Spotted all over Instagram: The current IT Girl of K-Beauty everyone is talking about. The I’m from Fig Cleansing Balm must feel a little like Serena Van Der Woodsen this week. Highly coveted, lusted after and hounded by paparazzi. And by paparazzi I’m referring to all the skincare enthusiasts on Instagram flooding everyone’s feed with pictures of this luscious dernier cri cleansing balm in honour of the ‘Texture Tuesday’ hashtag. I have been using this cleansing balm on a daily basis for a week now and although I usually allocate at least 28 days for testing skincare products, I feel that cleansers ( and maybe masks) are the exception to this rule as one can usually judge their performance after a few uses. Hence I feel that this review of the I’m From Fig Cleansing Balm is totally appropriate despite a relatively short testing period.

Korean Sherbets debuted in 2010 or so and make the perfect first cleanser to remove makeup and sunscreen as part of a double cleansing routine. Whilst I love luxurious balms made solely from butters and essential oils, the absence of emulsifiers necessitates the use of a washcloth to properly remove them, a process that my sensitised skin cannot tolerate at times. Korean balm cleansers solve this finicky skin problem by rinsing off completely clean.

What it is and my Experience

I’m from Fig Cleansing Balm is a quintessentially well crafted K-Beauty first cleansing balm. This unctuous textured balm is a total pleasure to apply using the conveniently provided spatula (no eeky fingers to scoop this out please!). I understand that scent is a very personal thing but I am absolutely enamoured by its elegantly fruity scent which I find just perfect for spring. There is added fragrance in this to make your cleansing experience an opulent affair and I think many of us will accept some degree of fragrance in our skincare if the trade off is that it sparks joy. It melts immediately and effortlessly on contact with dry skin to an oil, emulsifies to a milk as you add water and rinses out completely clean with zero residue left. The instructions do suggest that you can leave this on for 10-15 minutes, presumably as a mask. I’ve personally really enjoyed prolonging my cleansing experience and use this as a massage oil for 15 minutes of bliss. I’m extremely happy with its ability to efficiently remove sunscreen and makeup especially mascara without the dreaded eye stinging. More importantly, it leaves my skin perfectly moisturised, soft and never stripped.

Ingredients

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyethylene, Synthetic Wax, Ficus carica (fig) Fruit Extract, Peg-10 Isostearate, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Fragrance, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Curcuma longa (turmeric) Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf extract, Melia Azadirachta Bark Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract

Final Thoughts

Comparisons to the two front-runners of K-Beauty balms are inevitable. Banila Co and it’s various iterations were always too strongly scented for me and Heimish (which is still part of my current cleansing collection) performs fantastically but lacks that sensory experience I crave from my cleansing ritual. Owing to an elegant slip, the I’m From Fig Cleansing Balm elevates my cleansing step to a ceremonial level and for this reason, I much prefer using it over those two cult favourites.

I’m from Fig Cleansing Balm isn’t just the latest trendy product to acquire, it actually delivers beautifully! Ticking all my boxes in terms of gorgeous scent, efficacy and sensory delight, tell me you’re not just a little tempted…?

XOXO

*This product was gifted to me by the online K-Beauty retailer Tonic15 with no obligation to review.

I’m from Fig Cleansing balm retails for £29 , get it here.