Aisling’s Picks: Five great oil cleansers and one terrible one

Coconut Oil

Yes I know coconut oil is hugely popular at the moment. It’s great as a deep conditioner for hair as it can penetrate the hair strand. It’s also used in almost every craze including oil pulling and if you want to stir it into your coffee, who am I to stop you. But it is a terrible cleanser. It will sit on your skin and block your pores because it does not wash off cleanly. Use it as a moisturiser instead.

Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Oil €29

If you’re a fan of the cleansing balm in this range chances are you’ll like this even more. A good cleansing oil emulsifies and turns milky very quickly once water is applied.This one works for every skin type, even oily and sensitive. Trust me, it removes layers of makeup including full coverage foundation, concealer, powder and heavy eye makeup easily.

Elizabeth Arden Replenishing Ceramide Oil Cleanser €30

What good are all the ceramides, vitamins and botanicals in an oil cleanser? Well essentially they don’t make much of an impact on skin because they’re washed straight off. This however doesn’t mean that the formulation is not improved by their presence and this is an excellent cleanser. It’s easily twice the size of the cheapest offering on my list so it’s well worth buying on a cost per use basis.

Kinvara Absolute Cleansing Oil €19.99

I’m far from perfect and sometimes I’m just too tired to take off my slap after a long day. The morning after this crime against skin I use an ultra rich balm or oil cleanser to soften skin instantly. This offering is not perfect in the emulsification stakes however which lets it down. Some of the oil stays on your skin so it’s not really suitable for oily or combo skin unless you double cleanse with another cleanser afterwards. That doesn’t stop me from using it regularly and if you have sensitive or rosacea prone skin there’s nothing in here that should irritate.

L’Oreal Paris Skin Perfection Cleansing Oil €11.49

So here’s the thing. It’s difficult to find a great cleansing oil from one of the budget brands. They’re often horrible, won’t emulsify properly and will leave you a face full of horrible lumpy pores. That’s why I try things so you don’t have to and I’ve recently recovered from the blasting a cheap oil gave my skin. Thankfully this offering is fine. It doesn’t perform at the level of more expensive brands but it’s grand. Beware, in this category of skincare you really do get what you pay for.

Aisling Loves

Shu Uemura Cleansing Oils from £30

You might think that as I receive so many products for testing and review that I couldn’t possibly need or want any more. Far from it. Once you’re a beauty junkie you need to try it all to feed your obsession. Shu Uemura produced the first oil cleanser and over the years have expanded their oil cleansing stable to include good choices for all skin types including Ultime 8 for dry and mature skin and Porefinist for oily skin. Still the best oil cleanser out there.