This Golden Jelly Balm Is Skin Care’s Next Cult Product

Everyone remembers their first. Their first kiss, their first time using a hair straightener, and, in my case, the first time they had a signature facial at Rescue Spa. The famed luxury skin care destination has locations in New York and Philadelphia, and was founded by esthetician and skin guru Danuta Mieloch. It’s is also one of the few places that offers facials and treatments using the celeb-loved French skin care brand, Biologique Recherche.

I love Biologique Recherche. So-much-so, I would choose their products over basic utilities if the situation presented itself. I could probably live without overhead lighting (I love candles), but I can’t part with Biologique’s Lotion P50. I’ve been using the line since I was 13 years old. For years, Biologique Recherche products were only available for purchase from literally a handful of retailers in the U.S., and they were all, by mandate, students or protégées of the brand’s original French founding family of biochemists. Mieloch was one of those trained few. Knowing Meiloch and I share similar tastes in skin care, I was intrigued when I found out she had launched her own brand, Danucera, and knew I had to try it immediately. The line consists of a cleansing balm, toner, moisturizer, and sculpting stone. I’ve been using all three products religiously, but the cleansing balm is a standout — mostly because it’s not just a cleanser.

My Skin

My skin is dehydrated. I used to say that my skin was dry, but an esthetician was quick to correct me by explaining that dry skin is skin that doesn’t produce oils, so it doesn’t break out. I break out — sometimes, just at the mere sight of a product with added fragrances. I empirically loathe drinking water, so the top layer of my skin dries out like phyllo dough on spanakopita, and if it’s not properly sloughed off via manual or chemical exfoliation, the trapped-up oils break me out terribly. (And there you have the description of the sleep paralysis demon that keeps me up at night.)

Dry, winter air doesn’t help my low skin hydration levels. Despite using my beloved Dyson Humidifier, I need to lean on moisturizing products at this time of the year. Enter: Danucera Cerablam.

Danucera Cerabalm Review

I’ve loved Rescue Spa since the day I stepped foot into the Gramercy location in New York, so my hopes were really high for the founder of the skin care oasis’s own line. Unlike other balm cleansers that are dense and have to be softened up with a brisk lather of the fingertips, or a scrape from a skin spatula, Cerabalm’s texture feels like a light, stick-free jelly and is completely unique to other cleansers on the market. Because of its soft, honey-like texture, the application is really soothing and easy to spread around the whole face — it also removes all my makeup without a trace.

After some upward and circular motions, the jelly melts into a milky oil, which I remove with a damp, warm muslin cloth or these organic baby washcloths I buy on Amazon. The formula utilizes clean actives like apricot kernel oil (what I like to call “nature’s retinol”) and sea buckthorn oil (an anti-inflammatory that’s great for acne), so it’s also treating the skin as you cleanse. Because of its hydrating ingredients and non-clogging formulation, you can also use it as a mask, moisturizer or lip balm (it’s great slathered on for long flights).

The Results

After cleansing with Danucera Cerabalm, my skin feels clean and tight, yet supple — and the latter two are not often sensations that go together. It was so gentle and jelly-like during my first application that it had me wondering, “Is this working?” Then, I wiped it off and felt like I just had a facial. My skin was so hydrated and soft, I felt like I didn’t even need to use moisturizer on a couple of occasions.

One night, I left it on for an hour while I was doing my evening emails, and it doubled as an intensive replenishing mask. It’s not cute-looking, however, so make sure your hair is pulled back when you apply it and that your dog isn’t licking your face (this part was hard to control for me.)

Final Verdict

For $95 per glass jar (there’s also a $55 option that’s smaller and travel-friendly), this is firmly situated in the luxury tier of skin care. But for its unique texture, multi-purpose use as a moisture-boosting mask, and high-quality, nourishing ingredients, the cost might just feel justifiable. Has my bone-dry, dehydrated skin broken out once since using it? No. Is my skin dewy and supple after just a cleanse? Yes. Will I use it every winter devoutly? Definitely.