DHC Cleansing Oil Review

DHC Cleansing Oil is an oil cleanser that gently but thoroughly washes the day from your face, leaving skin clean, refreshed and radiant. 

You might have already heard of DHC Cleansing Oil. It’s so popular that according to the company, at one point they were selling 1 bottle every 10 seconds. That’s amazing isn’t it?

This oil cleanser is a holy grail product for a lot of people, including me! Still have doubts? Let’s break down what the product is about.

What is DHC Cleansing Oil?

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is considered the original Japanese first step oil cleanser — this means it’s used in the first step (i.e., oil based cleanser stage) of a double cleanse routine. 

According to DHC, this “100% organic olive-oil based formulation works on the scientific premise that like attracts like.” 

So as a first cleanser, it binds, breaks down and melts away make-up (even waterproof mascara and lipstick),  waterproof sunscreen, sebum and other impurities that water-based cleansers might not effectively remove.

And it does all these without clogging pores.

And because of its water-soluble formula, this oil cleanser rinses away with no oily residue, greasy or tacky feeling on the skin.

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil ingredients

Their impressive formula is surprisingly simple too. Its main ingredients are:

• Organic olive oil
• Rosemary leaf oil and
• Tocopherol (vitamin E)

These ingredients are rich in antioxidants that help maintain skin’s moisture barrier and help fight free-radical damage, i.e., accelerated skin aging caused by common free radical triggers like UV rays, pollution, cigarette smoke, and environmental toxins.

The short, full ingredient list is below (source):

Olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, sorbeth-30 tetraoleate, pentylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, tocopherol, stearyl glycyrrhetinate, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil

Other things to know

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• Packaging. This product comes in many sizes (including travel sizes) but most commonly in a 200-ml plastic bottle with a pump.

• Is DHC Cleansing Oil fragrance free? Yes, this product is fragrance and colorant-free. It does subtly smell of oil, it’s an oil cleanser after all! It’s also paraben-free with no mineral oil or petroleum-based surfactants.

• Texture and Consistency. The cleanser comes out naturally golden-hued from the bottle and feels like rubbing baby oil on your face. It spreads smoothly and evenly.

• Does it emulsify? Yes, DHC Deep Cleansing Oil emulsifies. What this means is the product turns milky when a little bit of water is applied. This action not only helps lift off impurities, it also makes the cleanser easier to rinse off.  

• Is DHC Cleansing Oil good for dry or acne-prone skin? This cleanser is recommended for all skin types. It leaves skin clean, soft and hydrated after cleansing. And it cleanses without clogging pores. It’s so gentle you can even use it even if you have eyelash extensions on (which I often have).

How to use DHC Cleansing Oil

DHC Oil Cleanser is my first cleanser at night. 

I dispense 1 full pump into my dry hands and gently massage it all over my dry face. Usually that’s enough but sometimes when I feel like I need more, I simply get more product.

As soon as I massage the oil on my skin, I can literally see the day melting away my face. This is especially true if I wore make up that day. 

I try to get into every nook and cranny (side of my nose, side of my forehead, under my chin) and after about 1 minute, I rinse with water.

What I like about DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

• Fragrance-free. As always, fragrance-free skincare products score big points for me. I’ve used other cleansing oils and cleansing balms that are overwhelmingly perfumed it wasn’t a pleasant experience at all.

• Deep clean. You can just tell that this facial cleansing oil provides a deep clean. As soon as you rinse it off, your skin feels clean and looks brighter. It’s an effective make-up remover as well.

• Not drying. And it cleanses without ever drying your face. Unlike other cleansers that leave your skin tight and dry, DHC Cleansing Oil leaves your skin smooth, hydrated and plump.

• Non irritating. It’s gentle and non-irritating too. Other oil cleansers tend to clog pores that can lead to breakouts. It doesn’t sting when you get the product on your eyes either.

What I don’t like about it

There’s really nothing to not like about this product. It does its job and does it really well. It’s best-selling, holy grail, cult-status and award-winning for a reason.

This is the oil cleanser other oil cleansers want to be! 

Do I recommend DHC Oil Cleanser?

No surprises here. In a rating scale of 1 to 5 — 5 being awesome — this product is a 5 for me.

When I was building my basic skincare routine, doing a double cleanse and using this product as my first cleanser was a complete game changer. 

My skin feels cleaner, brighter, smoother. Never tight or dry. It preps my skin for the rest of my skincare regimen.

I also got my battle with adult acne under control when I started using this product. And this oil cleanser has not irritated my sensitive skin at all.

And I use it every night, whatever the season. I love it! 

So if you’re looking to start a double cleansing routine, I highly recommend DHC Deep Cleansing Oil as your first cleanser.

You can buy it from Amazon by clicking this link > DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

As always, remember that every person’s skin and skin type is different so what might work for me might not work for you, and vice versa.

So before trying a new product, it pays to do a little bit of research first. Pay special attention to ingredients that you might have a reaction to.

And doing a patch-test is always a good idea. Unsure? Best to consult your dermatologist.

And practice good skincare habits always.

Happy skin experimenting!

Have you tried DHC Oil Cleanser? Did it work for you? Will you recommend it? Would love to hear from you in the comments section below!

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