Last Updated on March 15, 2026 by omgbart
Augustinus Bader has built out fast. What started as a two-SKU brand with The Cream and The Rich Cream, same formula in different textures, is now a full luxury anti-aging lineup. The Cleansing Balm is the latest addition, slotting in as the first step of the brand's double cleanse routine ahead of The Cleansing Gel. It was also, until recently, the one product in the range I hadn't tried. Here's what I found.
What is it this AB formula?
The Cleansing Balm comes in a glass jar with a muslin cloth included, which you can use wet or dry to remove it. If you use cleansing balms regularly, you know the texture range is wide, from airy sherbet whips to dense solids. This one sits in the middle: lightweight but creamy, with no added fragrance. It removes makeup, sunscreen, and general grime quickly and completely.
What’s in this Augustinus Bader cleanser?
Like every Augustinus Bader product, The Cleansing Balm features TFC8, the brand's proprietary Trigger Factor Complex. The blend includes amino acids, vitamins, ceramides, and skin-identical lipids, all designed to help ingredients penetrate and perform more effectively.
If you’re super duper curious about the complex (abbreviated from Trigger Factor Complex), some online sleuthing clarifies that the blend consists of water, ethanol, glycerol, vitamin E acetate, hydrogenated lecithin, cholesterol, L-arginine, L-phenylalanine, L-lysine, L-alanine-glutamine, L-tryptophane, L-tyrosine, L-valine, L-Prolin, L-taurine, ceramide NG, ceramide NP, oleic acid, palmitic acid, sodium ascorbate, phenoxyethanol, mustard seed oil, EDTA, and oligopeptide.
What actually does the cleansing is a blend of nourishing oils: avocado, sunflower, olive, coconut, and grapeseed. Plant-derived squalane, bisabolol, arginine, and rice protein round things out, leaving skin feeling hydrated and soft after rinse-off. For a rinse-off product, the post-cleanse skin feel is notably good.
How to use the Augustinus Bader Cleansing Balm:
Apply to dry skin. Scoop up a small amount, spread it over your face, and the balm will liquefy on contact and lift impurities. Massage it in for a minute or two. It's a good opportunity to work on lymphatic drainage, which tones and de-puffs. Then add water, remove with a cloth, or do both.
Augustinus Bader's Cleansing Balm turns milky when water hits it, but I prefer a wet cloth to remove it completely. It doesn't leave a film, but the rich texture still calls for a second cleanse. If I start at the sink and finish in the shower, I skip the cloth and use a foaming cleanser as the follow-up.
Do you need it?
Luxury cleansers are always a tough sell. They're on your skin for two minutes and then they're gone. If you're already using Augustinus Bader's moisturizers or serums, adding the Cleansing Balm to keep the routine cohesive makes more sense than it would as a standalone purchase.
If you're not in the AB universe yet, there are excellent cleansing balms at lower price points that will do the job. But if you want the full experience and the budget is there, it delivers.
$84 (3.1 oz) at dermstore.com (where my code OMGBART save you 15% on total purchase)
You can also pick it up at augustinusbader.com, bluemercury.com, violetgrey.com or lookfantastic.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Augustinus Bader Cleansing Balm worth it? It depends on where you sit as a customer. If you're already using AB moisturizers or serums, adding the Cleansing Balm keeps your routine cohesive and the price will feel consistent with what you're used to spending. If you're on a budget and planning a one-off splurge into the brand, skip the cleanser. Put that money toward a serum or overnight mask instead — those are where you'll see a return on the investment.
How do you use it? Apply to dry skin as the first step of a double cleanse. Massage it in for at least 60 seconds before adding water. I do closer to two minutes to make sure tinted sunscreen breaks down completely.
Does it remove waterproof makeup? Yes. The key is dry skin and enough time — at least 60 seconds of massage before you introduce any water.
What is TFC8? TFC8 stands for Trigger Factor Complex 8. It's Augustinus Bader's proprietary blend of amino acids, vitamins, ceramides, and skin-identical lipids, included across the entire product range to help ingredients penetrate and perform more effectively.
Is it fragrance free? Yes, no added fragrance.
Does the Augustinus Bader Cleansing Balm come with a cloth? Yes, a muslin cloth is included. It's thin and lightweight, not the thick waffle-weave type you might be used to. Use it wet or dry to remove the balm.
Does the cloth make a difference? It does, and here's why. Cleansing performance isn't just about the formula. It's three things: the formula itself, the cleansing process, and how you remove the cleanser. The cloth handles that third element better than rinsing alone. A good muslin cloth adds light mechanical exfoliation and ensures full removal, which is part of why the post-cleanse skin feel is so good with this one.
This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission—at no cost to you. It helps keep my mist habit funded and this blog running. Thank you for reading.
