Comparison

Living Cleansing Balm vs Balanceful Cica Cleansing Gel

Name: Balanceful Cica Cleansing Gel
Brand: Torriden
Price: 18 USD

Then I Met You vs Torriden — side by side, no bias.

Then I Met You

Living Cleansing Balm

9/10cleanser

Torriden

Balanceful Cica Cleansing Gel

8.6/10cleanser

Our pick

Living Cleansing Balm

9/10 · Then I Met You

	Living Cleansing Balm	Balanceful Cica Cleansing Gel
Brand	Then I Met You	Torriden
Category	cleanser	cleanser
Editor Rating	9/10 ★	8.6/10
Category	cleanser	cleanser
Texture	Luxurious buttery balm that melts into a golden oil on contact with warm skin	Soft elastic gel with micro-bubbles
Finish	clean, nourished	Clean, calm, never tight
Skin Types	Dry Combination Sensitive Mature	Sensitive Combination Acne-Prone
Targets	Dryness Sensitivity Dullness	Acne Sensitivity Redness Pores
Pros	+Best-in-category formulation +Sea buckthorn is a standout ingredient +Non-stinging around eyes +Luxury experience and packaging	+5D Centella complex carries through the whole routine now +low pH (5.5) + LHA cleans pores without compromising the barrier +alcohol-free and fragrance-free +absurd value — $18 for a serious calming cleanser
Cons	−Premium price −Essential oil scent may not suit all −Requires a washcloth or second cleanse for residue	−gel-cream texture pumps inconsistently when nearly empty −the LHA-led decongestion may not be strong enough for severe acne −redness-prone skin should still patch test −the lather is gentle by design — those who love foam will want more
Verdict	Widely considered the best cleansing balm in K-beauty at any price. The olive plus sea buckthorn plus squalane base melts makeup and sunscreen effortlessly, and the orange oil scent is subtle rather than artificial. Leaves skin clean, nourished, and never stripped. Expensive, but a single jar lasts months and the experience is genuinely luxurious.	Torriden's Balanceful Cica Cleansing Gel — the missing first step of the Balanceful routine, built on the same 5D Cica Complex (5 types of centella) as the cream we've been recommending. Low pH (5.5), LHA-spiked for gentle pore decongesting, and formulated specifically for combination/acne-prone skin that needs cleansing without flaring. The micro-bubble lather is the thing that surprised us — fine enough to feel luxurious but never stripping. One of those quiet workhorses that ends up replacing whatever cleanser you were defaulting to.

Ingredient Breakdown

Only in Living Cleansing Balm

Squalane Hyaluronic Acid Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)

Only in Balanceful Cica Cleansing Gel

Centella Asiatica Madecassoside Panthenol

View Living Cleansing Balm View Balanceful Cica Cleansing Gel Compare other products →

Living Cleansing Balm

Balanceful Cica Cleansing Gel

Brand

Then I Met You

Torriden

Category

cleanser

Texture

Luxurious buttery balm that melts into a golden oil on contact with warm skin

Soft elastic gel with micro-bubbles

Finish

clean, nourished

Clean, calm, never tight

Skin Types

Dry Combination Sensitive Mature

Sensitive Combination Acne-Prone

Targets

Dryness Sensitivity Dullness

Acne Sensitivity Redness Pores

Pros

+Best-in-category formulation
+Sea buckthorn is a standout ingredient
+Non-stinging around eyes
+Luxury experience and packaging

+5D Centella complex carries through the whole routine now
+low pH (5.5) + LHA cleans pores without compromising the barrier
+alcohol-free and fragrance-free
+absurd value — $18 for a serious calming cleanser

Cons

−Premium price
−Essential oil scent may not suit all
−Requires a washcloth or second cleanse for residue

−gel-cream texture pumps inconsistently when nearly empty
−the LHA-led decongestion may not be strong enough for severe acne
−redness-prone skin should still patch test
−the lather is gentle by design — those who love foam will want more

Verdict

Widely considered the best cleansing balm in K-beauty at any price. The olive plus sea buckthorn plus squalane base melts makeup and sunscreen effortlessly, and the orange oil scent is subtle rather than artificial. Leaves skin clean, nourished, and never stripped. Expensive, but a single jar lasts months and the experience is genuinely luxurious.

Torriden's Balanceful Cica Cleansing Gel — the missing first step of the Balanceful routine, built on the same 5D Cica Complex (5 types of centella) as the cream we've been recommending. Low pH (5.5), LHA-spiked for gentle pore decongesting, and formulated specifically for combination/acne-prone skin that needs cleansing without flaring. The micro-bubble lather is the thing that surprised us — fine enough to feel luxurious but never stripping. One of those quiet workhorses that ends up replacing whatever cleanser you were defaulting to.