Here @ THE FILE HQ we live for stuff that makes life just feel…better: the fragrance that nobody else is wearing, the Saint Laurent leather jacket that’s all #bossbitch and the lipstick that stays put even after three mojitos. So when we stumble on a product that truly ticks our clock, we go all in. Case-in-point: oil cleansers. AKA: The bomb.
Now, hear us out, we used to think the same thing that you might be thinking. “My skin is too oily.” “I’ll break out.” “It just doesn’t’ feel clean.” We get it. But we’re here to tell you to drop the oily stigma. Cleansing oils are your new BFF.
Going off the idea that oil- attracts-oil, these cleansers work. They remove all traces of makeup, impurities and surface oil, and even better won’t leave your skin feeling parched. And of course they’re formulated to NOT block pores, that’s the whole point of cleansing, you guys. Makes sense, huh?
While most of us know of the granddaddy of oil cleansers, the Shu Uemura formula, which we’ve been fans of for a long time, here, we’ve ventured out and about to round up six of the best formulations out there. We’ve found one for everyone, so now there’s no excuse.
La Mer The Cleansing Oil
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of La Mer around here, and after trialing this cleanser, we’re still yet to find a reason to shake our fangirling. Milky, rich and luxurious, this is the kind of product that adheres to that “it’s the little things” school of thought. It’s packed with nutrient-rich marine oils and removes makeup thoroughly, without that squeaky clean feeling. Afterwards, our skin felt so plush, we almost forgot to put moisturizer on.
Skin Laundry Nourishing Cleansing Oil
We love a hardworking natural-leaning product around here, so when we saw that this baby was packed with some of nature’s superpowers, like Tea Tree Oil, Jojoba Oil and Macadamia Nut Oil, we were officially interested. Tea tree scented and not as lotion-y as some, this cleanser feels like a true oil. A good one for dry skin that’s prone to breakouts.
Shisedo Perfect cleansing oil
There’s something familiar about the scent here – like childhood memories of our mother getting ready to party, kinda vibe. It’s slightly thicker than say, the SKII – so there’s a big hydration tick here. Even though that was the case, it doesn’t leave any thick residue behind. Winner.
Cosmedix Purity Solution Deep Cleansing Oil
So your current go-to is a milk or lotion cleanser? Add this to cart. No seriously, do it right now. This stuff is mega, it’s packed with a bunch of clock-stopping seed oils and is unlike the others in the fact it’s waayyy more lotion-like, and you almost feel it going deep in for the dirt. The aftermath is the best though – it leaves the skin all glowy, dewy and springy. Hard to to believe it’s oil based, actually.
Shu Umuera Ultim8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
There’s a reason this product, which has been kicking around since 1967 – has a cult following. It’s the original and one of the best. This one is the most plush out of the entire range, it’s got 8 botanical oils that make for a power-heavy but super gentle cleanse that works magic. You’ve got to hand it to Japanese efficiency: no drips, no foam, no mess, all pleasure, there’s no faster way to decompress after a big day (or night).
SKII Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil
Feather light and so magical – if you’re one of the aforementioned oil haters we’ve spent most of this article attempting to convert, then we might just have some luck with you on this one. Super light and soft, this is like the anti-oil, oil cleanser – zero heaviness here. It also has all the featherweighted, pore-refining properties we’ve come to love from SKII and then some.
Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil
You know that a makeup artist-developed cleanser is going to be a good tool to have in your kit, it’s just common sense. So of course this clear oil by Bobbi Brown (which smells amazing, FYI) is going too slay at taking off traces of all of the stuff: makeup, waterproof makeup, mascara… we even tried it with a tattoo cover-up concealer, and it passed with flying colours. Being thicker than most, there’s no need for the double cleanse here.
