Marc Elrick, the founder and CEO of BYOMA, says he started developing the brand in 2020, during the first Covid lockdown, when people were "playing chemist in their bathrooms" with super-strength actives. His conclusion, in his own words, was that better skin stems from a boosted skin barrier. BYOMA's public launch followed in January 2022, so I would say developed in 2020 and launched in 2022 rather than pick one date.

The byoma creamy jelly cleanser was part of that first range, alongside a face mist, a gel cream moisturizer and three serums. The brand says the formula is a lightweight, pH balanced jelly that turns into a rich, creamy lather with warm water, and that it cleanses without leaving skin tight or dry. It is infused with a Tri-Ceramide Complex of ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids, plus licorice root and green tea. Elrick has also said it won an Allure Best of Beauty Award.

What I like is the logic. You wash, and the washing step is already part of the barrier routine, not an obstacle to it.

The first grid is BYOMA, from the jelly to a balm, an oil-to-milk cleanser, creams and a serum. The second grid is other jelly, gel, cream and foam cleansers to compare. My tip: use lukewarm water, not hot, and rinse until the skin feels soft rather than squeaky.

The Creamy Jelly Cleanser is the all-rounder, a hydrating jelly that breaks down dirt, excess oil and makeup. If you like a clear, bouncy gel that lathers lightly, start here. The Milky Moisture Cleanser is the cream version, a milky formula that conditions and cleanses dry, sensitive skin, and it is the one I would point a dry-skinned friend toward.

For makeup days there are two melt-away options. The Milky Oil Gentle Cleanser is an oil-to-milk that melts makeup and impurities without clogging, and the Melting Balm Cleanser is a buttery balm that supports the barrier. Both come in the 2.12 oz size. The Foaming Rice Deep Cleanser goes the other way: a light foam that turns bouncy and cloud-like with water for surface impurities, and it is the one for anyone who misses the feel of a classic foam.

After you cleanse, the barrier basics. Moisturizing Gel Cream is a light gel-cream for thirsty skin and the most reviewed item in this grid. Moisturizing Rich Cream melts in to improve texture and strengthen the barrier, so I would choose it on dry nights or in winter. The Hydrating Serum with Tri-Ceramide Complex is ultra-lightweight and has the highest rating of the BYOMA picks here.

What I would skip: the balm or the oil-to-milk cleanser as your only wash if you are very oily. They are for removing makeup, and the jelly or the foam will feel cleaner.

If the jelly appeals to you, three others are worth comparing. belif Aqua Bomb Hydrating Jelly Cleanser is a jelly-to-foam for normal, combination and oily skin. banu Chamomile Jelly is a jelly-to-foam that melts makeup, excess oil and SPF, with chamomile for blemish-prone skin. Estée Lauder DayWear Glow Boost Jelly Cleanser transforms into a silky foam, with cucumber and algae extract for oil and pores.

For a softer gel, Summer Fridays Pink Dew Gel Cleanser is a pH-balanced foaming gel for dry and combination skin, made with coconut-based surfactants. fresh Soy Hydrating Gentle Face Cleanser is a lightweight gel with soy proteins and aloe that removes everyday makeup, and it has by far the most reviews in this grid.

The creamy end is for dry or sensitive faces. Drunk Elephant Mello Marula Cream Cleanser has 1.0% colloidal oatmeal and low lather, and it takes off water-resistant makeup and sunscreen. First Aid Beauty Ultra Gentle Pure Skin Cream-to-Foam Cleanser is fragrance-free and has colloidal oatmeal and glycerin. Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Gentle Foam Cleanser is a cloud-like foam with centella for sensitive skin.

How to choose: the jellies feel springy and clean, the creams feel cushioned, and the foams feel lightest. If your skin looks red after washing, go cream. If it feels oily by lunch, go jelly or foam.

What I would skip: a sulfate-based foam on very dry skin. Check the ingredients if your face feels tight after you rinse.

I think the jelly cleanser makes sense for people who have been scared off by foams that squeak. BYOMA is mostly about the barrier, so the cream and the serum are the natural second step. Try the cleanser on its own for two weeks before you change anything else, then add one barrier product at a time. If your skin feels calm and comfortable after washing, the cleanser is doing its job. If it still feels tight, move toward the milky cream or the balm. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Marc Elrick's Lockdown Project and Hourglass Vanish Concealer Swatches and Creamy Picks.