The Inkey List heard the complaints loud and clear. Users of the brand's flagship Oat Cleansing Balm griped about gritty particles that ruined the experience, a slick residue that clung to skin, and a tube so rigid it felt like wrestling an uncooperative tube of caulk. Rather than shrug it off, cofounders Mark Curry and Colette Laxton decided to do something radical for a beauty brand: they actually listened.
The result is the new Oat Balm Cleanser, rolling out now to replace the original. It's not just a packaging tweak or a marketing refresh. Curry, the brand's lead product formulator, revealed that the team spent four years and ran through 129 different formulations to get it right. "We set out to reformulate the product to address three main concerns from our community," Curry explained. Those concerns were formula separation and graininess, a filmy residue post-cleanse, and the packaging squeeze problem.
The new formula is noticeably silkier and richer in texture, gliding onto skin without the grainy feel that plagued users before. More importantly, it rinses cleanly without leaving behind that uncomfortable slick finish. The balm still comes in a tube for hygiene reasons, but this version is softer and more flexible, making it actually possible to dispense the product without considering amputation as an alternative.
Curry highlighted one of the trickier reformulation challenges: convincing acne-prone and sensitive skin users that a balm cleanser could work for them too. "The real aha moment for us was addressing consumers' concerns around whether they could use a balm based on their skin type," he said. To solve this, the team increased oat kernel oil from 3% to 5% and added sea buckthorn oil, both non-comedogenic ingredients rich in linoleic acid. Oat kernel oil also contains skin-identical ceramides that maintain the skin's natural barrier without stripping it.
Using the cleanser is straightforward. Laxton recommends massaging it in for about 30 seconds to break down makeup and sunscreen, then adding water to transform it into a lightweight milk. A reusable cotton pad can catch any final traces. For those with heavier makeup or multiple sunscreen applications, a full minute of massage time works better. Those with acne-prone skin might want to follow up with a second light cleanser, though Laxton notes that on some days, this balm alone leaves skin feeling sufficiently soft and clean.
The price has climbed from $13 to $17 for the 150ml tube, a jump the brand attributes to improved ingredients, redesigned packaging, and years of product development. At $17, it remains cheaper than most competing balm cleansers. The Oat Balm Cleanser is available now at Ulta and The Inkey List's website.
Author Jessica Williams: "After 129 attempts and four years, The Inkey List finally made a cleansing balm that actually delivers on its promise, and it's still one of the most affordable in its category."
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