Erno Laszlo Hydra-Therapy Cleansing Oil for oily skin
Jojoba Seed Oil
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil Grape Seed Oil
Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil
Tocopherol
Beta-Carotene
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily skin; other pre-cleansers 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 jojoba seed oil effectively dissolve makeup and impurities, though it lacks sufficient ingredients for strong seboregulation to reduce oily shine.
- Grape seed oil and sunflower seed oil provide emollient action and general hydration, which are supportive but not primary benefits for your oily skin concerns.
- The product is safe for your skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing oils like jojoba and sunflower seed oil.
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
★4.7Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsUsers with dry, mature, or sensitive skin frequently praise this oil for its ability to deeply cleanse without stripping natural moisture, often describing a "soft" and "plump" post-wash feel. It is widely celebrated as the essential first step in a double-cleansing ritual, effectively dissolving makeup and surface impurities while improving overall skin texture and hydration.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “saved my dry winter skin”
- “leaves face feeling plump and moisturized”
- “non-drying formula”
Double cleanse synergy Often Mentioned
- “best partner for the sea mud soap”
- “essential first step”
- “completes the ritual perfectly”
Effective makeup remover Often Mentioned
- “melts away foundation instantly”
- “removes waterproof mascara”
- “clears pores effectively”
Luxurious texture Sometimes Noted
- “feels like a spa treatment”
- “silky and lightweight”
- “glides effortlessly on skin”
Hard to rinse Sometimes Noted
- “leaves a film if not washed off with soap”
- “hard to rinse clean”
- “requires a second cleanse”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “pricey for a face wash”
- “wish it was cheaper”
- “luxury splurge item”
Strong fragrance Rarely Noted
- “smell is too strong”
- “has a retro floral scent”
- “fragrance lingered too long”
Thick consistency Rarely Noted
- “texture is very thick”
- “feels a bit heavy”
- “dragged on my skin”
Sources: lovi.care, ernolaszlo.com, bloomingdales.com, lovelyskin.com, walmart.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Erno Laszlo Hydra-Therapy Cleansing Oil work for oily skin?
This cleansing oil works moderately well for oily skin because jojoba seed oil and grape seed oil effectively dissolve makeup, though it lacks ingredients to reduce oily shine. It is safe and unlikely to cause irritation, but a product for this skin type needs oil-controlling ingredients to manage shine.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
Jojoba seed oil and grape seed oil help dissolve makeup and impurities while providing gentle hydration. However, because this cleanser lacks oil-controlling ingredients to reduce shiny skin, oily skin needs a product that includes mattifying ingredients to balance excess oil.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin, 2012Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024
What does Jojoba Seed Oil do for oily skin?
Jojoba seed oil helps balance oily skin by providing lightweight moisture that is unlikely to clog pores. It may also calm redness and soothe irritation thanks to its natural soothing properties.
Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2024Giornale Italiano Di Dermatologia E Venereologia, 2013
What does Grape Seed Oil do for oily skin?
Grape seed oil feels light on oily skin and is unlikely to clog pores while adding gentle moisture. It helps keep your skin soft and smooth without feeling heavy or greasy.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser, or as a weekly step before cleansing. It is safe for oily skin and dissolves makeup well, but because it lacks ingredients to control oily shine, an oily skin routine also needs oil-balancing ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your routine, but since it is an average fit for your oily skin, it needs ingredients that help balance oil and reduce shine. It is unlikely to irritate your skin when used alongside retinol.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening to take off makeup or as the first step of a weekly routine. It is safe for your skin and unlikely to cause irritation, but oily skin needs ingredients that help control shine.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause irritation on oily skin, but it provides only a moderate fit because it lacks the ingredients needed to control oily shine and keep pores clear. Oily skin of this type needs a makeup remover with lightweight oils and strong oil-balancing ingredients to prevent clogged pores.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Topical 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, 2024Clay 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 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, 2025Nanolipidgel formulations with argan or jojoba oil and humectants demonstrate good sensory attributes, instrumental properties, and moisturizing efficacy for cosmetic application.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2014Grapeseed oil-loaded dermocosmetic nanoemulgel applied on the cheeks of healthy volunteers significantly reduced skin melanin, erythema, sebum production, and pores while increasing moisture and elasticity compared to a placebo.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical treatment with cranberry oil and grape oil improved wound healing in rats, with cranberry oil showing an 88.1% wound area reduction and grape oil showing 84.6% compared to 74.1% in controls and 78.4% in the mupirocin standard group on day 13.
Phytotherapy Research, 2011An ionic liquid-based grapeseed oil emulsion increased transdermal penetration by 4.63-fold and improved skin hydration, firmness, elasticity, and facial wrinkles after 28 days of continuous use compared to ordinary emulsion.
Pharmaceuticals, 2024Topical 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, 2013Topical 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, 2024Topical beta-carotene provided protection for the human skin of healthy volunteers against IR radiation by acting as a superficial antioxidant, though dermal carotenoid degradation was significantly higher for standard infrared radiator than for water filter infrared irradiation.
Experimental Dermatology, 2011Pre-treatment with beta-carotene at 1.5 microM modulated UVA-induced gene regulation in HaCaT human keratinocytes through multiple mechanisms not restricted to singlet oxygen quenching, reducing the effect for 143 genes and enhancing it for 180 out of 568 UVA-regulated genes.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2005Alginate hydrogel dressings co-loaded with cinnamon-mediated silver nanoparticles, beta-carotene nanocarriers, and Centella asiatica extract demonstrated antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli over a 24-h period while mitigating silver-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in human keratinocyte cells.
Gels, 2025
Ingredients
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Jojoba Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil Grape Seed Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil Apricot Kernel Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract Carrot Root Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil Carrot Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Extract, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Beta-Carotene
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
How does it fit your skin?
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