Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil for oily acne-prone skin
Mineral Oil
Peg-8 Glyceryl Isostearate
Cyclomethicone
Jojoba Seed Oil
Tocopherol
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
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 mineral oil and olive fruit oil effectively dissolve makeup and impurities, providing general cleansing and hydration. However, it lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The formula contains cyclomethicone and other emollients that offer some emollient action for oily skin, but it does not include sufficient seboregulating ingredients for optimal results.
- The safety profile is good, with no risks of irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
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 15.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleansing oil is a highly-rated favorite for its ability to quickly emulsify and rinse clean, making it suitable for oily and acne-prone skin. It effectively removes sunscreen and base makeup. Some users with dry skin report it can be stripping, and it may cause temporary blurry vision. It is also noted to be drying for dry skin, and occasionally struggles with waterproof mascara.
Highlights
Clean rinse / no residue Mostly Mentioned
- “Emulsifies immediately”
- “Rinses completely clean”
- “No greasy film left”
Effective makeup removal Mostly Mentioned
- “Melts foundation instantly”
- “Dissolves sunscreen effortlessly”
- “Removes everything in seconds”
Affordable & refillable Often Mentioned
- “Unbeatable price point”
- “Love the eco-friendly refills”
- “Best budget cleanser”
Fragrance-free / gentle Sometimes Noted
- “Great for sensitive skin”
- “No strong scent”
- “Doesn't sting my face”
Speedy application Sometimes Noted
- “Works fast on dry skin”
- “Don't need a second cleanse”
- “True to its name”
Blurry vision Sometimes Noted
- “Fogs up my eyes”
- “Cloudy vision for minutes”
- “Oil gets in eyes easily”
Drying for dry skin Sometimes Noted
- “Left my skin tight”
- “Too stripping for winter”
- “Prefer the Deep version”
Breakouts (cystic acne) Rarely Noted
- “Caused closed comedones”
- “Broke me out badly”
- “Mineral oil clogged pores”
Fluid texture issues Rarely Noted
- “Too watery/runny”
- “Drips through fingers”
- “Pump squirts too far”
Waterproof mascara Rarely Noted
- “Didn't remove Heroine Make mascara”
- “Required scrubbing for lashes”
- “Left raccoon eyes”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, yesstyle.com, reddit.com, iherb.com, stylevana.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Kose Softymo Speedy work for oily acne-prone skin?
Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, as it dissolves makeup and impurities nicely but lacks targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to address breakouts. It is unlikely to cause irritation, but an oily skin routine needs oil-controlling ingredients and blemish-fighting acids for best results.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Mineral oil and olive fruit oil help dissolve makeup and impurities, while jojoba seed oil may help soothe the skin. However, because this cleanser lacks blemish-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-controlling elements, an ideal makeup remover for oily acne-prone skin needs targeted ingredients to manage breakouts and excess shine.
What does Mineral Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Mineral oil helps lock in moisture and calm dry or irritated skin with a very low chance of causing allergies or irritation. Because it sits on top of the skin rather than absorbing deep into pores, it is unlikely to clog them, though oily acne-prone skin generally needs lightweight, non-greasy ingredients that help balance oil production.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2019
What does Peg-8 Glyceryl Isostearate do for oily acne-prone skin?
Peg-8 Glyceryl Isostearate helps wash away excess oil and dirt from oily acne-prone skin without leaving a heavy layer behind. It acts as a gentle cleanser that rinses clean with water, keeping pores clear so breakouts are less likely to happen.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This makeup remover goes at the very beginning of your evening routine to wash away makeup and impurities before you cleanse. While it dissolves surface oils well, oily acne-prone skin also needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-controlling elements to properly address blemishes and breakouts.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your regular cleanser and retinol treatment. It is unlikely to irritate oily skin, but to properly care for acne and breakouts, this skin type needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-controlling components.
How often should I use it?
You can use this makeup remover daily in the evening as the first step of your routine to take off makeup and impurities. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that also includes targeted ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-controlling elements to properly address breakouts.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to cause irritation for your oily skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients, but it may cause breakouts since it lacks targeted blemish-fighting ingredients. A product for this skin needs oil-controlling and pore-clearing ingredients like salicylic acid to properly manage acne and breakouts.
Is it fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Clay 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, 2024Repeated application of concentrated water-in-oil emulsions over four weeks caused no skin irritation, positively affected skin properties, and delivered almost 50% of the applied fluorescein sodium, with isopropyl myristate showing superior penetration performance compared to liquid paraffin in healthy volunteers.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2019Topical 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, 2014Topical 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
Mineral Oil, Peg-8 Glyceryl Isostearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cyclomethicone, Water, Olea Europaea Oil Fruit Olive Oil Fruit, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Phenoxyethanol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil Apricot Kernel Oil, Ascorbyl Dipalmitate, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Rosehip Oil, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Rice Bran Oil, Oil, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Oil
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.