Heimish All Clean Balm review: Original or Mandarin?
Updated September 8, 2026
Heimish All Clean Balm makes sense if you like scooping a solid cleanser and letting it melt as you remove the day's makeup. The choice between Original and Mandarin is less simple than picking your favorite lid: both contain fragrant plant oils, and their ingredient lists differ beyond the scent. Neither is the obvious choice if you're specifically shopping fragrance-free.
We reviewed current US product information, directions and published reviews for this comparison. We haven't tested either balm's makeup removal, eye comfort or finish ourselves. The aim is to help you choose the right jar—and know what to check at the sink before repurchasing it.
Original and Mandarin: what changes?
Original All Clean Balm
The original 120 ml jar is pictured above. Its current US list starts with ethylhexyl palmitate, cetyl ethylhexanoate, PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate, polyethylene and PEG-8 isostearate. It also lists shea butter and coconut fruit extract. Those first ingredients matter more to identifying the formula than the pattern on the lid. .
Among its aromatic oils are orange peel, lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree and bergamot. Limonene, citral and linalool appear on the current US list too. The brand describes an herbal scent; the original is not an unscented alternative to Mandarin.
If you've used Original successfully before, verify the name on a replacement rather than assuming any All Clean Balm listing will deliver the same version. Our Heimish All Clean Balm product page identifies the original 120 ml jar. Its published ingredient order differs from the manufacturer's, so use the list on the item you receive when an exact ingredient matters.
All Clean Balm Mandarin
Mandarin is also listed as 120 ml. Its first five ingredients are similar, but synthetic wax takes the place occupied by polyethylene in the original's current list. It contains citrus unshiu and citrus junos fruit oils, plus other aromatic oils including lavender. This is more than the original formula with a different lid. Heimish's Mandarin product information.
Mandarin also lists moringa seed oil, ceramide NP and phytosphingosine. Their presence doesn't establish that it moisturizes better after rinsing, repairs your skin barrier or removes makeup more effectively. We found no direct comparison that would support those conclusions.
For shopping purposes, treat Mandarin as a separate formula with a citrus-led scent description. If Original irritated your skin, switching to Mandarin would not neatly remove the fragrance question: the lists share some aromatic ingredients, including lavender oil.
Fragrance is the first filter
Heimish markets these balms as gentle and suitable for sensitive skin. That description isn't a guarantee that either will agree with you. A fragrant botanical blend can be enjoyable for one person and a reason to avoid a product for another.
The American Academy of Dermatology advises people whose skin reacts to fragrance to choose fragrance-free products and remain cautious about botanical ingredients. The absence of the word parfum alone doesn't settle the question. AAD product-testing and fragrance guidance.
If fragrance-free is already on your shopping list, keep that requirement. There is little value in talking yourself out of it because a balm has enthusiastic reviews. Our Korean cleansing-balm comparison includes alternatives with different fragrance and dispensing choices.
For a new product, the AAD suggests a small-area check using your normal amount twice daily for seven to ten days. For rinse-off products, follow its rinse-off guidance and the product's directions; don't leave cleansing balm on overnight. Stop and gently wash it off if a reaction develops. This check cannot guarantee eye comfort or replace medical patch testing when you're investigating an allergy.
Dry face first, then water
Both Heimish US pages direct you to scoop a moderate amount with the included spatula, apply it to a dry face, massage gently as it melts and rinse with warm water. They do not specify a compulsory massage time or an exact number of spatula scoops. Original directions, Mandarin directions.
The practical sequence is:
Scoop before wetting your face. Start with clean, dry hands and the spatula. Put the jar aside before rinsing.
Spread gently as the balm melts. Give it room to move over the areas you're cleansing. More pressure isn't the solution to stubborn makeup.
Add a little water and work it through. Our original product directions describe this emulsifying step before the final rinse. The balm changes from oil to a milky mixture.
Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and pat dry. Check around the hairline and nose for visible traces before moving on.
The AAD recommends fingertips and discourages scrubbing. You don't need to introduce a rough washcloth or cleansing brush to make this a more serious cleanse. AAD face-washing guidance.
If the balm still feels waxy after rinsing, revisit the amount and water-mixing step before repeating the whole wash. If makeup remains, consider whether the cleanser matches that makeup's removal instructions. A longer, harder massage is a poor way to compensate for a pairing that doesn't work.
Does it replace double cleansing?
Heimish presents both versions as all-in-one cleansers that don't require a separate second cleanse. That's different from buying a first cleanser whose manufacturer explicitly tells you to follow with another one. It also doesn't promise that one application will remove every product, from every face, every time.
Use your actual evening routine to judge the purchase:
You want one removal step. The brand's directions fit that preference. Assess the result after a careful rinse, rather than automatically adding another cleanser because you've heard Korean skincare requires two.
You already double cleanse successfully. A balm can occupy the first-cleanser position. Decide whether replacing your current oil improves handling enough to justify a change.
The main problem is scooping. A different balm scent won't solve it. Compare a pump format in our cleansing balm versus oil guide.
Around the eyes, don't interpret the brand's no-irritation marketing as permission to get cleanser into them. Follow your package's precautions and your eye makeup's removal directions. If use is uncomfortable, stop; another person's sting-free experience doesn't establish yours.
What published reviews help explain
The most useful observations concern handling and preference. Fashionicide's review appreciates Original's lid design and herbal scent. K Beauty Hobbit's comparison finds Original softer than Mandarin, but dislikes underlying scent notes in both.
Those are individual experiences, not a measured verdict on which formula is best. They do suggest a useful question: would the fragrance make an ordinary evening wash more pleasant for you, or become something you tolerate until the jar is empty? Don't buy Mandarin expecting a guaranteed sweet-orange smell simply because of its name.
Compare the price of the actual jar
When checked on September 8, 2026, Heimish US listed both 120 ml versions at $19.99, about $16.66 per 100 ml, before tax and shipping. Neither had a size or price advantage over the other in that comparison. Promotions and availability can change. Original listing, Mandarin listing.
Compare the delivered price for the same volume and version. A smaller jar may reduce what you spend trying a balm, but don't assume its formula matches a larger one without checking. We also wouldn't translate 120 ml into a promised number of months: how much you scoop and what you remove will vary.
For a first purchase, Original versus Mandarin comes down to the exact formula and your interest in the scent. For a repurchase, the evidence is closer to home: does your makeup come off without extra rubbing, does rinsing feel straightforward, and do you still want to open that jar each evening? Those answers deserve more weight than the name on the lid.
Compare Korean cleansing balms by fragrance, packaging and removal directions, with options from Beauty of Joseon, haruharu wonder, Dr.Althea and Banila Co.
