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Everything you need to know about cleansing oil.

Removing impurities from the skin is a crucial step in the evening routine. Today, a variety of cleansing products, formulated in different ways, are available on the skincare market. Among them, we find cleansing oils. How do they work? Are they effective? And what about their safety of use? Discover here the answers to your questions about cleansing oils.

Summary
Published February 25, 2025, updated on February 25, 2025, by Pauline, Chemical Engineer — 7 min read
Cleansing Oil

What is a cleansing oil?

As the name suggests, a cleansing oil is an oil-based product designed to cleanse the skin and provide a pre-cleansing step. Unlike water-based cleansers, it relies on the principle of lipid affinity. Formulated from mineral oils, vegetable oils or fatty acid esters, the cleansing oil attracts and encapsulates the oily substances present on the skin, whether it's sun protection, makeup or pollution particles. Upon contact with water, the cleansing oil changes texture and transforms into a light emulsion, similar to that of a cleansing milk, allowing for easy rinsing without leaving an oily film.

While cleansing oil has been a product for decades, its use has become more widespread in recent years with the trend of double cleansing, a practice originating from South Korea and Japan. This involves the successive use of two cleansers: a lipophilic, or oil-based, cleanser and a cleanser capable of removing hydrophilic, or water-based, particles. Double cleansing allows for effective yet gentle cleansing of the skin and ensures better absorption of subsequent skin treatments.

What are the benefits of cleansing oil?

If the cleansing oil is so appealing, it's because it offers several benefits. It stands out particularly for its ability to provide the skin with a gentle cleanse, which does not disrupt the hydrolipidic film on its surface. As a reminder, this film, composed of a mix of sebum and sweat, is essential for protecting the epidermis from external aggressions (wind, temperature variations, microorganisms...) and limiting insensible water loss. This protective veil is sometimes compromised during cleansing or skin cleaning, but the cleansing oil, often rich in re-lipidising fatty acids, instead preserves the hydrolipidic film and strengthens it.

Another advantage of cleansing oil: it is unfailingly effective in cleansing the skin. Being composed of fatty substances, it is capable of dissolving and removing all oily particles present on the skin's surface, such as makeup, sebum, or pollution, which accumulate on the skin throughout the day. Cleansing oil is particularly effective in removing water-resistant makeup and can generally be used on the cheeks, forehead, and chin as well as the eyes or lips.

How to use a cleansing oil?

Unlike water-based cleansers, cleansing oils are used on dry skin. After ensuring your hands are clean, take a small amount of cleanser, about the size of a hazelnut, in the palm of your hand. Warm the product by rubbing your hands together and distribute it over your face and neck using gentle circular motions to lift off any residue. It is recommended to start with the eyes and lips, to avoid the risk of transferring any residue into the eyes. You can then continue on the rest of the face, moving from the centre outwards, not forgetting the eyebrows and neck. Once the entire face has been massaged with the cleansing oil, rinse your face thoroughly with warm water. You will then see the product transform into a light emulsion. Once the oil has been rinsed off, you can follow up with a water-based cleanser if you wish to perform a double cleanse.

Are there risks associated with using a cleansing oil?

The cleansing oil is a product generally well tolerated, suitable for both oily and dry skin, provided it is well formulated and used correctly. It is often accused of clogging pores and promoting imperfections in skin prone to this issue, but this risk primarily depends on its composition. Cleansing oils containing comedogenic oils, like olive oil, can indeed pose a risk of pore obstruction, but those formulated with light oils, such as the jojoba oil or the sunflower oil, do not present this problem.

The essence also lies in the rinsing process: if the cleansing oil is not properly emulsified, a greasy residue can remain on the skin's surface, which can promote the appearance of blemishes in combination to oily skin types. That's why it's often recommended to practice double cleansing, using a water-based cleanser after the cleansing oil, to completely remove residues and ensure clean and clear skin.

Discover Typology's cleansing oil.

At Typology, we offer a 7-ingredient cleansing oil suitable for all skin types, including the most sensitive or oily skins. Designed solely from essential ingredients for its function, it contains sweet almond oil, which is nourishing and soothing, and sunflower oil, known for its antioxidant properties. Effective even on water-resistant or long-lasting makeup, the 7-ingredient cleansing oil can be used all over the face, including sensitive areas such as the eye contour and lips.

Here are a few reviews of our 7-ingredient cleansing oil.

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