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Dr. Althea

Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm.

Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm
Cleansers

About this product

A cleansing balm in a twist-scoop dispenser designed to remove makeup and sunscreen as a first cleanse, formulated with Centella asiatica and madecassoside.

Type

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Full ingredients

Guru Score

71%

Mixed

4 experts · Moderate agreement
4Gurus
2Approved
2Mixed
0Skip

What the gurus are saying

The standout here is the packaging: a twist-scoop dispenser that keeps hands clean and mess-free, which gurus found genuinely useful for a category that tends to be messy. The balm itself breaks down makeup and sunscreen well enough for a first cleanse. However, the formula sits solidly in the middle ground. One expert felt the ingredient list didn't match the product's popularity, and another preferred the performance of other cleansers despite appreciating the innovation. Those who dislike scooping balm with their fingers may find this worth trying; anyone prioritizing formula quality over convenience may want to explore other options first.
Synthesized from 4 expert reviews · most recent take June 2026
Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved takes Critical takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored
~Approved
"Instead of an overpriced cleansing balm, I'd use the Grinding Cleansing Balm by Dr. Althea, around $16 on Prime Day. They also make a version in light blue that I love."
~Approved
"With grinding cleansing balm packaging, it's the least messy and most sanitary form of getting your cleansing balm formula onto your skin, so I really like products that come in that packaging. One that's really popular in the states is the Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm. I really like this packaging and I definitely appreciate that they use it in this brand. I would buy this one, but it's sold out, so I'm not going to."
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"With grinding cleansing balm packaging, it's the least messy and most sanitary form of getting your cleansing balm formula onto your skin, so I really like products that come in that packaging. One that's really popular in the states is the Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm. I really like this packaging and I definitely appreciate that they use it in this brand. I would buy this one, but it's sold out, so I'm not going to."
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"I hit empty on this one and I got to admit I didn't love it. Like it was fine. It's definitely a good cleansing balm, but I don't know if I would repurchase it because the next empty is also from Dr. Althea. It's also a cleansing balm and it is their pore cleansing, what is it called? Pore refresh grinding cleansing balm. Not only is this better for me, someone who has very visible and oily pores, but the ingredient list on this one is far superior to the ingredient list used on their Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm, which is so bizarre to me because this one, for whatever reason, is a lot more popular. I personally think this is far superior."
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"I'm always really intrigued by seeing new innovation in packaging, specifically for any type of cleansing products because cleansing products like cleansing balms, cleansing oils, micellar waters, they just tend to be really really messy. So I love that this makes it a lot easier and mess-free. I've been using it consistently for like the past week, week and a half, and it always does a really good job of breaking up my makeup, tinted sunscreen and powder. It does a really good job of removing my makeup and my sunscreen, breaking up everything on my face to then follow up with a good water-based cleanser. Honestly, no complaints when it comes to this one. I also like that it does have some good ingredients like [madecassoside] and Centella asiatica which are great for calming down redness and sensitivity. Overall, I feel like it's just kind of like a good staple simple cleansing balm. I feel like this is a really good formula. I really enjoy this type of packaging."
~Mixed
"The technology here in terms of packaging is phenomenal if you're somebody that really doesn't like digging your fingers into your cleansing balm. You like something that's easy, you just twist scoop, great mess free. However, I'd say the cleansing balm itself is pretty average. It's not bad but it's not great either. It's a good quality mid-range cleansing balm with some nice packaging. Personally, I still prefer other cleansers which I think work better. So for me I would rather have better quality balm, less fancy packaging. But if you're someone that hates hates scooping out cleansing balm and you want something like this, it's a nice product. It's innovative in terms of its packaging and it's a nice one that you might want to try."
~Mixed
"Dr. Althea's Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm went viral recently for a good reason, but Beplain do a better version of this in my opinion."
Common questions

Frequently asked.

What is Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm?

A cleansing balm in a twist-scoop dispenser designed to remove makeup and sunscreen as a first cleanse, formulated with Centella asiatica and madecassoside.

Is Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 71%.

What is Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm's Guru Score?

Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm holds a Guru Score of 71%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 independent expert reviewers we have collected.

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