This or That? The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm vs. Drunk Elephant Slaai Cleansing Balm
Please tell me that you’re double cleansing in your night time routine?!! The first step of my night cleansing routine is to remove my make-up and sunscreen with some type of oil-based cleanser. In the past I’ve tested various formulas, but I found cleansing balms to be more of my liking instead of cleansing oils. I’ve made it very clear on my blog and Instagram that my favorite in this category is the Drunk Elephant Slaai. I recently purchased and have been testing out The Oat Cleansing Balm by The Inkey List and I thought this would be a great time to compare the two.
Further Reading: Drunk Elephant Slaai Cleansing Balm Initial Review
The Facts…Drunk Elephant Slaai Cleansing Balm
Drunk Elephant Slaai Cleansing Balm
Price: $34 for 3.88oz
The Drunk Elephant Cleansing Balm is described as a cleansing balm to melt dirt, makeup, sunscreen and it’s formula is water-resistant.
The texture of the Drunk Elephant Slaai is a solid balm that melts into a liquid oil once it’s warmed up in your hands. It’s recommended for all skin types. The packaging of the balm is a tub like container. The top of the container is magnetized and has a small spatula attached to help with dispensing the product from the jar. The spatula helps to measure out the perfect amount and also eliminates you needing to place your fingers into the jar to scoop out product.
Directions: On dry skin, use dry fingertips to massage the formula on to the face. Add water to activate and rinse well with water.
Ingredient: Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Lauryl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Fragaria Ananassa (Strawberry) Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Citrullus Lanatus (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Schinziophyton Rautanenii Kernel Oil, Vaccinium Angustifolium (Blueberry) Fruit Extract, Ximenia Americana Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glycerin
Ingredients Break Down
1- Ethylhexyl Palmitate (Good) It’s a mixture of a fatty alcohol and palmitic acid that works as an emollient enhances the texture
2- Caprylic Capric Triglycerides fraction of coconut / palm oil fatty acids resulting in only the more stable, and better for the skin. Not to be confused with fractionated coconut oil. It creates a barrier on the skin's surface, which helps to reduce skin dryness by decreasing the loss of moisture.
3-Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil- prevents dryness and roughness and removes dirt and oil. Its content makes safflower oil a key treatment for issues including eczema, psoriasis and acne
4- Lauryl Laurate- can be used as a natural replacement for light weight silicones. It’s an emollient ingredient that can help bioactive ingredients better integrate with skin's surface. It is considered safe as used in cosmetics.
5- Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate (good) is the ester of the fatty acid stearic acid and polyglycerin-3, which is a polymer of glycerin that contains three units. It is considered safe and non-sensitizing as used in cosmetics.
The Facts… The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm
The Inkey List is known in the beauty community as being one of the most affordable and diverse in terms of different skincare products. With their products being so inexpensive, it’s very easy to build a routine and not break the bank.
The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm
Price $10 for 5oz
The Oat Cleansing Balm is described as a light weight lotion that gently breaks down make-up and excess oils without stripping the skin. It’s marketed as being suited for those that have sensitive, irritated, dry and acne prone skin types. The oat cleansing balm is formulated with colloidal oatmeal and ceramides.
Directions: Use AM and PM by gently massaging a small amount of product onto damp skin. Rinse with water.
The texture of the cleansing balm is more of a liquified oil. The color is light yellow- almost clear-ish. I’m happy to say I don’t pick up on any scents or can identify any fragrances listed within the ingredients. I’ve used the balm on days that I’ve worn heavy make-up along with days that I only wore skincare and sunscreen.
Ingredients Break Down
Ingredients -Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Candelilla Cera (Cire de candelilla), Silica,Sorbitan Stearate, Tribehenin, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Aqua (Water/Eau), Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil.
1- Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil- is made from almonds after the oil has been expressed. It functions as an abrasive and a bulking agent in soap and other skin cleansing products.
2- Cetearyl Alcohol- It's a white, waxy substance made from cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol, both fatty alcohols. They're found in animals and plants, like coconut and palm oil
3- PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides- It is used as an emollient/conditioning agent for shampoos, skin cleansers, creams and lotions. It's a popular ingredient in micellar cleansing waters.
4- Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil- Oat oil can help restore normal pH in skin conditions where pH has increased. It acts as a buffering agent, thereby aiding in the maintenance of a healthy skin barrier.
5- Candelilla Cera (Cire de candelilla)- is a plant-based wax and a suitable vegan alternative to beeswax. acts as a stabilizer and emulsifier in balms, creams, salves and lotions.
This or That? Drunk Elephant or The Inkey List?
Is one oil base better than the other?
Both oils are light and gentle on the skin.
Both do not leave behind a film.
Both are easy to use and remove from the skin.
Both are non-comedogenic and does not clog the pores.
So now that I’ve stated the facts for each product, I’m sure you would like to know which product is my top choice. Is it the Drunk Elephant Slaai Cleansing Balm or the Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm? Is one better than the other?
I love the packaging of the Inkey List Cleansing balm along with the formulation of the product. I found the cleansing balm to remove my make-up and spf products well. I didn’t feel that it left behind a film after being washed off. I did find that I needed to use more product with the Inkey List Cleansing Balm over the Drunk Elephant Slaai Balm, but nonetheless, I find it be great first cleanser.
I think with these two products it boils down to your preference of cleansing texture and how much you would like to spend. If you’re new to cleansing balms and on a tight budget, I would for sure recommend the Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm. $10 for 5oz of products is pretty much a steal.
Ultimately, the Drunk Elephant Slaai Cleansing Balm feels more luxurious to me. I find the formula to be superior. I like that the balm is a solid and find it to be not as messy. Even though Slaai has a little less than 4 oz. of product in the jar, I found that my first container lasted about 6 months with using it about 4-5 times a week. I find that I use less product with the Drunk Elphant Slaai and it removes my make-up quicker than the Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm.
For a $10 price tag, I think this would be great for someone who didn’t want to spend more on 1st step cleanser. I like the Inkey List, but I love the Drunk Elephant Slaai.