Pond’s launched a new cleansing balm recently and I’m not exactly sure about the ‘why’? The makers of the original ‘apply to dry skin’ Cold Cream cleanser, which, mind you, paved the way for the onslaught of cleansing balms, is now chasing beauty trends. Again, why?
The beauty of Pond’s: its simplicity. The formulas may not be sophisticated but they are effective. As a bonus, they also evoke some of the best childhood memories in anyone over 35. I can’t be the only one who remembers the shapely jars with green and blue lids on my mom’s vanity. The Cold Cream and Dry Skin Cream were staples in her beauty routine.
It’s 2018 and Pond’s appears to be succumbing to the pressure to keep up with The Joneses. Or The Kims. The latest addition to the skincare brand as American as apple pie, is actually made in Korea. Pond’s is embracing the K-beauty movement with this Cleansing Balm release but stops way short of elevating the brand’s iconic status. Hear me out.
The Pond’s Cleansing Balm has a dense, solid texture — one which will be familiar to balm aficionados. Think Banila Co, It Cosmetics, or Farmacy. The thick and airy consistency is super lightweight and magically doesn’t liquify in transit. Those who travel know this is a huge perk. Pond’s brings very little new to the table in terms of singular ingredients nor the overall experience. Sigh.
Does it work?
Absolutely. The blend of mineral oil and cleansing agents melts away makeup, sunscreen, and city grime in seconds. It turns into a milky lotion immediately after you add water and it rinses off beautifully. It makes for a great first step in a double cleanse ritual.
Is it an experience?
It’s a cleansing experience with a side of childhood nostalgia in the fragrance department. There is definitely “that Pond’s scent,” which I like personally but is bound to divide. I’m not sure I see any lasting skincare benefits. It’s a great solution for a quick cleanse, especially if you’re on a tight budget. Speaking for myself, I’ll continue to reach for other, more botanical extract infused formulas when I want a facial massage during a cleanse at the end of the day.
Finding a jar of Ponds was quite an adventure. Multiple CVS and Rite Aid locations had not heard of it. Ditto at the local Target. Guess who had plenty on their shelf? Walmart! $9.98
Thoughts on the launch? Have you tried it?
I really enjoy the original Pond’s cold cream cleanser; it’s simple and gets the job done. I love the Ponds scent too 😉 The Clinique take the day off balm is my all time favorite but I’d like to give this one a whirl to see how it compares.
I recently picked the Pond’s cleansing balm up because I ran out of my Heimish All Clean balm and was looking for a less expensive alternative that I could get locally. (I am currently on a tighter-than-normal budget.) I think part of the reason they made this is to appeal to people like me who aren’t into wipe-off cream cleansers.
I’ve only used it once so far. I don’t hate it. I don’t love it, either.
It does melt my makeup and sunscreen away fairly well, although it did seem to take a little more massaging for the Pond’s balm to dissolve my waterproof mascara than it does with the Heimish balm. The Pond’s balm stung my eyes a little, where as the Heimish balm doesn’t. The Pond’s also seems to take a little more effort to rinse off. While I’m not sensitive to fragrance in my skincare products, the fragrance in this one is a little strong for my taste. I will say that my skin did feel clean, yet soft, after I used it as part of my nightly double cleanse.
I will go ahead and use up the jar of Pond’s cleansing balm I have, but I don’t think I will buy it again. I like it okay, but I like the Heimish cleansing balm better.
I tried this once after getting it in a gift bag. I liked it – but the ingredients were not clean at all. I tossed it and I will be sticking with my BeautyPie and Farmacy cleansing balms.