Erno Laszlo Phelityl Pre-Cleansing Oil for combination skin

Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil Apricot Kernel Oil
Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil
Jojoba Seed Oil
Tocopheryl Acetate
Low
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for combination skin; the pre-cleansers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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
- This cleansing oil offers excellent makeup removal for your combination skin, effectively dissolving impurities with mineral oil and apricot kernel oil, though these emollients may not sufficiently balance oilier areas.
- While Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil and Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil provide some emollient benefits, they may not be ideal for managing your oily shine.
How to apply
- Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine to clear away excess oil.
- Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser to effectively break down heavy makeup and dirt.
- Gently wipe the makeup remover across your face using a soft cotton pad, avoiding harsh rubbing.
- Use the makeup remover on completely dry skin to help dissolve surface oils and impurities best.
- Avoid direct contact with the eyes while using this makeup remover.
People Say
★4.8Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsThis pre-cleansing oil is highly praised for its ability to effectively remove heavy makeup and dissolve impurities without stripping the skin's natural moisture, leaving it feeling soft and plump. It is particularly favored by those with dry or mature skin, contributing to a desirable glow. While many appreciate its performance as the first step in a double-cleansing routine, some users find the process to be time-consuming.
Highlights
Effective makeup remover Mostly Mentioned
- “Dissolves dirt and debris”
- “removes stubborn waterproof mascara”
- “breaks down makeup easily.”
Deeply moisturizing Often Mentioned
- “Infuses skin with moisture”
- “skin did not feel dry after use”
- “best moisturizer I have ever used.”
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “Skin felt softer & smoother”
- “refined and I look younger”
- “leaves skin fresh and plump.”
Expensive price point Often Mentioned
- “Pricey”
- “expensive but worth it.”
Gentle and soothing Sometimes Noted
- “Product application felt gentle”
- “soothing essential oils”
- “smells lovely and spa-like.”
Long-lasting product Sometimes Noted
- “Product really lasts a long time”
- “bottle lasts for months”
- “good value despite price.”
Requires second step Sometimes Noted
- “Needs a triple cleanse to get off”
- “meant to be used with the bar”
- “hard to remove alone.”
Heavy oily texture Rarely Noted
- “Thick and viscous”
- “unpleasant oily feel”
- “heavy on the skin.”
Packaging concerns Rarely Noted
- “Plastic bottle feels cheap”
- “wish it was glass”
- “leaked in shipping.”
Sources: lovi.care, ernolaszlo.com, lovelyskin.com, lookfantastic.com, amazon.com, dermstore.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Erno Laszlo Phelityl Pre-Cleansing Oil a weak match for combination skin?
This cleansing oil is a weak match for your combination skin because its heavier oils may not sufficiently balance your oily shine. A makeup remover for this skin needs soothing and nourishing ingredients that hydrate well without irritation, along with light plant oils or hyaluronic acid to balance both dry and oily areas.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for combination skin?
This cleansing oil is a weak match for combination skin because its heavy mineral oil and apricot kernel oil may not sufficiently balance your oilier areas. A product of this type needs soothing and nourishing ingredients that pose no risk of irritation, effectively cleanse while providing excellent hydration, and contain no allergens.
What does Safflower Seed Oil do for combination skin?
Safflower seed oil helps keep combination skin smooth and may help protect against early aging from sun exposure. This oil is a poor fit for combination skin because it lacks the lightweight hydration and balanced oil control that this skin type needs.
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2020International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2017
What does Apricot Kernel Oil do for combination skin?
Apricot Kernel Oil helps nourish dry areas while keeping oily spots balanced, leaving your skin soft and smooth. Plant oils like this one are unlikely to cause irritation and aid in skin barrier repair, making them great for mixed skin types.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2017International Journal of Toxicology, 2007
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before a regular cleanser, but because it is a weak match for combination skin, it may not sufficiently balance oilier areas. A cleansing product for this skin needs lighter, balancing ingredients that clear away makeup without adding extra oils to shiny zones.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
This cleansing oil is a weak match for your combination skin because its heavy oils may not sufficiently balance your oily shine. Combination skin needs a gentle makeup remover that dissolves impurities without adding extra weight to oily zones. If you use it in your routine, apply it before your cleanser and keep retinol for your treatment step.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This cleansing oil is a weak match for combination skin because its heavy oils may not balance your oily areas well, so a product of this type needs lighter hydrators and balancing ingredients to keep your skin smooth. You can use it as a makeup remover in your evening routine when taking off cosmetics.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cleansing oil may clog pores and cause breakouts for combination skin because its heavy oils can overwhelm oilier areas and fail to balance shine. A product for this skin needs lighter, balancing ingredients that clear away impurities without adding excess weight.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, benzyl alcohol, benzyl salicylate, citral, citronellol, coumarin, eugenol, geraniol, isoeugenol, limonene, and linalool).
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 cream containing saffron extract and avocado oil improved wrinkle grading, reduced nasolabial fold area and volume, and increased skin elasticity in twenty healthy volunteers over 12 weeks without allergic reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical treatment with SSFAO 50% or avocado oil increased wound contraction, reepithelialization, collagen density, and tensile strength while showing anti-inflammatory activity compared to petroleum jelly in rats.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013Clay jojoba oil facial masks reduced total skin lesions by a mean of 54% after 6 weeks in 133 participants with acne-prone, lesioned skin and mild acne compared to baseline.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Topical application of jojoba wax reduced LPS-induced secretion of IL-6, IL-8, and TNFα by approximately 30% and increased the synthesis of pro-collagen III and hyaluronic acid compared to untreated skin in an ex-vivo human skin organ culture model.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Topical jojoba oil application in male mice decreased exercise-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression (Il-1b and Il-6 in soleus, Il-1b in gastrocnemius) compared to untreated exercised mice.
Biomolecules, 2025Topical 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
Paraffinum Liquidum Mineral Oil Huile Minerale Mineral Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Parfum, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil Apricot Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Oil Flower, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil Grape Seed Oil, Corylus Americana Seed Oil Corylus Avellana Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Aleurites Moluccana Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Taraktogenos Kurzii Seed Oil, Bht, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Bisabolol, Ci 40800 Beta-Carotene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool
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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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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