Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm for oily skin
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Tocopherol
Low
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for oily skin; the pre-cleansers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate suitability for your oily skin as ethylhexyl palmitate and carthamus tinctorius seed oil provide emollient action, though it lacks significant seboregulating ingredients to address oily shine.
- The formula offers general cleansing benefits and moderate makeup removal, but it does not contain targeted ingredients to manage your oily shine concerns.
How to apply
- Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine. Start 3×/week and increase to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. It prepares your skin by melting away excess oil and makeup.
- Gently press a small amount onto your dry skin using your fingertips. Massage softly and avoid harsh rubbing to protect your pores.
- Apply this product on dry skin to effectively break down heavy makeup and surface oil. Massage it gently before washing it off with water.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin feels comfortable.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 9.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleansing balm is highly effective at removing all types of makeup and sunscreen, leaving skin feeling soft and nourished. It is frequently praised for its gentle, fragrance-free formula, making it suitable for sensitive and dry skin types. Some users report temporary blurry vision after use, and a moderate number find the price point high. A small number of users experienced breakouts or disliked the packaging and scent.
Highlights
Melts makeup Mostly Mentioned
- “Melts waterproof mascara”
- “Dissolves long-wear foundation”
- “Removes glitter easily”
- “Breaks down sunscreen”
Fragrance-free Often Mentioned
- “No strong scent”
- “Good for sensitive noses”
- “No perfume irritation”
- “Clean ingredient list”
Gentle formula Often Mentioned
- “No stinging eyes”
- “Safe for sensitive skin”
- “Doesn't irritate contacts”
Non-drying finish Often Mentioned
- “Leaves skin soft”
- “Face feels nourished”
- “No tight feeling”
- “Hydrating for dry patches”
Luxurious texture Sometimes Noted
- “Silky balm-to-oil”
- “Spreads easily”
- “Little goes a long way”
- “Satisfying melt”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “Expensive for cleanser”
- “Pricey for the amount”
- “Not budget-friendly”
- “Costly daily staple”
Temporary blurry vision Sometimes Noted
- “Blurry vision after use”
- “Cloudy film on eyes”
- “Oily film on contacts”
- “Foggy sight for minutes”
Causes breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused cystic acne”
- “Clogged my pores”
- “Triggered breakouts”
- “Too heavy for oily skin”
Jar packaging Rarely Noted
- “Unhygienic tub”
- “Hate dipping fingers”
- “Hard to open lid”
- “Messy to scoop”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Smells like old oil”
- “Scent like plastic/wax”
- “Smells like dirty socks”
- “Odd chemical smell”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, clinique.com, walmart.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm a weak match for oily skin?
This cleansing balm is a weak match for your oily skin because it relies on rich oils and softening ingredients that can make excess oiliness or clogged pores more likely. A makeup remover for oily skin needs ingredients that help control oil shine.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for oily skin?
Ethylhexyl palmitate and carthamus tinctorius seed oil make this cleanser a weak match for oily skin because their rich, softening action adds extra oiliness and lacks oil-controlling benefits. A makeup remover for oily skin needs oil-controlling ingredients to manage shine.
What does Ethylhexyl Palmitate do for oily skin?
Ethylhexyl Palmitate is an isopropyl ester, which is a known pore-clogging ingredient that is likely to cause breakouts on oily skin. Oily skin needs non-clogging, lightweight ingredients like precipitated sulfur or carmine to keep pores clear and calm.
What does Safflower Seed Oil do for oily skin?
Safflower seed oil is a poor fit for oily skin because it tends to clog pores and feel heavy. A product for oily skin needs lightweight, balancing ingredients that control excess shine without trapping oil.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser to help melt away makeup. Because it is a weak match for oily skin, an ideal product for this skin type needs oil-balancing and shine-controlling ingredients to manage excess oil.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser and retinol treatment, as it helps wash away makeup and impurities. However, because it lacks oil-controlling ingredients, oily skin types need a cleanser and a lightweight moisturizer with oil-balancing ingredients to keep shine under control.
How often should I use it?
This product is a weak match for oily skin because it lacks oil-controlling ingredients, meaning an oily skin routine needs ingredients that help balance shine.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
Yes, this cleanser may cause breakouts for oily skin since some reviewers report this issue. A product of this type needs targeted oil-controlling and pore-clearing ingredients to properly manage oily skin concerns.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Safflower oil body-human epidermal growth factor microgel emulsions mixed with xanthan gum enhance transdermal absorption, regulate inflammation, accelerate angiogenesis, and promote re-epithelialization and remodeling in full-layer skin wounds in rats.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2022Topical application of an emollient emulsion containing 15.0% caprylic/capric triglyceride doubled the amount of urocanic acid isomers and increased skin hydration with reduced transepidermal water loss in healthy subjects, though it did not prevent ultraviolet-induced urocanic acid isomerization.
Life, 2023Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Polyethylene, Peg-5 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Water, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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