Length / Around 7 minutes
Sometimes the best product ideas start with a simple question.
In our case, it came from one of our key retail partners: “Could you make a balm cleanser?”
We listened. Then we started looking at what was already out there, and quickly realised that if we were going to make one, we wanted to do it differently. Not just another balm cleanser, but a smarter, barrier-focused formula that solved some of the problems we were seeing on shelf. Because removing makeup shouldn’t mean removing what your skin needs, too.
Why we knew we could do better
The idea for a balm cleanser first came onto our radar during a conversation with one of our key retail partners in New Zealand. They told us their customers were actively looking for one - so, naturally, we started looking at what was already out there.
And that’s when we spotted an opportunity. Because across the category, we kept seeing the same three problems:
1. They were heavily fragranced.
If a cleanser is designed to remove your makeup, why does it need to smell like a perfume counter?
2. They stung the eyes.
Your cleanser should be taking off your mascara, not making your eyes water and regret the decision.
3. They left skin feeling stripped.
Yes, they might remove makeup, SPF, and the day’s build-up, but if they’re taking your skin barrier with them, what’s the point?
Three problems. One very clear opportunity to do better and make it natural. And, politely, we thought we could.
But before we started formulating, we had another question to answer: where would a balm cleanser fit within the Tailor range? More importantly, how could we make it distinctly Tailor, as in, better? (Wink).
Because we don’t formulate just for the sake of adding another product to the shelf. We formulate when we see a gap worth filling. And the more we researched, the clearer it became: this was a gap we could fill with a barrier-first approach to cleansing, designed to remove what your skin doesn’t need while helping preserve what it does.
That gave us our starting point.
Balm first. Then barrier.
The balm-to-milk transformation, that is a dual-phase cleansing experience.
The first phase of Balm Cleanse is about dissolving, not stripping.
Applied to dry skin, the buttery-soft balm uses skin-compatible oils and butters to break down makeup, SPF, and the build-up of the day.
No aggressive rubbing. No dragging at the skin. No need to scrub waterproof mascara away.
Then comes the second phase: rinse and replenish. This part makes Balm Cleanse different.
Simply add water and the balm emulsifies into a silky milk texture.
That milk lifts only what you’ve just dissolved (no stripping) from the surface of your skin, allowing it to rinse away cleanly without leaving behind any grease or residue.
But we didn’t want to just take from your skin. We wanted to leave something behind, too.
Cleansing for changing skin
We spend a lot of time talking about barrier-supporting serums, moisturisers and treatments. But cleansing is the step repeated the most - sometimes twice a day.
If your cleanser is repeatedly leaving skin feeling stripped or tight, your serums and moisturisers are already playing catch-up before you've even finished your routine.
That doesn't mean cleansing is bad for your skin. It means how you cleanse matters.
That's why we formulated Balm Cleanse around barrier support from the very first step.
You may already know our Oil Cleanse and Gel Cleanse, both formulated with the skin barrier in mind (non-stripping formulas). But skincare doesn’t stand still. As natural actives and formulation technology have evolved, so has our thinking - giving us the opportunity to create an even smarter formula for changing skin.
With Balm Cleanse, we’ve taken that same barrier-first approach and built on it, incorporating ingredients focused on repair, protection, and supporting ageing skin directly into the formula. So while it cleanses, it also gives your skin an extra dose of support with every cleanse.
- Barrier Lipid Complex: At the heart of this formula is a carefully balanced blend of skin-identical lipids. These are the kinds of lipids naturally found within the skin barrier, and they're there for a reason: helping support barrier function, moisture retention, and a more resilient-looking complexion. As we age, our natural lipid production declines - so giving skin back the lipids it naturally relies on becomes even more important.
- CoQ10: Bringing a little extra antioxidant backup to your skin. This naturally occurring antioxidant helps defend skin against environmental stress and free-radical damage. Why is this crucial during cleansing, you ask? Well, the skin is most exposed during this part of the routine, so we wanted antioxidant support built into the formula, too.
- Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract: A bit of a mouthful, but for good reason. Selected for its ability to help support the skin’s collagen structure and smooth the look of texture, helping skin appear firmer, smoother, and more lifted. It also delivers a tightening effect, improving over time with continued use.
To tackle one of our biggest concerns, stinging around the eyes, we kept the formula fragrance-free and focused on what skin actually needs, making it gentle enough but effective for use around the delicate eye area.
Each ingredient has a job to do, but it’s how they work together that makes the formula. At 98.3% naturally derived, Balm Cleanse goes beyond simply removing makeup, SPF, and daily build-up. It’s designed to support the skin barrier on multiple levels, helping to maintain comfort, nourishment, lipid balance, and barrier function.
We did warn you. We thought we could do better, so we did. We pushed the humble balm cleanser further, creating something that doesn’t just cleanse, but considers what your skin needs while it does it. That’s the Tailor touch.
Packaging, meet application
At Tailor, packaging decisions start with two things: the formula and its impact on the environment.
We needed to consider how our customers would best dispense Balm Cleanse. With its rich, soft balm texture, it made sense to utilise our existing blue glass jar - a packaging format we already know works well with Restore.
Rather than the small white scoop that comes with Restore, we chose a larger silver stainless steel mini spatula for Balm Cleanse. It’s reusable, practical, and makes scooping out the perfect amount easy and mess-free, with just enough of that little everyday indulgence we think skincare deserves.
The jar also comes with a removable caska seal to keep the product protected. While these small seals can’t currently be processed through kerbside recycling due to their size, they can be responsibly disposed of through specialised recycling programmes such as TerraCycle.
To house the Balm Cleanse jar, we’ve used the same cardboard carton that runs across our range. It’s biodegradable, kerbside-recyclable and FSC-certified, meaning the paper comes from responsibly managed forests. And, like our products, it’s made right here in New Zealand. You can read more about this here.
And yes, we thought very carefully about the colour too. Pink is a first for our core skincare range, but it felt right at home in our neon and pastel colour palette (we’re starting to run out of colours, after all!). It also gives Balm Cleanse its own identity next to Restore, especially when they’re sitting side by side on the shelf.
Because at Tailor, even the little details get thought through - from what’s inside the jar to how you get it out.
From a retailer conversation to Balm Cleanse
Balm Cleanse started with a simple observation: customers were looking for more balm cleansers at an affordable price point.
We looked at the category. We listened to the complaints. We considered what our existing cleansers already did well. We thought about what changing skin needs from a cleanser and, most importantly, what it doesn't need.
Then we formulated around those answers.
The result: Balm Cleanse, a 98.3% naturally derived, fragrance-free balm-to-milk cleanser designed with the skin barrier in mind. This buttery formula melts away makeup, SPF, and the day’s build-up, then transforms into a milky emulsion that rinses clean, supporting natural lipid balance and barrier function while leaving skin soft, comfortable, and never greasy. A smarter cleanse.
Love,
Tailor x