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The 8 Best Oil Cleansers For Acne-Prone Skin
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Cleansing your face with oil might sound counterintuitive if you have acne, but it’s actually one of the most effective ways to cut through all the excess sebum, makeup, and buildup on your face without stripping your skin. In fact, the best oil cleansers for acne-prone skin can actually be an excellent source of hydration, which, according to board-certified dermatologist Channing Barnett, M.D., is something all skin — even the most reactive types — needs in order to be healthy. “Oils play a central role in helping us maintain hydration,” Dr. Barnett explains to Bustle. “And effective oil-based cleansers are rich in nutrients with healing properties.”
What To Consider When Shopping For An Oil Cleanser
The science behind how cleansing with oil can help acne-prone skin is based on what Dr. Barnett refers to as the “like-dissolves-like” concept. “Plant-based oils found in many oil-based cleansers dissolve the natural oils on our skin that have hardened and plugged up our pores,” she says. “The applied oil will mix with the hardened oils and can be lifted away when the mixture is wiped with a damp washcloth. This is a great approach if you are prone to acne with pore congestion and blackheads.”
Keep in mind that using an oil cleanser isn’t the same as slathering your face in straight olive or coconut oil or from your kitchen— you’ll want to look for a properly formulated product for your skin type first. “Focus on products labeled as ‘non-comedogenic’ to ensure that they won’t clog your pores,” Dr. Barnett advises. “Also avoid cleansers with added scents or dyes.” Finally, she adds that mineral oil is a “big no-no” for skin that’s prone to inflammation, blackheads, and/or whiteheads.
Expert Tips For Using Oil Cleansers On Acne-Prone Skin
In terms of best practices, washing your face with an oil cleanser is best to do only at night so your skin stays well hydrated while you sleep. “I recommend applying the cleanser to your face when it is dry,” Dr. Barnett says. “Use your fingertips to massage the oil cleanser into the skin gently for a minute or two to remove impurities such as dead skin cells and makeup. Let it penetrate the skin. Then use a warm, damp, soft, smooth, cotton-based washcloth to gently wipe away the oil. And don’t scrub too hard! You will win the battle against acne with a gentle touch and not your nails.”
Shop The Best Oil Cleansers For Acne-Prone Skin
In a hurry? Here are the best oil cleansers for acne-prone skin:
- The Cult-Favorite Korean Cleansing Balm With A Sherbet-To-Oil Texture: BANILA CO Clean It Zero Purity
- Editor’s Pick: A Light, Unscented Cleansing Oil Made With Good-For-Skin Probiotics: TULA #nomakeup Replenishing Cleansing Oil
- An Olive Oil-Based Cleanser That’s Infused With Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid: Hadalabo Gokujun Cleansing Oil
- The Pore-Clearing Version Of DHC’s Iconic Cleansing Oil: DHC Pore Cleansing Oil
- A Solid Mid-Range Option Made With *All* The Right Oils: Julep Love Your Bare Face Cleansing Oil
- A Cleansing Oil With Salicylic Acid That’s Designed For Oily Skin: Hanskin Pore Cleansing Oil
- The Best Face Duo For Double Cleansing: THE FACE SHOP Rice Water Bright Rich Cleansing Light Oil
- Another Fan-Favorite Cleansing Balm To Consider: Heimish All Clean Balm
Using the right oil cleanser for your skin will give your pores a deeper clean, and these eight oil cleansers and cleansing balms — which melt into oils when you apply them — are particularly great for acne-prone skin.
1The Cult-Favorite Korean Cleansing Balm With A Sherbet-To-Oil Texture
The cult-favorite cleansing balm from BANILA CO has a sherbet-like texture in its solid form, but it melts into an oil when you rub it onto your skin. The brand makes four different cleansing balms, but this one — Cleansing Balm Purifying — is the best choice for oily, acne-prone skin. As it expertly dissolves makeup with its blend of nourishing oils and plant extracts, it also helps soothe and balance irritated, congested skin. It can even be used to remove eye makeup from the sensitive eye area without causing irritation or blurry vision, unlike a lot of other oil cleansers out there.
Positive Amazon review: “The first time I washed this product off I was wowed. My skin looked almost like porcelain. I’m prone to breakouts and have definitely seen an improvement since using this product. My only note would be to keep in mind that it does require a rinse-off.”
Type: Cleansing balm | Mineral oil free: Yes | Fragrance free: No | Free of added colors: Yes
Also available on: BANILA CO, $24, Soko Glam, $24, and Ulta Beauty, $24
2Editor’s Pick: A Light, Unscented Cleansing Oil Made With Good-For-Skin Probiotics
I love this cleansing oil from TULA, a brand that was founded by dermatologist Dr. Roshini Raj. Like all TULA products, it contains probiotics to promote strong, balanced skin; you know how ingestible probiotics can help keep your gut healthy? Well, they work similarly for your skin. Even better, this non-comedogenic cleanser contains ceramides — my all-time favorite skincare superstars — to further help your skin (or more accurately, your skin barrier) stay strong. All of this is helpful for acne-prone skin, though frankly, ceramides and probiotics belong in everyone’s skincare routine. This cleansing oil is also fragrance-free, lightweight, and just as excellent at removing makeup as all of the other cleansers on this list. Worth the $30+ price tag, in my opinion.
— Adeline Duff, Beauty Editor, Commerce
Positive Amazon review: “BIG fan [...] I’ve been using this stuff for a couple of months adding ‘double cleansing’ to my routine and it has done wonders for my skin — I was struggling with breakouts and this has really helped! Highly recommend, no scent and you can feel it working.”
Type: Oil cleanser | Mineral oil free: Yes | Fragrance free: Yes | Free of added colors: Yes
Also available on: TULA, $34, Dermstore, $32, and Ulta Beauty, $32
3An Olive Oil-Based Cleanser That’s Infused With Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid
Olive oil makes up the base of Hadalabo Gokujun Cleansing Oil — another cult-y oil cleanser, this time from a Japanese brand. (Hot tip: It’s a favorite of Insta-famous dermatologist Dr. Dray.) It also contains two types of hyaluronic acid to hydrate your skin as it simultaneously removes makeup and restores moisture (because yes, hydration and moisture are two different things). This rings up at just about $15 on Amazon, making it one of the most affordable oil cleansers on this list.
Positive Amazon review: “Ever since I discovered double-cleansing with oil, my acne has cleared up quite a bit. Rubbing this oil cleanser in for about 30 seconds to soften my pores and push those dead skin cells out helps a lot. This oil is great at it and doesn’t have much of a fragrance or if it did, it’s so slight I barely notice it. The oil is not very thick and viscous, it’s more light and doesn’t feel greasy. Washes off easily with a foaming cleanser. One pump is enough for one wash but when I wear makeup, I do need more than one pump.”
Type: Oil cleanser | Mineral oil free: Yes | Fragrance free: Yes | Free of added colors: Yes
Also available on: Yesstyle, $14
4The Pore-Clearing Version Of DHC’s Iconic Cleansing Oil
DHC’s original Deep Cleansing Oil is one of the most popular cleansing oils out there — so much so that, according to the brand, one is sold every 10 seconds worldwide. But the makers of the iconic oil cleanser have also created a lesser-known formula that was designed specifically for acne-prone skin. Enter: The DHC Pore Cleansing Oil, which includes a blend of nine nourishing oils — including coconut, argan, evening primrose, olive, grape seed, jojoba, avocado, sesame, and rice bran — that work together to give your skin an extra-deep clean. You also get some soothing, toning, and protecting benefits from this cleanser thanks to plant extracts like chamomile and a few different types of citrus.
Editor’s note: Check out more of the best Japanese cleansing oils here.
Positive Amazon review: “I absolutely love this product. Blackheads quickly came to the surface of the skin and washed away. I only need to use about once a week. Great value. Will purchase more!”
Type: Oil cleanser | Mineral oil free: Yes | Fragrance free: Yes | Free of added colors: Yes
Also available on: Dermstore, $27
5A Solid Mid-Range Option Made With *All* The Right Oils
When it comes to figuring out the best cleansing oils, Julep Love Your Bare Face Cleansing Oil ticks off all of the right boxes: It contains a blend of all-star oils like grape seed, olive, and rosehip (aka some of the best oils for your skin); it’s suitable for all skin types — from oily and acne-prone to dry and sensitive; and it comes at a reasonable, mid-range price point. This is rich in lots of other skin-boosting ingredients as well, like antioxidants, vitamin E, and squalane. A pretty foolproof pick, all around.
Positive Amazon review: “It does exactly what I wanted it to, which is cleanse my pores and function as oil pulling. It’s been a key product in my skin’s recovery from 16 years of adult hormonal acne.”
Type: Cleansing oil | Mineral oil free: Yes | Fragrance free: No | Free of added colors: Yes
Also available on: Julep, $22
6A Cleansing Oil With Salicylic Acid That’s Designed For Oily Skin
For a cleansing oil that was formulated specifically for oily, acne-prone skin, pick up Hanskin Pore Cleansing Oil. It contains the BHA salicylic acid, which helps keep breakouts at bay by digging deep into your pores and cleaning them out of dead skin and excess oil (aka sebum), but it’s also loaded with plant-based extracts and other, nourishing oils to leave your skin moisturized and soft.
Positive Amazon review: “I’ve historically had oily skin, but as I’ve gotten older, it’s started to behave unpredictably. This product has helped tremendously in balancing my skin. It’s almost counter-intuitive, to use oil to treat oily skin, but this works wonders! Highly recommend!”
Type: Oil cleanser | Mineral oil free: Yes | Fragrance free: No (but it doesn’t contain artificial fragrances) | Free of added colors: Yes
Also available on: Soko Glam, $27, and Ulta Beauty, $27
7The Best Face Duo For Double Cleansing
The Face Shop’s Rice Water Bright cleansing oil is another one of the best Korean oil cleansers out there. What sets this one apart is that it’s made with rice water, which has long been used for its skincare benefits (in particular, the brand says that it can help keep your skin looking smooth, clear, and bright). Next, pick up the brand’s equally popular Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser. Together, these products are perfect for double cleansing, the K-beauty practice that involves using an oil cleanser first, followed by a water-based cleanser, to give your skin a super deep clean.
Positive Amazon review: “I have acne prone sensitive skin and I love this oil cleanser. I'm on my 3rd bottle! Works great as a makeup remover & smells nice too!”
Type: Oil cleanser | Mineral oil free: Yes | Fragrance free: No | Free of added colors: Yes
Also available on: Yesstyle, $10
8Another Fan-Favorite Cleansing Balm To Consider
Heimish All Clean Balm is often viewed as a close cousin to BANILA CO’s Clean It Zero balm, which gets beauty lovers ardently discussing which one is their favorite. While they’re both great, gentle cleansing balms (and equally effective for removing makeup), their ingredients differ quite a bit from one another. The Heimish balm has a rich, creamy formula — think more coconut oil and less sherbet — and contains tea tree extract, which is often used to help treat acne. This contains about 20 milliliters more of product and costs about $6 less than the Banila balm, so technically you’re getting a better value with this one. But again, they’re both amazing options — figuring out which one you prefer will ultimately be a process of trial and error.
Positive Amazon review: “I have very oily acne prone skin and I love this product. Started double cleansing at night with this and my cleanser and it was a game changer. Less breakouts and it doesn’t clog my pores. Definitely recommend!”
Type: Cleansing balm | Mineral oil free: Yes | Fragrance free: No (but does not contain artificial fragrances]] | Free of added colorants: Yes
Experts:
Dr. Channing Barnett, M.D., board-certified dermatologist and founder of Barnett Dermatology of Boca Raton, FL
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