13 Best Cleansing Oils 2024 to Dissolve Your Toughest Makeup, According to Experts

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By Deanna Pai and Annie Blackman Washer Seal

13 Best Cleansing Oils 2024 to Dissolve Your Toughest Makeup, According to Experts | Allure

We understand if you're wary of oil-based skin-care products, but the best cleansing oils will change your mind and skin. These gentle cleansers are perfect for all skin types—including oily, acne-prone skin—and melt away stubborn makeup without stripping your skin or compromising your moisture barrier. How? The oil base pairs with a surfactant so the formula binds itself to dirt and shows the grime the way out. Massage thoroughly to dry skin, emulsify with water, and rinse. (No greasy residue in sight, either, we promise.) If you're a fan of double cleansing, follow up with a water-based cleanser to reveal a soft, smooth canvas for the rest of your skin-care routine.

These products prove that oil can be silky rather than greasy and that, yes, waterproof mascara can come off. Shop Allure editor-approved picks and read up on dermatologist insight about what makes these products worth adding to your cart.

Why It's Worth It: Thanks to the inclusion of vitamin C (in the form of ascorbyl palmitate, a derivative of stabilized L-ascorbic acid), Dermalogica's Best of Beauty-winning Precleanse provides a slight brightening, tone-evening boost to the skin while also melting away the day's grime and makeup. Vitamin E also joins the party to double up this formula's antioxidant powers, while rice bran gently exfoliates, relieving clogged pores and leaving behind soft, refreshed skin.

Complete your double-cleansing routine by following this oil-based cleanser with Dermalogica's gentle, soap-free Special Cleansing Gel.

Key Ingredients: Apricot kernel oil, vitamin E, sunflower seed oil | Who It's For: Those with an existing double-cleansing routine | Fragrance-Free: No

Why It's Worth It: Yes, you can use a cleansing oil even if you're breakout-prone—just make sure you grab a formula that's kind to your easily clogged pores, like Anua's Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil. If you have blackheads, the last thing you want to do is squeeze or pop them at home. We recommend this cleansing oil followed by a salicylic acid-laced, water-based cleanser.

Hailing from Seoul, this TikTok-beloved formula is infused with conditioning jojoba, sunflower seed, and olive oils to ensure your skin feels and stays plump post-wash. For those with oily or acne-prone skin, heartleaf and turmeric—known for their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties—provide the one-two acne-fighting punch to knock out concerns.

Key Ingredients: Olive oil, jojoba oil, turmeric extract, heartleaf extract, sunflower seed oil, grape seed oil | Who It's For: Anyone, especially oily and acne-prone skin types | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Why It's Worth It: The Best of Beauty-winning Ginger Melt Cleansing Oil features anti-inflammatory sunflower seed oil, an ingredient backed by Chesahna Kindred, MD, a Maryland-based board-certified dermatologist. She tells Allure that it's an "essential oil that repairs the skin barrier." There are also two antioxidants present in the formula, grapeseed oil and ginger root extract, to guard the skin against free radicals. Allure associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen is a personal fan of this formula. "All I need is a pump or two to break down all of the day's yuckies," she says, thanks to mildly resurfacing pineapple and papaya extracts that keep pores clean.

Key Ingredients: Ginger root extract, grapeseed oil, sunflower seed oil | Who It's For: People who want the best of both worlds | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Why It's Worth It: The Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil is powered by skin-care lifesavers (commonly used in Korean beauty) like peony, sacred lotus, Solomon's seal, and white lily to create a lightweight but hardworking formula. Even though you'll find "oil" in the name, this cleanser actually counteracts the negative effects of overproduction of natural skin oil that can clog pores and cause blemishes. It leaves skin feeling soft, makeup-residue-free, and clean as a whistle. Follow up this cleanser with a few pumps of Sulwhasoo's Gentle Cleansing Foam for a nice gel-to-foam lather.

Key Ingredients: Peony, sacred lotus, soloman's seal, white lily | Who It's For: Everyone | Fragrance-Free: No

Why It's Worth It: We love a drugstore skin-care find that gives us results, and bonus points when it's a non-comedogenic formula. Neutrogena's Ultra Light Face Cleansing Oil feels lightweight and nongreasy from start to finish and clocks in at just $10—so it's a fabulous pick for beginners who want to test out a tried-and-true formula without spending a fortune. Heads up: It contains mineral oil, which may be a concern for sensitive skin.

Key Ingredients: Rosemary lead extract, camellia leaf extract, glycerin | Who It's For: People who want an affordable pick | Fragrance-Free: No

Avène Thermal Water (13.5 Oz)

Why It's Worth It: Eau Thermale Avène's XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cleansing Oil is a favorite of New York City-based board-certified dermatologist Claire Chang, MD, who says that the product leaves skin feeling restored and soft. She shouts out the brand's mineral-rich Thermal Spring Water, as well as glycerin and omega-6 (a fatty acid found in linoleic acid that promotes a healthy barrier), which work together to calm and nourish your complexion after a long day of melty sunscreen and makeup. This gentle cleansing oil can be safely used on newborns, so it's a worthwhile purchase for the whole family.

Key Ingredients: Avène thermal spring water, postbiotics, glycerin | Who It's For: Sensitive skin types | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Why It's Worth It: With Tatcha's signature blend of antioxidant-rich ingredients like rice bran oil, green tea, and algae, along with Japanese camellia oil, the Best of Beauty-winning Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil offers a gentle yet thorough cleanse, leaving skin feeling dewy and smooth. "This ultralight oil cleanser did my skin good each and every morning, not only leaving it clean but noticeably less red, too," said one Allure tester while trying this product in her Japanese skin-care routine—no wonder it's a major beauty editor (and celeb) favorite.

Key Ingredients: Camellia oil, rice bran oil, rice ferment | Who It's For: Anyone, but especially people with dry skin | Fragrance-Free: No

Why It's Worth It: According to Gloria Lin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group in New York City, Tata Harper's Nourishing Makeup Removing Oil Cleanser is one of the best facial cleansing oils on the market. She praises the high-quality ingredients, including camellia oil, vitamins A, C, E, omega 3s, and squalane for additional moisture, adding that the formula is especially helpful for mature skin types and those targeting uneven skin tone and texture. A cool fact: The cleansing oil is formulated and packaged on Harper's 1,200 acre Vermont farm—no outsourcing needed.

Key Ingredients: Squalane, jojoba oil, green tea oil | Who It's For: Those dealing with age-related dryness and laxity | Fragrance-Free: No

Why It's Worth It: Japanese beauty brand DHC's Deep Cleansing Oil features olive oil as a hero ingredient—the oleic acid from olive oil clings onto and removes makeup, excess oil, and dead skin cells while also conditioning your skin. (DHC offers an Olive Concentrated Cleansing Oil for very dry skin types.) Work this classic onto dry skin, then watch it beautifully emulsify with warm water. It's so gentle that you can use it to clean your makeup brushes—now, that's a true multitasker.

Key Ingredients: Olive oil, rosemary leaf oil, vitamin E | Who It's For: Everyone | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Why It's Worth It: Haruharu Wonder's Black Rice Moisture Deep Cleansing Oil may be oil-based, but it washes away just as easily as a face wash gel. This formula feels rich and soothing as it works as a makeup remover and SPF dissolver, thanks to a blend of rice bran (which has been used for centuries in Asian skincare to soften and brighten skin), jojoba seed, and macadamia nut oils. Though initially slick, it emulsifies into a frothy texture that easily rinses down the drain—the result is smooth, supple skin without a trace of greasy residue.

Tester Feedback: "I love how simple and recognizable the ingredient list is," commerce editor Sarah Han says. "The rich blend of oils breaks down my toughest makeup (including glitter liner) with ease, and it's so relaxing to massage into my skin at the end of a long day." Han doesn't have sensitive skin but the fact that it's a fragrance-free formula is another win in her book.

Key Ingredients: Rice bran oil, jojoba seed oil, macadamia seed oil, olive oil, sunflower seed oil | Who It's For: Everyone | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Why It's Worth It: Dr. Chang also recommends PCA Skin's Daily Cleansing Oil, which she says "gently dissolves dirt while repairing and brightening the skin." It's formulated with moisturizing oils (like grapeseed, sweet almond, and soybean) that never leave behind a filmy residue. This lightweight formula builds to a satisfying lather (unlike many cleansing oils) and rinses clean for a baby-soft-skin-like finish.

Key Ingredients: Grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, vitamin E | Who It's For: Anyone who doesn't want to double cleanse | Fragrance-Free: Yes

Why It's Worth It: Can we get an "oh la la" for the La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+ Cleansing Oil? This oil from the French pharmacy staple brand is deeply hydrating, non-stripping, and leaves your skin feeling soothed and smoothed for up to 24 hours. It's gentle enough to use on babies as young as two weeks and is accepted by the National Eczema Association.

This foaming cleanser can also be used on your body, making it an ideal two-in-one shower routine staple. Take it from Divya Shokeen, MD a California-based, board-certified dermatologist, who referred to this pick as a "gentle, nourishing shower oil [that] is free from soap, sulfate[s], and parabens."

Key Ingredients: La Roche-Posay prebiotic thermal water, niacinamide, shea butter, glycerin | Who It's For: People with dry skin | Fragrance-Free: Yes

"Cleansing oil" refers to oil-based face washes that replenish moisture and gently remove makeup, excess sebum, and sunscreen. According to Shereene Idriss, MD, a New York City-based board-certified dermatologist, cleansing oils don't strip your skin of its natural moisture, which is essential for a plump, smooth, and fine line-free complexion. "Cleansing oils usually contain an oil base, along with a traditional skin-cleansing ingredient called a surfactant, which helps bind to dirt on the skin and remove it without disrupting the skin barrier," Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, explains further.

A quick cleansing tip: Make sure you work your cleansing oil onto dry skin, so it breaks down waterproof makeup, sunscreen, and dirt, before rinsing off with lukewarm water or gently wiping it away with a soft muslin cloth.

In short, everyone! If you have oily or acne-prone skin, the concept of slathering on any oil-based products like cleansing oils might seem counterintuitive—but think again. "Because makeup and sebum are lipophilic [meaning they dissolve in oil], using an oil-based cleanser can be more effective," says David Kim, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Idriss Dermatology in New York City.

While oil-based cleansers—or any cleansers, for that matter—don't stay on your face for too long, it doesn't hurt that most are infused with moisturizing ingredients, like jojoba seed oil, apricot kernel oil, and Centella asiatica extract, which actively nourish skin while giving it a deep clean. If you have sensitive skin, just check the label's ingredients list to ensure the formula doesn't contain any irritants like synthetic fragrances.

Well, it depends. Like with all skin care, whether you double-cleanse or not depends on your personal preferences and lifestyle. In case you need a refresher, double-cleansing—that is, starting your routine with a remove-it-all cleansing oil (or cleansing balm) to dissolve makeup, sebum, and sunscreen before going in with a water-based cleanser to remove remaining impurities—has gone from a niche Korean skin-care step to a mainstream practice over the past decade or so.

However, it's worth noting that double cleansing isn't for everyone's skin-care routines. If you have oily skin and/or wear makeup daily, you might find double cleansing every evening works just fine for you. However, Dr. Kim says that if your skin is normal to dry, or you're only an occasional makeup wearer, double cleansing daily isn't necessary.

When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.

For our list of the best cleansing oils, we considered each product's performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.

After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the "best" for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We're proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.

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13 Best Cleansing Oils 2024 to Dissolve Your Toughest Makeup, According to Experts | Allure