Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser

Slaai is Afrikaans for 'salad,' and that's exactly what this cleansing balm is — a composed salad of ten different plant oils, each contributing something the others don't. In a product category where most competitors use mineral oil or a single coconut derivative as their base, Drunk Elephant loaded theirs with marula, borage, acai, baobab, mongongo, ximenia, cranberry, watermelon seed, sweet almond, and safflower oils. It's the most botanically ambitious cleansing balm on the market, and the question is whether all that ambition translates into a better face wash.

The answer is: mostly yes, with one significant caveat.

The solid butter melts on contact with warm skin in that satisfying way all good cleansing balms do — transforming from a firm, scoopable texture to a silky oil that glides across the face. The magnetic spatula attached to the lid is a thoughtful touch, keeping your fingers out of the jar and the product uncontaminated. You massage for about sixty seconds, watching a full face of makeup dissolve into a slurry of pigment and oil, then add water. The oil turns milky. You rinse.

This is where Slaai stumbles relative to its competitors. The emulsification — the moment oil meets water and transforms into a rinseable milk — isn't as complete as the best balms manage. A thin film of oil tends to remain, leaving skin feeling dewy rather than truly clean. For dry skin types, this might actually be a feature — that residual oil is conditioning. For anyone who needs their first cleanse to leave a neutral canvas, you'll need a second cleanser to finish the job. Drunk Elephant designed it this way intentionally, pairing Slaai with Beste No. 9 as a system. But competing balms emulsify more completely, and the need for a second product effectively doubles the cost of the cleansing step.

The oil blend itself is where Slaai earns its price. Borage seed oil is the quiet star — one of the richest plant sources of gamma-linolenic acid at approximately 24-25% GLA. Research published in Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics demonstrated that GLA supplementation reduces transepidermal water loss by 11%, and separate studies have shown GLA increases ceramide accumulation in the skin. In a cleansing balm — a product designed to interact intimately with the skin's lipid layer — borage oil isn't just conditioning. It's actively supporting barrier repair during the makeup removal process.

Marula oil brings the brand's signature oleic acid profile. Baobab contributes vitamins A, D, E, and F. Mongongo adds eleostearic acid, an unusual conjugated fatty acid with UV-protective properties. Ximenia provides very long-chain fatty acids rarely found in Western skincare. Kalahari melon seed oil delivers linoleic acid. Together, they create a fatty acid spectrum that no single oil could match.

The fruit antioxidant blend — acai, kiwi, strawberry, cranberry, blueberry, watermelon — adds polyphenolic protection during the vulnerable post-cleanse window when freshly stripped skin is temporarily more susceptible to oxidative stress. Whether these antioxidants do meaningful work in a rinse-off product is debatable. Contact time is brief. But the logic of providing antioxidant coverage during the cleansing step, rather than waiting for the serum step, reflects a thoughtful formulation philosophy.

The Bamboo Booster — a separate sachet of bamboo stem extract and charcoal powder — is an interesting add-on. Mixed into the Slaai balm once or twice a week, it provides mild physical exfoliation during the massage phase. The grit is fine enough to avoid micro-tears but effective enough to slough off dead cells that accumulate in dry, sluggish skin. It's optional and best used sparingly — the last thing you need is to over-exfoliate and then wonder why your barrier is compromised.

The ethylhexyl palmitate base is the caveat. It's the first ingredient — the most abundant component of the formula — and it carries a comedogenicity rating of 2-4, depending on the source. For a product designed to dissolve into the skin's lipid layer and then rinse away, this is less concerning than it would be in a leave-on product. But acne-prone skin types have reported breakouts, and the incomplete emulsification means some of that comedogenic emollient may linger. If your pores are easily congested, Slaai requires vigilance: thorough rinsing, a reliable second cleanse, and monitoring for any uptick in closed comedones.

The fragrance-free formulation is a genuine asset in the cleansing balm category, where many competitors load their products with essential oils that serve no cleansing purpose and can irritate the newly exposed skin around the eyes. Slaai smells like nothing but faintly buttery plant oils, which is exactly what a face cleanser should smell like.

At $39 for 3.88 ounces, the price is on the higher end for a cleansing balm but not outrageous given the oil quality. The jar lasts two to three months with evening-only use. Factor in the cost of a second cleanser, however, and the per-cleanse economics become less favorable.

Slaai is a cleansing balm for people who care about what their oils are doing, not just that they're dissolving makeup. The botanical diversity is genuine, the borage oil inclusion is inspired, and the African oil complex delivers fatty acid profiles you won't find elsewhere. It just needs a friend to finish what it starts.

Formula

The Science

Slaai's formulation centers on the principle of lipophilic dissolution — 'like dissolves like' — where oil-based ingredients dissolve sebum, makeup pigments, and sunscreen filters that water-based cleansers cannot effectively remove.

The standout ingredient from an evidence perspective is borage seed oil (Borago officinalis). Borage oil contains approximately 24-25% gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), making it one of the richest plant sources of this omega-6 fatty acid. A study by Brosche and Platt in Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics (2000) found that GLA supplementation from borage oil significantly decreased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) by 11% in elderly subjects, indicating improved barrier function. Separate research by Kanehara et al. in the Journal of Dermatological Science (2002) demonstrated that GLA reversed epidermal hyperproliferation and increased ceramide accumulation in skin — suggesting that GLA doesn't just supplement barrier lipids but actively stimulates their production.

Marula oil (Sclerocarya birrea seed oil) has been clinically evaluated for skincare applications. Komane et al. (Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2015) confirmed its non-irritant profile and documented moisturizing, hydrating, and occlusive properties in a clinical trial on 20 volunteers. The oil's approximately 69% oleic acid content closely resembles the fatty acid profile of human sebum, facilitating both effective makeup dissolution and post-rinse skin conditioning.

Caprylic/capric triglyceride, the secondary base ingredient, has been studied for emollient effects. Monteiro et al. (Life, 2023) found that a 15% caprylic/capric triglyceride emulsion improved skin hydration and reduced TEWL, validating its role as both a solvent and a skin-conditioning agent in rinse-off products.

The polyglyceryl emulsifiers (polyglyceryl-3 laurate, polyglyceryl-10 laurate, polyglyceryl-2 caprate) enable the balm-to-milk emulsification. These PEG-free emulsifiers are considered gentler alternatives to traditional ethoxylated surfactants, though the emulsification efficiency varies — which explains user reports of residual oiliness after rinsing.

References

1. Safety and efficacy of Sclerocarya birrea (A.Rich.) Hochst (Marula) oil: A clinical perspective — Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2015)
2. Effect of borage oil consumption on fatty acid metabolism, transepidermal water loss and skin parameters in elderly people — Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics (2000)

Dermatologist Perspective

Dermatologists widely endorse double cleansing as an effective method for thorough makeup and sunscreen removal, with an oil-based first cleanser followed by a water-based second cleanser. Board-certified dermatologists note that Slaai's plant oil base provides a gentler alternative to mineral oil-based balms for patients who prefer botanical formulations. The borage oil inclusion is notable from a clinical perspective — GLA-rich oils have demonstrated barrier-supportive properties in published research. However, dermatologists caution acne-prone patients about the ethylhexyl palmitate base and recommend thorough second cleansing to minimize comedogenic risk. The fragrance-free, essential oil-free formula makes it suitable for patients with contact dermatitis or fragrance sensitivity.

Guidance

Slaai launched in March 2019 as Drunk Elephant's answer to the cleansing balm craze, and the name is Afrikaans for 'salad' — a nod to the botanical oil blend inside. The product was designed to complement the Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser in a double-cleanse routine, providing the lipophilic first step that Beste No. 9 wasn't built to handle. The included Bamboo Booster was a unique addition — a mix-in powder of bamboo and charcoal for optional physical exfoliation.

About Drunk Elephant Established Brand (5–20 years)

Drunk Elephant was founded by Tiffany Masterson in 2012 and acquired by Shiseido for $845 million in 2019. Slaai won Allure Best of Beauty 2019 and InStyle Readers' Choice Award 2019 in its launch year, and the brand's commitment to fragrance-free, essential oil-free formulations extends to its cleansing balm category.

Brand founded: 2012 · Product launched: 2019

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

Cleansing balms clog pores because they're oil-based.

Reality

The oils in cleansing balms dissolve sebum and makeup through the 'like dissolves like' principle, then emulsify with water and rinse away. They don't remain in pores. However, Slaai's ethylhexyl palmitate base does have comedogenic potential, so acne-prone skin should follow with a thorough second cleanse.

Myth

You need to double cleanse after every cleansing balm.

Reality

With Slaai specifically, a second cleanse is recommended. The emulsification isn't as complete as some competing balms, and a water-based second cleanser ensures no oily residue remains. This isn't a flaw of all balms — it's specific to how Slaai's emulsifier system works.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Effortlessly melts away heavy makeup including waterproof mascara"

"Leaves skin feeling soft, supple, and dewy after rinsing"

"Fragrance-free and gentle enough for sensitive eye area"

"Hygienic magnetic spatula prevents double-dipping contamination"

"Satisfying oil-to-milk transformation when water is added"

"Rich, luxurious texture that feels like a spa treatment"

Common Complaints

"Doesn't emulsify as cleanly as some competing balms — leaves oily residue"

"Requires a thorough second cleanse to feel completely clean"

"At $39 for 3.88 oz, expensive for a first-cleanse product"

"Jar packaging is less convenient than tubes or pumps for wet hands"

"Some users experienced breakouts from the ethylhexyl palmitate base"

"Can cause temporary blurry vision when used around the eyes"

Notable Endorsements

Allure Best of Beauty 2019InStyle Readers' Choice Award 2019

Appears In

best cleanser for dryness best cleansing balm best makeup remover best fragrance free cleanser

Related Conditions

dryness dullness sensitivity

Related Ingredients

marula oil borage seed oil baobab oil