Cleansing oil for dry skin: how to use one

A cleansing oil for dry skin does one job well: it takes off makeup and sunscreen without the rubbing and foaming that leave dry skin tight. This guide covers the dry-skin details: what to look for, how to rinse, when to skip the second wash and what to put on after. For the general method, see how to double cleanse with an oil cleanser. All three products below are in our cleansers.

Why a cleansing oil suits dry skin

The tight feeling after washing has a cause. A review in Dermatologic Therapy reports that harsh surfactants in cleansers can disturb the skin's proteins and lipids, "leading to after-wash tightness, dryness, barrier damage, irritation, and even itch". The same review says that lipids and humectants in a cleanser help reduce that effect.

An oil cleanser leans on oil, not foam, to loosen makeup. You massage instead of scrub, and an emulsifying formula then rinses away with water. For dry skin, that means less rubbing and less lather.

What to look for in a cleansing oil for dry skin

• It turns milky with water. That shows it has an emulsifier and will rinse off. Plain kitchen-style oils do not: as cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong of Lab Muffin notes, pure oils "don't have built-in soap, so they don't wash off as cleanly".
• It rinses clean without a second scrub. If you have to rub it off with a cloth, it is the wrong formula for dry skin.
• It has something to keep skin comfortable, such as glycerin.
• You know what else is in it. The American Academy of Dermatology advises people with dry skin to choose fragrance-free products and to avoid alcohol. Read the full list before you buy.

Our Oil-to-Milk Cleanser, honestly

Our Oil-to-Milk Cleanser is a rich oil with sunflower seed oil that melts makeup, turns to a silky milk with water and rinses clean, leaving skin soft. Two sugar-based ingredients, sucrose laurate and sucrose palmitate, make the oil-to-milk change. Glycerin keeps skin feeling soft after rinsing. It also has chamomile, sea buckthorn and cloudberry extracts.

It is COSMOS Organic certified by Ecocert Greenlife, vegan, and free of parabens and silicones, in a 5.07 fl oz (150 mL) bottle. It is made for all skin types, including sensitive.

Two things to know if your dry skin is also reactive. It is scented: fruity white flowers with jasmine and sandalwood, from fragrance plus limonene and linalyl acetate. And the ingredient list includes alcohol. Patch test first, or choose a fragrance-free cleanser if you avoid either.

How to use a cleansing oil on dry skin, step by step

1. Evening only. A cleansing oil is for taking the day off. In the morning, dry skin rarely needs it.
2. Do eyes and lips first, with something else. Our oil cleanser should be kept away from the eye area. Sweep a micellar water over lids and lips with a cotton pad.
3. Massage the oil over your face. Ours works on dry or damp skin. Use gentle circles with your fingertips and let the oil do the work.
4. Add a little water. The oil turns to a milk. Keep massaging for a few seconds.
5. Rinse well with lukewarm water. Not hot. Then pat dry with a soft towel; don't rub.
6. Decide on the second cleanse. Skin feels clean and comfortable? Stop. Wore heavy makeup or long-wear sunscreen? Follow with a small amount of a gentle wash.
7. Hydrate within a few minutes. Moisturizing products absorb best on damp skin. Cleveland Clinic's advice is to moisturize within three minutes of washing your face.

A dry-skin evening cleanse, product by product

The micellar water does contain fragrance. Keep it out of the eyes themselves, and rinse with water if it gets in.

Sweep the toner on with a cotton pad or press it in with your hands, avoiding the eyes. It is the first hydrating layer after the oil cleanse, and it is the one product in this routine with no added fragrance.

Mistakes that make dry skin drier

• Hot water. Rinse lukewarm.
• Oil cleansing morning and night. Once, in the evening, is the point.
• A second cleanse out of habit. If one step left your skin clean, a second adds washing your skin did not need.
• Wiping the oil off with a rough cloth. Emulsify with water and rinse.
• Waiting to moisturize. Go straight to toner and cream while skin is damp.

Not sure where cleansing sits in the bigger picture? Our skincare routine steps guide puts every product in order.

Frequently asked questions

Should I apply oil cleanser on dry skin?

If you mean a dry face, not a wet one: many oil cleansers ask for that. Ours works on dry or damp skin. Massage it in, then add a little water so it turns to a milk, and rinse.

What should I do after oil cleansing?

Pat dry and hydrate within a few minutes: toner, serum, then cream. On heavy-makeup days, add a gentle second cleanse before the toner.

Can I use a cleansing oil every day if my skin is dry?

Yes, once a day in the evening, whenever you have worn makeup or sunscreen. If your skin ever feels tight afterwards, drop the second cleanse first.

Do I need a second cleanser after a cleansing oil?

Not always. An oil that emulsifies and rinses clean can be your only cleanse on light days. Add a gentle wash after heavy makeup or long-wear sunscreen.

Will a cleansing oil leave dry skin greasy?

An emulsifying one should not. Ours does not stay an oil: add water and it turns to a milk that rinses off, leaving skin feeling clean and soft.

Can I use the Oil-to-Milk Cleanser on eye makeup?

No. Keep it away from your eyes. Use micellar water on a cotton pad for lids and lashes, then the oil cleanser on the rest of your face.

Sources

Ananthapadmanabhan K.P., Moore D.J., Subramanyan K., Misra M., Meyer F. Cleansing without compromise: the impact of cleansers on the skin barrier and the technology of mild cleansing. Dermatologic Therapy, 2004;17(Suppl 1):16–25.
American Academy of Dermatology. Dermatologists' top tips for relieving dry skin.
American Academy of Dermatology. Face washing 101.
Wong M. Oils for Oil Cleansing: Review. Lab Muffin Beauty Science, 2015.
Cleveland Clinic. What Are Ceramides? Health Essentials, 2025 (advice on moisturizing damp skin).
Product details are taken from the exokiss product pages. This article is general information, not medical advice.