Pore Refresh Grinding Cleansing Balm
SUMMARY OF REVIEWS
Dr. Althea's Pore Refresh Grinding Cleansing Balm has a unique twist-up packaging that eliminates the need for a spatula, and several creators praise its gentle, non-irritating formula that removes waterproof makeup without stinging eyes. Hyram (skincare focus) highlights its slight granular texture for clearing excess sebum, calling it a "good staple simple cleansing balm" at a fair price point. Tina Yong (beauty content creator) notes it's fragrance-free and effective on tough mascara, with no criticism mentioned across the reviews.
FULL REVIEWS
POSITIVE
- “Not only is this better for me, someone who has very visible and oily pores, but the ingredient list on this one is far superior to the ingredient list used on their pure grinding cleansing balm”2:03–2:10
- “I personally think this is far superior”2:10–2:13
- “If you were to choose between both grinding cleansing balms, I would definitely recommend the pore one”2:21–2:23
- “It's just such a good formula”2:26–2:29
- “I already repurchased another one”2:27–2:30
- “I really like it”
- “It is so satisfying and so mess-free to use”2:33–2:38
- “I definitely recommend this one and really enjoyed hitting empty on it”2:39–2:45
- Source: Every product I've emptied in 2026 and what I'd rebuy - May 24, 2026
- “This has an ever so slight granular feel to the consistency that's amazing for really clearing through any excess sebum, dirt or oil that has built up on your skin throughout the day”2:50–2:58
- “It's ever so slight and very gentle, but still effective at clearing any excess sebum that's on your skin”2:58–3:03
- “It doesn't leave your skin red or irritated”
- “It's a very fair price point”
- “If you're someone who has oily skin, sensitive skin or you just want that really satisfying deep clean, this is the cleansing balm for you”3:03–3:11
- Source: Best cleansers of 2025 for oily, dry, and combination skin - Nov 22, 2025
- “Great price point for a cleansing balm”1:59–2:03
- “I really really enjoyed using this one”2:28–2:32
- “It always does a really good job of breaking up my makeup”2:35–2:38
- “Does a really good job of removing my makeup and my sunscreen, breaking up everything on my face”2:42–2:48
- “Honestly, no complaints when it comes to this one”2:50–2:54
- “It does have some good ingredients like madecasside and centella asiatica which are great for like calming down redness and sensitivity”2:54–2:58
- “Overall, I feel like it's just kind of like a good staple simple cleansing balm”3:00–3:06
- “I feel like this is a really good formula”
- Source: I tried every Allure 2025 beauty winner (here are the best) - Dec 19, 2025
- “This one's got a sort of sherbet texture that melts down”13:53–13:55
- “It's fragrance free”13:57–13:59
- “It's very gentle”
- “It helps to remove, like, really tough waterproof eye makeup as well”13:59–14:01
- “It doesn't sting the eyes, which is great”14:03–14:05
- “I love the packaging. It's genius because there's no need for a spatula”14:12–14:13
- “You just grind it, swipe it, and then just use enough for your face”14:17–14:19
- “It did work really well to remove like my really tough mascaras”14:21–14:26
- Source: Viral K-Beauty: Amazing or Trash? - Jul 18, 2025
- “I like this cleansing balm from Dr. Althea”0:54–0:59
- Source: Nina Park inspired makeup look - Feb 22, 2026
- “The packaging on this is so cool”2:34–2:38
- “It basically comes out like this, so you don't have to like dip your fingers in or anything”2:37–2:40
- “It's really clean to use, I suppose”2:43–2:48
- Source: I used Korean Skincare For A Year - My Honest Results + Mistakes - Mar 13, 2026
MIXED / NEGATIVE
No negative reviews yet — creators have only had good things to say.
WHAT CREATORS SAY
- Consensus
- 4.6 / 5 from 5 creator reviewsGrailPeople ratings based on creator reviews.
- Good for
- Sensitive skin (3)
- Features
- Easy to use (3) · Good packaging (2) · Soothing (2)
- Value
- Value for money (2)
Product details
Details
- Type
- cleansing balm
- Finish
- —
- Shade
- —
- Key ingredients
- Green Tea Extract, Guaiazulene, Jojoba Seed Oil, Rice Bran Oil, Tocopherol
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