Dermalogica Precleanse

This is my absolute favorite cleansing oil, and one of my favorite skin care products overall – a must-have in my cabinet. It’s one of the few products that I can recommend to anyone with 100% confidence.

I consider this Dermalogica’s star product. Precleanse is an oil-based cleanser that is excellent at removing makeup, debris, and excess oil on the face (sebum). It picks up EVERYTHING with very little effort. Heavy makeup or sunscreen melts immediately. It cleans skin super well without drying.

Contrary to what it seems, oil is an excellent way to pick up excess oil and oil-based makeup. This is because oil attracts oil. So in fact, this product is actually great for oily skin.

The oil rinses off easily with water. The formula contains an emulsifier that makes this possible. Otherwise, oil is not soluble in water.

You apply this oil to dry skin and massage it in all over your face. I particularly like how it’s easy to spread and massage into skin. It is a medium-weight oil that provides long-lasting slip so you can massage for a long while before rinsing. It doesn’t dry up with friction like some oils do. The oil is also nourishing on skin.

Then you splash water onto your face and rub. The oil becomes a loose white liquid, which rinses right off. Skin feels super clean and soft afterward. There is no oily residue. You follow this with another cleanser of your choice (a water-based cleanser) for a thorough cleaning.

Best part is that Precleanse works well for any skin type. The medium-weight consistency is very accessible – for the most oily skin to the very driest of skin.

Precleanse is so good it can be used alone, especially when skin is dry or in the winter. But if you want a completely thorough cleanse, use a second cleanser afterward.

See Double Cleanse for a detailed explanation of oil-based vs water-based cleansing.