smoother skinThe feeling that blackheads, dead skin and clogged pores look clearer for smoother-feeling skin (8 reviews). Long-term stories of repurchasing it as a daily first-step cleanse (4 reviews) follow.
Downsides (mentioned repeatedly)
- Being a balm, it needs an emulsifying stepYou rub the balm on your hands or face to dissolve makeup, then emulsify with water. Easy once you're used to it, but there's a nuance that it takes one more step than a cleansing water or oil.
- Second cleanse recommendedA cleansing balm is the first step to dissolve makeup, so reviewers repeatedly recommend emulsifying thoroughly with lukewarm water and then following with a foam cleanser as a second cleanse.
- Many variants — a choice to weighThere are several types — Original, Purifying, Nourishing, Radiance — so some note you should pick to match your skin type. This page is based on the most popular one, the Original.
- Scent / oily feel divides opinionA few reactions noted that the subtle scent and the oily feel typical of a balm are hit-or-miss. Worth checking if a fragrance-free, fresh finish is your top priority.
- Limited detail beyond star distributionThis sample only had a clear star distribution and AI summary; detailed attribute graphs weren't included. We'll cross-check and add the numbers once available.
Best for
- Wanting to reliably melt off makeup and sunscreen. Cleansing-power reviews are the most common
- Sensitive types looking for a gentle cleanse with no eye stinging or sting. 93% positive, 91% five-star
- Wanting to clear blackheads, dead skin and clogged pores at the first-cleanse step
- Wanting a hydrating daily first-step cleanse that doesn't leave skin tight, used consistently
May not suit you if: Those who find the balm's emulsifying step a hassle and prefer a wipe-and-rinse water or oil / Those who want to finish in one go without a second cleanse. A cleansing balm is the first step, so a foam-cleanser finish is better / Those whose top priority is a fragrance-free, completely fresh finish. It has the oily feel typical of a balm
How to Use banila co Clean It Zero Original Cleansing Balm
- The common order across reviews: rub the balm onto dry hands and a dry face to fully dissolve makeup, then add lukewarm water bit by bit to emulsify it milky and rinse
- Emulsify thoroughly to cut down on residue and clogged pores, then follow with a foam cleanser as a second cleanse
- For heavy eye and lip makeup, add a bit more balm to melt it gently, then rinse — less irritation that way
- Reviewers suggest picking the line to match your skin: Original (popular), Purifying (oily), Nourishing (dry)
Price & buying tips
- Bundle sets like 100ml + a 25ml mini turn up often as good value for daily use — many repeat buyers note they pick the bundle
- Prices vary by seller and bundle, so reviewers repeatedly suggest comparing the Olive Young sale price and the Coupang price before buying Check the price on Coupang →
Compared with other Cleansing picks
Cleansing category from our Threads real-user tally (Olive Young Jjintem's own data)
See the full Cleansing ranking →
FAQ
Q. How do you use banila co Clean It Zero?
Rub the balm onto dry hands and a dry face to fully dissolve your makeup, then add lukewarm water bit by bit to emulsify it milky and rinse. Emulsifying thoroughly (the step where it mixes with water and turns milky) cuts down on residue and clogged pores. A cleansing balm is the first step to dissolve makeup, so we recommend following with a foam cleanser as a second cleanse. For heavy eye and lip makeup, add a bit more balm to melt it, then rinse — less irritation that way.
Q. How's the cleansing power? Does it remove heavy makeup?
The most common praise was that it 'melts and lifts off makeup, sunscreen, even mascara' (16 reviews), and Olive Young's AI summary also names 'excellent cleansing power' as its first axis. The gist is that even heavy makeup comes off well once you melt the balm in and emulsify. For dense waterproof areas, though, it's best to melt a little longer before rinsing.
Q. Do I really need a second cleanse (foam cleanser)?
Yes — a cleansing balm is the first step to dissolve makeup and buildup, so we recommend emulsifying thoroughly with lukewarm water and then following with a foam cleanser as a second cleanse. Rushing the emulsifying can leave residue behind, so many reviewers say doing that step carefully is the key to a clean finish.
Q. Does it sting or irritate the eyes?
Low-irritation comments like 'gentle, no irritation' and 'doesn't sting the eyes' were common (12 reviews), and recent positive reviews sit at 93%. The gist is that it melts and cleanses gently, but around the eyes and lips it's more comfortable to melt the balm softly and rinse. Skin reactions vary, so we suggest a small patch test at first.
Q. Can oily or acne-prone skin use it? Which type should I pick?
The Original is the most popular; there are separate lines like Purifying for oily/pore concerns and Nourishing for dry skin. There were 8 reviews saying it's good for clearing blackheads, dead skin and clogged pores, but if you have significant acne or breakouts, we suggest doing the second cleanse carefully and watching for any irritation as you use it. This page is based on the Original.
Q. Does skin feel tight after washing?
There were 6 reviews saying skin 'doesn't feel tight and stays hydrated' after washing. The gist is that being a balm, some oil is left behind so there's less dryness. That said, the oily feel typical of a balm is hit-or-miss, so if a fresh finish is your top priority, just finish with a second cleanse.
Q. Where does the data on this page come from?
The 4.9 rating, ~27k review count, 93% recent positive and 91% five-star share, and the AI summary (cleansing power, low irritation, sebum/dead skin) are Olive Young's official figures; the keyword numbers are values we counted ourselves across about 55 reviews (we counted only reviews with clear wording, so if anything we undercounted rather than inflated). We don't reproduce review text — only the analysis — and we don't assign our own star ratings or claim efficacy.
Starting from a viral Threads post with over 1.85M views, we collected real Korean users' recommendation comments on Olive Young posts, merged different spellings of the same product, and tallied mentions, likes, and staff endorsements. No ads or sponsorships — rankings come from real recommendation data only.
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