Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil for oily acne-prone skin
Squalane
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Lavender Essential Oil
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Tocopherol
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for oily acne-prone skin; other pre-cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily acne-prone skin: shine, breakouts, blemishes, and enlarged pores. 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 Caprylic Capric Triglyceride effectively cleanse without harshness, though Squalane and Evening Primrose Oil provide hydration that is less relevant for your acne concerns.
- The formula includes Lavender Oil and Rosemary Oil, which offer soothing benefits, but lacks targeted ingredients to address your specific concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine to clear away impurities. Start by using it 3×/week before working up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. Follow it with your usual cleansing steps to ensure all residue is thoroughly washed away.
- Gently press a small amount of the makeup remover onto your face using soft cotton pads. Avoid harsh rubbing to prevent irritating your blemishes and active breakouts.
- Apply the makeup remover on completely dry skin to effectively break down excess oil and makeup. Clean away thoroughly before moving on to the next skincare steps .
- Do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsThis lightweight cleansing oil is widely praised for its ability to emulsify into a milk that effectively dissolves stubborn makeup without stripping the skin, leaving it soft and hydrated. While most users with dry or combination skin enjoy the spa-like lavender scent and non-greasy finish, a minority experience eye irritation (blurriness) or breakouts.
Highlights
Effective makeup removal Mostly Mentioned
- “dissolves stubborn mascara”
- “removes all traces of foundation”
- “melts away dirt and makeup”
- “takes off waterproof makeup easily”
Hydrating & non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft and replenished”
- “doesn't over-dry my face”
- “skin feels hydrated after rinsing”
- “no tight feeling”
Pleasant sensory experience Often Mentioned
- “smells like a spa”
- “relaxing lavender scent”
- “soothing aroma for bedtime”
- “smells divine”
Lightweight texture Sometimes Noted
- “lightweight oil texture”
- “emulsifies to a gentle milk”
- “rinses clean without residue”
- “not heavy or greasy”
Eye irritation Sometimes Noted
- “blurs my vision for minutes”
- “stings my eyes”
- “cloudy vision after use”
- “irritates sensitive eyes”
Price point Rarely Noted
- “a bit pricey”
- “expensive for a face wash”
- “pricey splurge”
- “wish it was cheaper”
Scent dislike Rarely Noted
- “smell is too strong”
- “smells rancid to me”
- “weird botanical odor”
- “overpowering lavender”
Skin reactions Rarely Noted
- “caused cystic acne”
- “broke me out”
- “clogged my pores”
- “caused tiny bumps”
Sources: lovi.care, kiehls.com, boots.com, lookfantastic.com, ulta.com, sephora.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil work for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, as it cleans gently without harshness, though its oils and squalane provide extra hydration that your skin does not need. It has a good safety profile and includes soothing plant oils, but it lacks ingredients to target breakouts and blemishes. A makeup remover for this skin needs to control oil and minimize breakouts without heavier components that can clog pores.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Ethylhexyl Palmitate and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride help this cleanser fit your oily skin by gently cleaning without harshness, while Lavender Oil and Rosemary Oil add soothing benefits. A cleanser for this skin needs ingredients that control oil and help minimize breakouts.
What does Squalane do for oily acne-prone skin?
Squalane may help keep oily skin soft and smooth, but oxidized squalene can trigger inflammation in acne-prone skin. Because of this, oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-greasy ingredients that balance moisture without clogging pores.
What does Evening Primrose Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Evening primrose oil is unlikely to be the best match for oily acne-prone skin on its own, as heavier oils can sometimes clog pores. Oily acne-prone skin typically needs lighter, balancing ingredients that clear pores and control excess shine without feeling heavy.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser, as it is designed to melt away makeup without irritating oily skin. Because it lacks targeted ingredients for breakouts, oily acne-prone skin needs a makeup remover that also contains clearing ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help manage blemishes.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening before your cleanser as part of your routine when using retinol, though a product of this type for oily acne-prone skin works best when it includes targeted blemish-fighting ingredients alongside oil-balancing elements.
How often should I use it?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening to take off makeup before cleansing. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also includes targeted ingredients to help clear blemishes and breakouts.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause harsh irritation or redness on oily skin, but it lacks targeted ingredients to address acne and breakouts. To better manage breakouts, an oily acne-prone skin routine needs clarifying ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (linalool, citronellol, geraniol, and limonene).
What the research says
Electrospun poly (vinyl butyral-co-vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) patches loaded with evening primrose oil applied to the forearm of volunteers for 6 hours increased skin moisture, with pore size, shape, and fiber diameter influencing oil transport.
Biomaterials Advances, 2022Polysaccharide-based O/W emulsions incorporated with lavender essential oil applied to cellulosic support are non-irritating, provide softness and moisturizing effects, and are safe for topical patch applications.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025A topical preparation containing urea, sunflower oil, evening primrose oil, wheat germ oil, and sodium pyruvate led to clinical improvement after a month in diverse hyperkeratotic skin conditions except pityriasis lichenoides.
Medicina Cutanea Ibero-latino-americana, 1986Topical application of linseed, evening primrose, and olive oil emulsions accelerated wound closure in rats with excision wounds compared to untreated controls, though via different mechanisms.
Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 2019Topical application of 10% evening primrose oil (EPO) and Lioxasol creams resulted in increased cell proliferative activity in the skin of female pigs compared to untreated skin, with EPO producing a more pronounced increase in basal layer labelling index and Lioxasol causing a more immediate increase in papillary dermis labelled cells.
Cell Proliferation, 1997Gellan gum hydrogel films co-encapsulating ofloxacin with tea tree or lavender oil achieved 98% wound contraction and completely healed epidermis in rats after ten days of treatment compared to baseline.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021Topical application of lavender oil significantly promoted wound contraction, collagen synthesis, and fibroblast differentiation with up-regulation of TGF-beta in a rat model compared to control.
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2016A nanoemulsion cream containing lavender essential oil and licorice extract significantly reduced wound area, increased TGF-beta1 and collagen gene expression, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, and promoted faster tissue healing in rats compared to untreated and vehicle controls.
Journal of Tissue Viability, 2020Topical 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
Why other pre-cleansers fit oily acne-prone skin better
Epigallocatechin-3-gallate significantly improved acne in patients compared to the control side during an 8-week clinical trial.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2013
Ingredients
Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Zea Mays Corn Germ Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate, Oenothera Biennis Evening Primrose Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate, Squalane, Coriandrum Sativum Coriander Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Lavandula Angustifolia Lavender Oil, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Geranium Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Rosemary Oil Leaf, Linalool, Tocopherol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Glycine Soja Soybean Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.