100ml tube
ESK · Cleansing balm
Soothe & Melt Cleansing Balm
ESK Soothe & Melt · a fragrance-free, eight-ingredient cleansing balm
A fragrance-free cleansing balm with eight ingredients: sunflower and coconut-derived oils, glycerin and sugar-based (sucrose ester) cleansers that turn the balm to silk on the skin and melt make-up, SPF and the day, then rinse without a film. ESK's cleanser for irritated and sensitive skin, and the first cleanse we suggest for heavy make-up. Suitable for all skin types, including deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI).
- Melts make-up, SPF and sunscreen in one go, without rubbing.
- Eight ingredients, no fragrance, no essential oils, so there is very little in it to react to.
- Morning and night, on its own or as the first cleanse before Calming Cleanse or Hydroxy Cleanser.
- Apply to dry hands and a dry face, then rinse with warm water or a wet cloth. Half a teaspoon is enough.
3 to 4 months from one tube
Half a teaspoon does a full face of make-up and SPF, so a tube lasts. It is the cheapest ESK product and the one that lets the rest of a sensitive-skin routine work, because nothing is left on the skin to react.
Free UK delivery over £65 · Tracked £3.49 · Sent tracked, 2 to 4 working days
- Good to know
- Contains no fragrance or essential oils. It is an oil-based balm: apply to a dry face for the best melt, then emulsify with water.
- Stockist
- Melatone Skin Clinic is an authorised ESK stockist. Genuine product with full traceability.
If your skin reacts to an eight-ingredient, fragrance-free balm, the cause is worth finding rather than guessing at. Stop, and message us or book a skin assessment.
Not sure if this is right for your skin? Message us on WhatsApp or book a skin assessment and we will confirm the right routine first.
A cleansing balm, honestly
Most people who reach for it have skin that reacts to cleansers, or wear enough make-up or SPF that a cream cleanser leaves a film. A balm solves both: oils dissolve oil-based products (make-up, sunscreen, sebum) far better than water does, and the sucrose esters here let the oil rinse away instead of sitting on the skin.
What it will not do is exfoliate or treat anything. There is no acid in it, no active, no fragrance to make it feel like it is doing something. That is the point. If your skin is oily and congested, a balm as a first cleanse followed by Hydroxy Cleanser gives you both.
On deeper skin tones, a cleanser that removes SPF fully matters twice: SPF residue can congest, and rubbing to get it off irritates, and irritation on deeper skin leaves marks. A balm removes it without either.
Quick facts
- What it is
- A fragrance-free cleansing balm that melts to a silky oil and rinses clean.
- Size
- 100ml tube (£33.00, around 3 to 4 months).
- Best for
- Sensitive and irritated skin, removing make-up and SPF, and as a first cleanse before another cleanser.
- Skin types
- Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive skin and deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI).
- Ingredients
- Eight: caprylic/capric triglyceride, glycerin, sunflower seed oil, water, sodium cocoyl isethionate, sucrose laurate, sucrose stearate.
- How to use
- Half a teaspoon on dry hands, melt between the fingers, massage over a dry face, rinse with warm water or a wet cloth. Morning and night.
- Free from
- Fragrance, essential oils, parabens and sulphates.
- Make-up
- Removes make-up, waterproof mascara and SPF.
- After treatments
- A good first cleanser once your practitioner has cleared normal washing.
- Pregnancy
- A rinse-off balm with no actives; widely regarded as suitable. Ask if unsure.
Where it fits in a routine
Sensitive, dry or redness-prone skin: Soothe & Melt on its own, morning and night, then B Quenched or Repair +, and Zinc Shade in the morning. It is the fragrance-free alternative to Calming Cleanse.
Heavy make-up or a full day of SPF: Soothe & Melt first, then your usual cleanser, so nothing is left behind. That second step is Hydroxy Cleanser for oily skin or Calming Cleanse for everyone else.
After a peel, microneedling or laser: once cleared to wash normally, it is a gentle first choice, with Repair + and SPF.
The detail
Ingredients, and what each one does
- Caprylic/capric triglyceride, sunflower seed oil
- Coconut-derived and sunflower oils that dissolve make-up, SPF and sebum. Oil removes oil far better than water does.
- Glycerin
- A humectant that leaves the skin comfortable rather than stripped after rinsing.
- Sucrose laurate, sucrose stearate
- Sugar-based emulsifiers that turn the balm to a silky milk on contact with water so the oils rinse away clean.
- Sodium cocoyl isethionate
- A mild, coconut-derived cleansing agent (not a sulphate) that helps the rinse.
- Water
- A small amount, to help the balm emulsify.
Ingredient list as published by ESK. ESK publishes no percentages or pH for this balm. Descriptions are about the look and feel of skin, not a medical outcome.
Full ingredients (INCI): Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Water/Aqua, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sucrose Laurate, Sucrose Stearate.
How to use it
Morning and night
- Start with dry hands and a dry face.
- Take about half a teaspoon of balm and rub it between your fingers until it melts.
- Massage over the face, including the eyes if you wear mascara, for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Add a little warm water to turn it milky, then rinse, or remove with a wet cleansing pad.
As a first cleanse
For heavy make-up or SPF, follow with Calming Cleanse or Hydroxy Cleanser so nothing is left behind.
After treatments
Once your practitioner has cleared normal washing, it is a gentle first cleanser. Lukewarm water, no cloth, until the skin has settled.
Starting out
Patch test on the inner forearm for 24 to 48 hours if your skin reacts to most things.
What to expect, and when
- First use
- A firm balm that melts to an oil on the fingers, lifts make-up on contact and rinses to soft, clean skin with no film.
- First week
- Skin that was tight after cleansing usually stops being so. Congestion from SPF residue often eases.
- Ongoing
- A cleanser's job is not to cause problems. If dryness or redness persists, the cause is elsewhere and worth an assessment.
- If it feels greasy
- Use a little more warm water to emulsify before rinsing, or follow with a second cleanser.
Is it right for my skin
- Sensitive and irritated skin
- Yes. Fragrance-free, eight ingredients.
- Dry and mature skin
- Yes.
- Make-up and SPF wearers
- Yes. This is the step that removes them properly.
- Deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI)
- Yes.
- Oily and breakout-prone skin
- Yes, as a first cleanse. Follow with Hydroxy Cleanser.
- Rosacea and eczema-prone skin
- Yes: ESK positions it for irritated skin. It supports; it does not treat.
- After in-clinic treatments
- Yes, once cleared.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- A rinse-off balm with no actives; widely regarded as suitable.
Using it with what you already own
- Calming Cleanse or Hydroxy Cleanser
- Yes, as the first of a double cleanse.
- Retinal, acids and vitamin C
- Yes. A cleanser that adds nothing is exactly what a routine of actives needs.
- Cleansing cloths and pads
- Yes. A wet pad removes it well.
- Cleansing brushes and scrubs
- Skip them on sensitive skin.
- Eye make-up remover
- Not needed. It removes mascara, including waterproof.
Questions we actually get asked
What is ESK Soothe & Melt?
A fragrance-free cleansing balm with eight ingredients: sunflower and coconut-derived oils, glycerin and sugar-based cleansers that melt make-up and SPF and rinse clean. It suits all skin types, including sensitive skin, and is used morning and night.
What does a cleansing balm do?
A balm cleanses with oils rather than foam. Oil dissolves oil-based products, make-up, sunscreen and sebum, far better than water does, and the emulsifiers turn the balm milky with water so it rinses off without a film.
Is a cleansing balm good for sensitive skin?
A fragrance-free one with few ingredients, yes. Soothe & Melt has eight ingredients, no fragrance and no essential oils, and ESK positions it for irritated skin. Patch test if your skin reacts to most things.
Does it remove make-up and SPF?
Yes, including waterproof mascara and mineral or chemical SPF. Apply to a dry face, massage, add water and rinse. For heavy make-up, follow with a second cleanser.
How do I use it?
Half a teaspoon on dry hands, rub between the fingers to melt, massage over a dry face for 30 to 60 seconds, add warm water to turn it milky, then rinse or remove with a wet cleansing pad.
Should I apply it to wet or dry skin?
Dry. The balm melts make-up best without water; add water at the end to emulsify and rinse.
Do I need to double cleanse?
Only if you wear heavy make-up or a full day of SPF. Then Soothe & Melt first, and Calming Cleanse or Hydroxy Cleanser second. On a bare face it is enough on its own.
Is it suitable for oily or acne-prone skin?
Yes, as a first cleanse. Oils remove SPF residue and sebum well, and the balm rinses clean rather than leaving a film. Follow with Hydroxy Cleanser if congestion is the concern.
Will it clog pores?
It is designed to rinse off completely. Emulsify well with warm water before rinsing; a second cleanse removes any trace if you are prone to congestion.
Is it fragrance-free?
Yes. No fragrance or essential oils appear in its ingredient list, and ESK states it is fragrance-free.
Can I use it around the eyes?
Yes. It removes mascara, including waterproof. Keep it out of the eye itself and rinse well.
Is it suitable for deeper skin tones?
Yes. It is suitable for all skin types, including deeper skin tones (Fitzpatrick V to VI). Removing SPF fully without rubbing matters more on deeper skin, where irritation can leave marks.
Can I use it after a peel, microneedling or laser?
Yes, once your practitioner has cleared you to wash normally. It is a gentle first choice: no acids, no fragrance. Lukewarm water and no cloth until the skin has settled.
Can I use it in pregnancy or breastfeeding?
It is a rinse-off balm with no active ingredients and is widely regarded as suitable. ESK publishes no specific guidance. Ask if unsure.
What is the difference between Soothe & Melt and Calming Cleanse?
Both are gentle. Soothe & Melt is a fragrance-free balm that melts heavy make-up and SPF. Calming Cleanse is a non-foaming cream cleanser for everyday use that contains essential oils. Many people use both: balm first, cream second.
How long does a tube last?
The 100ml tube lasts around 3 to 4 months of twice-daily use; half a teaspoon is enough each time.
Is it cruelty free and vegan?
Yes. ESK states that Soothe & Melt is cruelty free and vegan.
Is Melatone an authorised ESK stockist?
Yes. Melatone Skin Clinic is an authorised ESK stockist. Stock comes directly from ESK, so every item is genuine and traceable, and it is the same product we use in clinic.
Can someone help me work out whether this is right for me?
Yes. Message us on WhatsApp with a description of your skin, or book a skin assessment at the clinic in Battersea.
What is the delivery and returns position?
Tracked UK delivery is £3.49, or free over £65, and usually arrives in 2 to 4 working days. Sealed, unopened items can be returned within 60 days for a refund.
Buying it from Melatone
Melatone Skin Clinic is an authorised ESK stockist. Stock is bought directly from ESK, so every item is genuine and traceable, and it is the same product we use in clinic in Battersea, London.
If you are not sure this is the right cleanser for your skin, do not guess. Message us on WhatsApp or book a skin assessment, and we will suggest a routine before you buy.
Delivery
Tracked UK delivery, £3.49 or free over £65. It usually arrives within 2 to 4 working days, with tracking by email. The price you see is the price you pay, with any delivery charge shown in full before checkout.
Returns
Sealed, unopened items may be returned within 60 days of receiving your order for a refund. For hygiene reasons we cannot accept returns of skincare once any seal has been opened, unless faulty. Your statutory 14-day right to cancel is unaffected.
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