Clinique vs The Ordinary — side by side, no bias.
Our pick
Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
8.7/10 · Clinique
| Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm | Squalane Cleanser | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Clinique | The Ordinary |
| Category | cleanser | cleanser |
| Editor Rating | 8.7/10 ★ | 8.3/10 |
| Category | cleanser | cleanser |
| Texture | Solid balm-to-oil | Solid balm-to-emulsion |
| Finish | Soft, fully unmade-up | Soft, comforted |
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| Verdict | The cleansing balm that taught the West how to oil-cleanse before K-beauty arrived. Take The Day Off has been Clinique's quiet hero since the 2000s — a fragrance-free, mineral-oil-rich balm that melts the most stubborn waterproof mascara, SPF, and tinted skincare without leaving anything behind. The texture is firm-balm-to-clear-oil, not the silky melt of Banila Co or Beauty of Joseon, but it removes more makeup, faster. For sensitive eyes (it's ophthalmologist-tested) this is genuinely the best in class. Boring packaging, perfect product. | An emollient balm cleanser at the price of a foaming one. Squalane Cleanser melts on contact with skin, dissolves makeup and SPF efficiently, then emulsifies with water into a milky lotion that rinses clean. Nothing flashy — but most balm cleansers in this format cost $35–45, and this is $14.50. For dry, sensitive, and mature skin or anyone tired of double-cleansing aggressively, this is a quiet hero. Fragrance-free, no essential oils, no irritants. Just squalane + safflower + behenyl alcohol doing their job. |
