The 10 Best Oil-Based Cleansers, Tested & Reviewed

I think we can all agree that while putting on makeup can be fun, taking it off is less so. (Cue the stubborn eye makeup that lingers even after you’ve gotten out of the shower.) When it comes to makeup remover, you’re not in want of options. There’s face wash, bar soap, towelettes, micellar waters and my childhood staple, petroleum jelly. But one of the most effective ways to remove your makeup is using an oil-based cleanser (especially if you wear heavy makeup). Oil-based cleansers dissolve the oil on your face that holds onto your makeup, giving you a more thorough clean. After chatting with NYC-based dermatologist Dr. Ryan Turner and doing extensive testing, I’ve rounded up ten of the best oil-based cleansers, ranging from Burt’s Bees to Drunk Elephant, Kora Organics and The Ordinary. May your face be squeaky clean.

Want more beauty tips sent right to your inbox? Subscribe here.

• Dr. Ryan Turner is a board-certified, New York City-based dermatologist who specializes in cosmetic, general and surgical dermatology, and is the founder of TRNR Skin. Turner is also an assistant professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the former director of dermatologic and laser surgery at Montefiore Medical Center. Dr. Turner received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School.

To cull this list of the 10 best oil-based cleansers, I spoke with Dr. Turner about the features and ingredients he would consider when shopping for one himself. Then, I researched the internet’s most loved products, looking at data from Google Trends and forums to see what people were raving about. Ultimately, I put together a list of 17 oil-based cleansers for consideration, testing 12. Fellow PureWow editors and our testing team evaluated the cleansers based on efficacy, ease of use and scent. Here are our top 10.

Want more beauty tips sent right to your inbox? Subscribe here.

“There’s really no difference between [solid and liquid oil-based cleansers. It really comes down to] user preference,” Dr. Turner explains. He adds that balms are easier to travel with because they are solid, so you avoid the risk of leaks and losing your cleanser at security. Aside from that, he says, “There’s [no difference] in terms of advantages or disadvantages.

That means that all oil-based cleansers function in the same way, by dissolving oil on our skin, which clings to makeup. As Dr. Turner previously cautioned when talking to me about cleansing balms, you should massage the oil-based cleanser into your skin for no more than 30 seconds. Otherwise, you run the risk of drying out your skin.

People with oilier skin should opt for a lighter formulation, preferably something that doesn’t include heavy-hitting plant butters like shea butter. Meanwhile, those with dry skin might benefit from them. Generally, Dr. Turner counsels steering clear of coconut oil, which can clog pores.