8 Best Cleansing Oils To Remove Waterproof Makeup, Sunscreen, And Everything In Between
The first step of your skincare routine deserves more than a quick swipe. Here’s how cleansing oils work, and the best ones to get the job done properly.
By Arissa Ha - published
It’s a double-edged sword. Waterproof makeup is a miracle when you need it and an absolute menace when you don’t, and no amount of cotton pads is going to change that. What will: a cleansing oil that actually understands the assignment.
How Does a Cleansing Oil Actually Work?
The secret is in the science of “like dissolves like.” Sebum, sunscreen, and most makeup formulas are oil-based, which means water-based cleansers can only do so much. A cleansing oil, on the other hand, binds to all of that and lifts it cleanly from the skin. Add a little water and it emulsifies into a milky rinse-off formula, taking everything with it without disrupting your skin barrier in the process. It’s efficient, it’s gentle, and frankly, it makes your face cleanser’s job a whole lot easier.
How Do You Actually Use a Cleansing Oil?
This is where a lot of people quietly sabotage themselves: applying a cleansing oil to wet hands or a damp face. It seems intuitive, but water triggers the emulsification process too early, which means the oil never gets the chance to properly bind to and dissolve your makeup and sunscreen. The right way to do it is to dispense the oil onto dry hands, press it onto a dry face, and massage for at least 30 to 60 seconds before introducing any water. Give it time to work. Then, once you add water and it turns milky, rinse thoroughly before going in with your second cleanser.
What Separates A Great Cleansing Oil From a Merely Decent One?
Texture is a big part of it. The best cleansing oils feel luxurious without being heavy, spreading easily across dry skin and emulsifying cleanly with water rather than leaving a greasy residue behind. Ingredients matter too: look for nourishing oils like squalane, jojoba, or rosehip if your skin skews dry, and lighter options like sunflower or grapeseed for oilier types. And if you’re regularly wearing long-wear or waterproof formulas, look for cleansing oils that specifically call out makeup removal on the label, as not all formulas are built to cut through that level of pigment and film-forming agents.
Do I Still Need To Double Cleanse If I Use a Cleansing Oil?
The fear of overcleansing is real, and for the most part, valid. Stripping your skin with a harsh cleanser twice in a row is a fast track to a compromised barrier and flakey skin. But here’s where the cleansing oil earns its place: it’s not a cleanser in the traditional sense. It doesn’t foam, it doesn’t strip, and it doesn’t disturb your skin’s natural balance. Think of it as the pre-cleanse, the step that dissolves away the makeup, and sunscreen so your second cleanser (a gentle water-based formula) can actually get to work on cleansing your skin. Used correctly, double cleansing isn’t harsh, it ensures that your skin is thoroughly cleansed.
Can You Use a Cleansing Oil If You Have Oily or Acne-prone Skin?
The instinct to avoid putting oil on already oily skin is understandable, but it’s largely misplaced. Most cleansing oils are formulated to rinse off completely, meaning they’re not sitting on your skin and contributing to congestion. In fact, for oily skin types, a cleansing oil can actually help regulate sebum production over time: when skin is consistently stripped by harsh cleansers, it overproduces oil to compensate. A gentle cleansing oil breaks that cycle. The caveat is to avoid formulas with comedogenic oils like coconut oil or wheat germ oil, and to always, always follow up with a water-based cleanser to make sure there’s no residue left behind.
Best Cleansing Oils To Remove Makeup
1. Ultime8∞ Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil, $86 for 150ml, Shu Uemura at Sephora
A cult classic for good reason. Built on cold-pressed tsubaki oil sourced exclusively from Japan’s Toshima Island, this legendary formula glides onto skin with a weightlessness that makes short work of even the most stubborn waterproof formulas. Korean ginseng, golden bamboo, and jojoba round out a lineup of ingredients that leaves skin genuinely nourished rather than just clean.
2. Vinoclean Makeup Removing Cleansing Oil, $38 for 150ml, Caudalie at Sephora
Caudalie’s wine country credentials translate well into cleansing: this antioxidant-rich formula is made entirely from natural plant oils and disappears off the skin without so much as a greasy trace. A bonus for mascara wearers: castor oil features in the mix, bringing lash-nourishing benefits to what is otherwise just your nightly routine.
3. Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cleansing Oil, $56 for 250ml, Laneige at Shopee Mall
Laneige brings its Water Bank hydration expertise to the cleansing step with this featherlight formula that cuts through waterproof makeup and daily grime without any lingering residue. Blue Hyaluronic Acid keeps the skin’s moisture levels intact throughout, while Centella Asiatica takes care of any post-cleanse irritation before it even starts.
4. Gentle Cleansing Oil, $58 for 200ml, Sulwhasoo at Shopee Mall
Sulwhasoo’s take on the cleansing oil is exactly what you’d expect from the brand: considered, efficacious, and skin-forward. The botanical-rich formula draws out makeup, fine dust, and impurities from deep within pores while simultaneously delivering moisture, so skin feels balanced and comfortable rather than stripped after every wash.
5. Ginseng Cleansing Oil, $15.71 for 210ml, Beauty of Joseon at Shopee Mall
At this price point, Beauty of Joseon’s ginseng cleansing oil is one of the strongest value propositions in the category, full stop. Ginseng seed oil shores up the moisture barrier while soybean oil tackles impurities without congesting pores, and the oil-to-lather texture rinses away cleanly, leaving skin looking plump and healthy rather than worked over.
6. Sekkisei Blue Clear Softening Cleansing Oil, $36.25, Kosé at Shopee Mall
Kosé brings its brightening philosophy to the cleansing step with this plant-derived formula that draws out makeup and congestion from within pores with very little effort on your part. It emulsifies and rinses off without any heaviness, and skin comes out of it looking clearer, smoother, and more even-toned with consistent use.
7. Superieur Makeup Cleansing Oil, $33 for 150ml, Elixir at LazMall
A practical pick for anyone who can’t be bothered with the dry-hands rule: Elixir’s formula is built to perform on wet hands without losing any of its effectiveness, making it one of the more forgiving options here. It cuts through liquid foundation and waterproof mascara with ease, while collagen and elastin extracts work in the background to keep skin supple through every rinse.
8. Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil, $29 for 200ml, Anua at Sephora
Heartleaf extract is Anua’s signature ingredient for good reason: it calms redness and irritation while the rest of the formula gets to work dissolving excess sebum, SPF, and makeup without upsetting the skin’s moisture balance. If oily or breakout-prone skin has kept you on the fence about cleansing oils, this is the one to start with.
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