My Current Skincare Routine: Step 1 Oil Cleanser (Banila Clean-It Zero & Heimish All Clean Balm)

My countertop-ie.

A year ago I tried out a 10-step Korean skincare regimen.

My skin was amazing, boys looked at me bare-faced just from the sheer quality of my complexion, but ultimately after months of devoting 40 minutes every night to my skincare routine, I tired out and gave up. After a period of depression and irregular sleeping schedules where I went to bed at 4-5am that left me too exhausted in the morning to do any kind of skincare routine at all, I've finally picked up my skincare routine again for the past few weeks and feel better than ever -- albeit at a much lighter, condensed version.

The 5-step skincare routine is essentially known as the 10-step Korean skincare routine "Lite". Or put more frankly, the more realistic version, for the average modern busy person with limited time and budgets.

This is the order a K-beauty skincare routine is supposed to go in—from thinnest products to thickest, so that each one will absorb the best into your skin:


Step 1: Oil cleanser (such as cleansing oils or cleansing balms)

Step 2: Normal/“Water-based” cleanser (in Korea this step is usually a foaming cleanser)

Step 3: Toner

Step 4: Treatments (such as acne treatments)

Step 5: Serums/Essences

Step 6: Moisturizers (in Korea they also call these “emulsions” which are a watery version)

Step 7: Sunscreen/SPF — SPF should always be the last step in your daytime skincare routine, as these protect your skin from the sun and should be the outermost layer to work effectively.

Step 8 (Night Only): Night cream

Step 9 (Night, but can also be used during the Day): Eye cream

Step 10: Facial oils

My Current Skincare Routine

Step 1 Night Only: The Double Cleanse

Step 1 - Banila Co. Clean It Zero & Heimish All Clean Balm Cleanser

The 1st step to my skincare routine, and the world-popularized K-beauty Korean "double-cleansing method" is always an oil cleanser. Oil cleansers as a category are a Korean invention and are basically oil-based cleansers meant to be washed off with a second step cleanser, and have different forms. One of the most popular, trendy, and widely-used forms is the cleansing balm.

The most famous Korean cleansing balm is the iconic original Banila Co. Clean It Zero. Since its creation-- and the world-spread popularity of the Korean beauty or K-beauty phenomenon--big established Western brands have since created their own versions of cleansing balms, everything from the widely-known low-end brand Pond's to the most popular Western cleansing balm Clinique's Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm--but the Clean It Zero will always be the original "LBD" of cleansing balms.

However since the famous Clean It Zero's creation, a 2nd cult favorite cleansing balm has since emerged, which users say is superior to the Clean It Zero, and that is the Heimish All Clean Balm--which I also find superior, and I will explain why.

The Banila Co. Clean It Zero comes in an adorable iconic pink-and-white container with a twist-off cap, and comes with a plastic spatula to hygienically remove it from the tub and apply it to your face by rubbing. Cleansing balms begin as a harder/firmer sherbert-like gel texture that transform to an oil whose primary purpose is to remove makeup. In general, double-cleansing is meant to be done once a day, at night only.

I purchased the Clean It Zero only recently--about a month or so ago--and I will say it does do a good job of removing makeup. It is harder and less emollient than the new cult-favorite Heimish cleansing balm, which I find a superior sensory experience to use than the Clean It Zero.

The Heimish All Clean Balm is much thicker and creamier, and spreads much more easily, is more giving, and in my opinion removes makeup more effectively than the Clean It Zero. Although it seems counter-intuitive, since cleansing balms usually leave a residue on your face even after being washed off with water, it leaves your face completely clean and dry after use, which is strange and unexpected given the nature of an oil cleanser. Sometimes I don't even find the need to follow up with the 2nd step of the double cleanse!

The Clean It Zero is more difficult to remove from the tub, so you usually can take out less of it, its texture is harder and more difficult to convert to oil, and is also less hygienic. That is because a big difference in packaging is that the Heimish cleansing balm comes with a separate section in the top of the container made of hard white plastic that has an easily-openable clasp built into the container and holds the spatula, and is then removed by grabbing a tab at the top to reveal the balm underneath. While the Clean It Zero only comes with a very thin, clear and cheap plastic removable and seemingly easily disposable top that is easy to throw away without thinking and lose. It also leaves a residue--a thick layer of grease/oil on your face even after removing with water, necessitating the 2nd foaming cleanser step.

I have been using the Heimish cleansing balm everyday and enjoying it every time I use it, while I have only used the Clean It Zero twice since I bought it due to the personal difficulty I found in using it.


My Affordability Grade: Kind Of Expensive But OK Given What It Does
The Banila Co. Clean It Zero is mid-end at about $20 for 100ml, and $30 for 180ml,
while the the Heimish All Clean Balm is more affordable and budget-friendly at about $15 for 120ml.


Where to get the Banila Co. Clean it Zero: Online Korean retailers such as YesStyle, Jolse, and now it's even available online at Ulta. I don't recommend Amazon as apparently you can get fakes.


Where to get the Heimish All Clean Balm: YesStyle, Jolse, iHerb.