Like many people, my skincare is ever-evolving. While I have some staples I use time and time again, I still like to try different brands and formulas, and even new steps I previously didn’t have in my routine.
I’ve loved La Mer’s products for a while, and I even tried their lip balm for the first time earlier this year. They’re a luxury brand that makes high-performance skincare products from the sea (hence, the name). I was very excited, then, to try La Mer’s The Cleansing Oil as an alternative to my nighttime face wash.
Why use a cleansing oil?
Cleansing oils usually use multiple different lightweight oils to clean the skin without stripping away hydration. Rather than traditional soaps or detergents, oil-based face washes protect the skin’s natural lipid layer, the good bacteria that live there, and the moisture barrier.
Unlike traditional cleansers, you apply oil cleansers to dry skin so they pick up dirt, makeup, and oil. Yes, even oily skin types benefit from oil-based cleansers because oil breaks down oil as well as tough makeup. Most makeup removers use oil because it lifts oil-free, oil-based, and waterproof formulas.
After being massaged into dry skin, combine the oil face wash with water to emulsify it into a lather and wash it away with lukewarm water. If you have dry or normal skin, you can use just an oil cleanser to wash your face before continuing with the rest of your skincare routine. If you have oily or combination skin, however, you can still double-cleanse after using an oil cleanser.
An oil cleanser’s purpose is to effectively remove dirt and makeup while hydrating the skin. Because of that, it’s best used at night, followed by a regular face wash in the morning.
What is this product?
La Mer’s The Cleansing Oil uses a combination of marine oils and pearl powders to detoxify the skin, wash away dirt, makeup, and impurities, and leave the skin soft, smooth, soothed, hydrated, and ready for further treatments.
This oil uses La Mer’s Miracle Broth, which is made from nutrient and moisture-infusing Giant Sea Kelp from the waters off Vancouver Island. Every new batch of Miracle Broth includes a few drops of the broth from the previous batch. The Cleansing Oil also uses special water molecules that help deliver ingredients to, and below, the skin’s surface.
This formula also contains sesame seed oil, grapeseed oil, and squalane. The oils help moisturize the skin while preventing water loss, and squalane (the hydrogenated form of squalene) acts like the skin’s natural lipids to help protect the skin’s barrier and seal in moisture.
Squalene makes up about 13% of the skin’s sebum, but it’s unstable and prone to oxidation. Squalane, then, is clear with no scent and absorbs easily without leaving any residue.
How to use it
Gently shake this bottle to blend the oils with the white pear powders as they shimmer and swirl. Pump once into a dry palm, then rub it all over the face and neck. Massage into the dry skin—allowing it to break down all the makeup, dirt, and oil from the day—then add a bit of water and watch as it transforms into a milky fluid before washing everything away.
Cons
Unlike how I typically review my skincare products, I’m going to start with the cons because there are few to name.
Firstly, this wash may irritate your eyes. It won’t irritate your skin, but if it gets into your eyes, it might hurt a little bit.
I mitigate this by being very careful around my eye area. I use this cleanser over my whole face and neck first, then use the residual oil on my fingers to carefully rub my lashes and any other eye makeup away right before I rinse. When I follow this order, I don’t have any issues with this cleanser affecting my eyes.
Secondly, this formula does have a distinct smell. I like the way it smells as it’s not overpowering and washes away, but some people may not enjoy it. It has an earthy, floral, and almost linseed-like scent.
Finally, this cleansing oil is expensive. It’s not the most expensive La Mer item, but nothing from La Mer is “cheap.” However, you only need one pump of this cleanser per use, and if you only need it at night, that’s only one pump per day. After a couple of months, I’ve barely made a dent in my bottle.
Pros
There are a lot of things I like about this cleansing oil.
Firstly, and probably most importantly, this oil works well. It efficiently breaks down makeup and removes everything from the day stuck to my skin—even my SPF lotions!—all without drying it out. This is especially wonderful during these winter months when my skin tends to be more dry and flaky than normal.
I also love that I don’t need to use a lot to get the results I want. As I mentioned in the cons, you only need one pump to get everything off your face and neck.
This oil works so well at removing excess oil and not drying out the skin that it’s also perfect for any skin type, from sensitive and dry to finicky and acne-prone to oily or combination.
And speaking of being good for acne, this cleansing oil is a game-changer for breakouts. While I don’t typically deal with lots of blemishes, I’m not immune to the occasional breakout or patch of blackheads. This wash removes oil that gets stuck to/under my skin, and my face is soft, pimple-free, and even bouncy.
I let my friend try this oil, and she ended up buying her own after a week. She also deals with the occasional breakout, and she said if she popped any the scabbing would be gone after just a few days, rather than the typical week or more.
As well as working well, I adore how this cleanser looks. It’s a gorgeous blue shade, and the pearl pigments swirl and glimmer in a way that makes this a perfect addition to a bathroom countertop, rather than shoved away in a drawer, which I find makes it easier to use as well.
This cleansing oil makes my skin feel so soft, smooth, and never tight, it’s one of my new favorites for sure.
Alternatives
If you want to try out a cleansing oil but this one still doesn’t seem right to you, there are some other options.
If you’re having trouble with tough makeup but you already are using La Mer’s The Cleansing Oil, you don’t need to switch away. Start your evening routine first with La Mer’s The Cleansing Micellar Water to remove stubborn waterproof eye formulas and pull up the first layer of makeup, then follow it with the cleansing oil. Trust me, it works wonders.
If you’re interested in the cleansing oil but you’re not sure if a cleansing oil is right for you, try out La Mer’s The Cleansing Gel first. It’s a foaming gel that helps wash away oil and impurities.
If you want other cleansing oil options, I’d also recommend Shiseido’s Perfect Cleansing Oil (although it uses fragrance), Palmer’s Skin Therapy Cleansing Oil (it can leave some residue), Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil (although it could irritate sensitive skin).
Conclusion
At the end of the day, I’d recommend La Mer’s The Cleansing Oil to anyone interested in incorporating a luxurious cleansing oil into their routine. It’s efficient in removing makeup and oil from the skin without drying it out, and it creates a soft and illuminated complexion.
For questions, concerns, or article ideas, feel free to reach out to our eCosmetics Beauty Editor directly at beauty@ecosmetics.com
