I’ve become a huge fan of the 10-step Korean skincare routine, which starts off with a makeup remover or cleansing oil, so I’m sharing the best Korean cleansing oils to add to your skincare lineup.
If you’re not double cleansing, this is your sign to start incorporating it into your everyday skincare routine. Starting with an oil cleanser helps remove and draw out any oil-based impurities like your makeup, SPF, or pollution.
I like that it starts off oily, and then once you add water, it emulsifies into a regular cleanser. It’s always recommended to use cleansing oils with one of the following: macadamia, grape seed, or jojoba oil.
Cleansing oils also work great on all skin types, from oily to acne-prone skin to sensitive skin to dry skin.
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Shop the best Korean cleansing oils below:
10 Best Korean Cleansing Oils
1. Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil
I had to start off with one of my all-time favorites, the Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil—it’s super gentle and effective, making it perfect for sensitive skin.
I love that this Deep Cleansing Oil is made with a hypoallergenic formula and packed with oils to cleanse, moisturize, and protect.
Black sesame oil is the star ingredient in this cleansing oil because it’s antioxidant-rich and has anti-inflammatory properties.
The Gentle Black Oil also has jojoba oil to help moisturize and hydrate dry skin.
All you have to do is apply this Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil to your dry face. You really can’t go wrong with Klairs products because they’re affordable and high quality.
2. Shiseido Perfect Cleansing Oil
The Shiseido Perfect Cleansing Oil is lightweight and effectively removes any makeup or SPF sitting on your face—it even works on waterproof products.
I like that this Perfect Cleansing Oil works well on dry and wet skin and doesn’t leave any greasy residue after cleansing, so your skin looks naturally dewy.
You don’t need to rub in the product harshly because it easily lathers on the face.
The Perfect Oil is lightly fragranced, so you don’t need to worry about any headaches or skin irritations, and it doesn’t leave any filmy or cloudy residue when you use the cleansing oil around your eyes.
3. Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil Makeup Remover
The Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil Makeup Remover is another great option, though it is on the pricier side.
I love the main ingredients in this makeup remover, like the tangerine peel extract and apricot kernel oil.
The tangerine peel helps remove impurities, and the apricot kernel oil helps with nurturing the skin—this works well on sensitive and dry skin, removing all your makeup and SPF.
Using this Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil with the Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam to get the best results.
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4. Hanskin Pore Cleansing Oil [PHA]
The Hanskin Pore Cleansing Oil [PHA] is a Korean favorite because it removes makeup and impurities and lightly exfoliates your skin.
This Pore Oil is formulated with polyhydroxy acids (PHAs) to remove any dead skin cells and keep the blackheads away.
The PHAs are also safe to use on sensitive skin daily—this Pore Cleansing Oil is also made with tea tree leaf oil and jojoba oil.
All these ingredients work together to clear your skin while also hydrating it to prevent dryness.
After a few uses, you’ll notice a huge improvement in your complexion and overall youthfulness.
5. Neogen Dermalogy Calming Cica Micellar Cleansing Oil
The Neogen Dermalogy Calming Cica Micellar Cleansing Oil is a lightweight cleanser that removes all traces of makeup and grime.
This Calming Micellar Oil is formulated with Centella Asiatica, tea tree extracts, and Azulene to soothe the skin.
Since the Dermalogy Cleansing Oil has LHA ingredients, it targets the sebum and pores on your face.
The texture at first is very watery, but as soon as you add some water, it becomes more sticky to clean out your pores.
Once you rinse, the Calming Cica Oil leaves your skin soft and hydrated—it’s also lightly fragranced, making it a great cleansing option for sensitive skin.
6. The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Light Cleansing Oil
I love the Face Shop and a lot of its products, especially the Rice Water Bright Cleansing Oil.
The Rice Water Oil is loaded with vitamins A, B, and E that brighten and nourish dry skin.
This Light Cleansing Oil also helps with removing any impurities while leaving the skin soft and toned—it works really well at removing makeup and moisturizing the skin.
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7. Tonymoly Wonder Apricot Seed Deep Cleansing Oil
This Tonymoly Wonder Apricot Seed Deep Cleansing Oil is formulated to remove even the heaviest and long-lasting makeup.
The oil breaks down all the layers of product on your skin to help your face feel extra clean and works on all skin types.
This Wonder Deep Cleansing Oil has a unique formula that emulsifies as soon as it’s in contact with water.
The apricot seed oil works amazingly at removing pore-clogging impurities—all you need is two to three pumps, and your skin will feel clean in no time.
8. Skinfood Black Sugar Perfect Cleansing Oil
The Skinfood Black Sugar Perfect Cleansing Oil is rich in mineral black sugar, refined rice wine, and botanical oils to help remove makeup.
I love that the black sugar extract and rice wine help nourish and clear the skin—the fruit extracts provide natural exfoliation to smooth skin texture and soften the skin.
The refined rice wine in this Black Sugar Oil also helps with anti-aging, so you get all the skincare benefits.
9. Nature Republic Forest Garden Chamomile Cleansing Oil
Nature Republic is another popular Korean skincare brand known for its amazing beauty products.
The Forest Garden Chamomile Cleansing Oil removes makeup and dead skin cells, moisturizes, and improves skin texture.
I love that the Forest Garden Oil is made with chamomile flower water, which helps protect the skin from external stimuli and stress.
The scent is light and subtle, leaving a lingering smell throughout the day—I’m obsessed with this Chamomile Cleansing Oil and how well it works.
10. ETUDE HOUSE Real Art Moisture Cleansing Oil
Last up is the ETUDE HOUSE Real Art Moisture Cleansing Oil, which is effective and affordable.
You’ll find coconut oil, grape seed oil, and apricot oil that cleanses away any makeup and removes all your dead skin cells.
This Moisture Cleansing Oil has a slightly stronger fragrance, so those with sensitive skin should be careful.
Those were all my favorite Korean cleansing oils I recommend adding to your skincare routine!
If you have any other recommendations or decide to add any of these to your lineup, be sure to tag me on Insta (@wtfab)!
Shop my picks for the best Korean cleansing oils by clicking the images below:
Find more beauty inspo and recommendations here.
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The 10 Best Korean Moisturizers You Need to Try
FAQs
The best Korean cleansing oils are:
– Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil
– Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil Makeup Remover
– Hanskin Pore Cleansing Oil [PHA]
The best Korean cleansing oil brands are:
– Klairs
– Neogen
– The Face Shop
Double cleansing helps to cleanse the skin by thoroughly removing any makeup or impurities.
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
