You massage a cleansing oil into dry skin, and it dissolves makeup, sunscreen and the oil your skin makes. Then you add a little water, the oil turns milky, and it rinses off. The milky step comes from an emulsifier, listed as sorbeth-30 tetraoleate on the DHC, Anua and SKIN1004 labels below, which lets the oil wash away with water instead of sitting on your face.
Shu Uemura says its founder introduced Unmask, the brand's first cleansing oil, in 1967, and Japanese drugstores now stock a whole shelf of them. Several carry a promise you will see on two of the picks here: no second wash needed. Korean brands sell the same kind of product as the first half of a double cleanse, followed by a foam or gel.
The four picks cover the two approaches. DHC is the one to start with, Shu Uemura is the splurge from the brand that started it, Kosé Softymo is the Japanese drugstore staple at half the price, and Anua is the Korean oil built for a double cleanse. If your skin is dry or stinging from the change in weather, one gentle oil at night can replace a harsher foam.
DHC Deep Cleansing Oil
Olive oil base · 8 ingredients · 6.7 fl oz · sold by Amazon · 4.6 stars, 24,377 reviews · ~$23.62
DHC's oil is olive oil with an emulsifier, vitamin E and rosemary leaf oil, eight ingredients in all. Amazon sells it from DHC's store, and 24,377 buyers rate it 4.6 stars.
- Eight ingredients, the shortest published list here
- DHC says it removes waterproof mascara and eyeliner
- Sold and shipped by Amazon, from DHC's own store
- The largest review count of the Japanese oils
- Rosemary leaf oil gives it a scent, and some skin reacts to it
- An olive-oil base, heavier than the ester-based Korean oils
- About $3.50 an ounce, against under $2 for Softymo
Buy this if you want one cleansing oil and no guessing. The label lists olive fruit oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, sorbeth-30 tetraoleate (the emulsifier), pentylene glycol, tocopherol, stearyl glycyrrhetinate, rosemary leaf oil and phenoxyethanol. Stearyl glycyrrhetinate comes from licorice root, and brands use it to calm skin.
DHC says the oil breaks down makeup, including waterproof mascara and eyeliner, and leaves no oily residue. Massage it over a dry face, add a splash of water until it turns milky, and rinse.
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Tsubaki Cleansing Oil
Japanese tsubaki (camellia) · made in Japan · full-size bottle · sold by Amazon · 4.6 stars, 198 reviews · ~$50
Shu Uemura says its founder introduced Japan's first cleansing oil in 1967. The Ultime8 Sublime Tsubaki is made in Japan with camellia oil, and Amazon sells it for $50.
- From the brand that says it introduced cleansing oil to Japan
- Shu Uemura sells it as a one-step cleanser, with no second wash
- Sold and shipped by Amazon, with L'Oréal as the manufacturer
- About twice the price of DHC
- The fine-line and pore percentages are Shu Uemura's own test results
- A second listing at $42.50 is the 50 ml travel size, so check the photo before you order
- The Amazon listing shows no ingredient list
Pick this one if you want the oil the category grew from. Shu Uemura says its founder, a makeup artist, made his first oil cleanser, Unmask, in 1967, and the Ultime8 line carries it forward with Japanese tsubaki, or camellia, oil.
The listing makes big claims: 37% fewer fine lines, 30% smaller-looking pores, 52% more radiance. Those are Shu Uemura's figures, and the listing does not say how it measured them. Read them as marketing and judge it on how your skin feels after a week.
Shu Uemura's directions: three or four pumps into dry hands, massage over the face, add water until it turns milky, rinse. It says you do not need to wash again afterward.
Kosé Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil
Mineral oil base · 230 ml · Japanese label · ships from Amazon, sold by an importer · 4.6 stars, 9,794 reviews · ~$11.99
Softymo is the pink bottle on Japanese drugstore shelves, and this listing ships the Japanese version. It costs $11.99 for 230 ml, and 9,794 buyers rate it 4.6 stars.
- Under $2 an ounce, the cheapest pick
- Kosé says no cleansing foam is needed afterward
- Olive, sesame, safflower, jojoba and corn germ oils follow the mineral oil on the label
- Sold by RLC Co., Ltd. Japan, an importer, though Amazon ships it
- The bottle label is in Japanese
- Mineral oil leads the list, which some people prefer to avoid
Buy this if you want the everyday Japanese cleansing oil at the lowest price. Kosé makes it, and the listing ships the bottle sold in Japan, with a Japanese label. The ingredient list starts with mineral oil, PEG-8 glyceryl isostearate (the emulsifier) and cetyl ethylhexanoate, then a mix of plant oils and shea butter.
Kosé's pitch is short: it removes makeup, including stubborn mascara, washes away the sebum that blocks pores, and needs no foam afterward.
An importer, RLC Co., Ltd. Japan, sells it and Amazon ships it. Prices on imported listings move, so check the seller name and price when you order.
Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
Light ester base · heartleaf extract · 6.76 fl oz · sold by Anua · 4.4 stars, 29,128 reviews · ~$17
Anua's oil is built for the Korean routine: dissolve makeup and sunscreen, emulsify, rinse, then follow with a foam. Anua sells it directly for $17, and 29,128 buyers rate it 4.4 stars.
- The most-reviewed cleansing oil we found, at 29,128 ratings
- A lighter texture than the olive-oil DHC, per the ingredient list
- Anua reports eye-irritation and non-comedogenic testing
- Sold by Anua and shipped by Amazon
- Fragrance is the sixth ingredient
- The 22.8% sebum figure is Anua's own clinical claim
- Built for a double cleanse, so you need a second cleanser too
Choose Anua if you already use a Korean routine or like a second wash. The ingredient list starts with ethylhexyl palmitate, a light ester, then the emulsifier and a mix of sunflower, macadamia, olive, jojoba and grape seed oils.
Anua's directions spell out the double cleanse: massage onto dry skin for one to two minutes, add a little water to emulsify, rinse, then use a foam or gel cleanser. It reports eye-irritation and non-comedogenic testing, and a 22.8% change in sebum in its own clinical test.
If scented products bother your skin, read the ingredient lists in the guide below before you buy.
The numbers.
| DHC | Shu Uemura | Softymo | Anua | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Japan | Japan | Japan | Korea |
| Base | Olive oil | Camellia oil | Mineral oil | Light esters |
| Second wash | Not stated | Not needed, per the listing | Not needed, per Kosé | Recommended |
| Size | 6.7 fl oz | Full size | 230 ml | 6.76 fl oz |
| Sold by | Amazon | Amazon | Importer | Anua |
| Rating | 4.6 stars | 4.6 stars | 4.6 stars | 4.4 stars |
| Reviews | 24,377 | 198 | 9,794 | 29,128 |
| Street price | ~$23.62 | ~$50 | ~$11.99 | ~$17 |
Other strong options.
ma:nyo Pure Cleansing Oil
ma:nyo sells this as Korea's number one cleansing oil, with 14 plant oils led by soybean and hazelnut. It costs $16.90 from ma:nyo's store and rates 4.5 stars across 7,059 reviews. Soybean oil leads its ingredient list the way olive oil leads DHC's.
View on Amazon →SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil
SKIN1004's oil lists centella extract at 1,000 ppm with six plant oils, costs $17.99 from SKIN1004's store and rates 4.6 stars across 14,728 reviews. It has no added fragrance on the label, though bergamot, geranium and rose oils give it a scent. Its ingredient list starts with light esters, like Anua's.
View on Amazon →FANCL Mild Cleansing Oil
FANCL, a Japanese brand, makes its oil preservative-free, and 221 reviewers rate it 4.6 stars. US Amazon only has it as a two-bottle pack for $45, about $22.50 a bottle, from the importer TokyoBeauty. Check the stock status before you order.
View on Amazon →The buying guide.
Dry hands, dry face
Put a cleansing oil on dry skin with dry hands. Water starts the emulsifier early, and the oil turns milky before it has dissolved your makeup. Shu Uemura, Anua and SKIN1004 all tell you to start dry. Massage for a minute, longer around the eyes if you wear mascara.
The milky step
Once the makeup has melted, wet your fingertips and keep massaging. The oil turns white and milky: the emulsifier is binding the oil to water. Rinse until your skin stops feeling slippery. If it still feels greasy, you skipped this step or used too little water.
One wash or two
Shu Uemura and Kosé say you do not need a second wash. Korean routines add a foam or gel afterward to take off any film the oil leaves. Try one wash first. If your skin feels coated or you break out, add a gentle second cleanser.
Scent and sensitive skin
Read the ingredient list before you buy. DHC includes rosemary leaf oil, Anua lists fragrance, and SKIN1004 uses bergamot, geranium and rose oils. If fragranced products sting your skin, patch test a new oil on your jaw for a few nights before you use it on your whole face.
FAQ.
Cleansing oils are made to rinse off, which is what the emulsifier is for. Anua and SKIN1004 report non-comedogenic testing on their oils. If you break out after switching, rinse longer at the milky stage, or follow with a gentle foam cleanser.
Shu Uemura and Kosé say no, and DHC's listing does not say either way. Korean brands such as Anua recommend a second cleanser. Start with one wash, and add a second if your skin feels coated afterward.
Yes. Anua lists sunscreen among the things its oil removes, and an oil cleanser is the usual way to take off a water-resistant formula.
Most brands here say to start on dry skin with dry hands. Water starts the emulsifier early, and the oil loses its grip on makeup before it has done its job.
The US Amazon listing ships the bottle sold in Japan, through an importer. It is the same product Japanese drugstores sell, with a Japanese label.
Buying one: DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, $23.62.
Spending less: Kosé Softymo Speedy, $11.99.
Double cleansing: Anua Heartleaf Pore Control, $17.
Start with DHC. It has a short ingredient list, Amazon sells it, and 24,377 reviews back it. If you want to spend less, Softymo does the same job for about half, bought through an importer. Choose Shu Uemura if you want the brand that started it, and Anua if you prefer the Korean two-step. Whichever you buy, start on dry skin, add water until it turns milky, and rinse well.