Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil for dry skin
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Triethylhexanoin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Glycerin
Caprylyl Glycol
High
- HighDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for dry skin; a few pre-cleansers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 high suitability for your dry skin as Cetyl Ethylhexanoate and Triethylhexanoin provide emollient action to smooth intercellular lipids, though it lacks specialized ingredients to address dryness or flakiness.
- The cleansing oils effectively dissolve makeup and impurities, and the presence of glycerin and tocopheryl acetate offers general hydration and soothing benefits.
- The safety profile is excellent for your dry skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use this makeup remover in your PM routine every evening to gently clean your face. Always pair with a gentle cleanser afterward.
- Apply this makeup remover as a pre-cleanser step before using your regular cleanser and moisturizer.
- Gently wipe a small amount of makeup remover across your face using a soft cotton pad. Avoid any harsh rubbing on dry or flaky skin.
- Apply the makeup remover directly onto dry skin to easily dissolve makeup without stripping your natural moisture. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
- Avoid direct contact with your eyes and do a patch test before first use. Discontinue use if irritation occurs.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, users with oily and acne-prone skin frequently praise this lightweight oil for dissolving stubborn waterproof makeup without clogging pores or leaving a greasy residue. While most find it non-stripping and gentle on sensitive skin, a small subset of users experienced blurred vision when removing eye makeup or minor breakouts after use.
Highlights
Dissolves stubborn makeup Mostly Mentioned
- “Immediately dissolves even tenacious face makeup, oil and impurities.”
- “Melts away waterproof mascara and long-wearing foundation effortlessly.”
- “Removes all traces of lipstick, blush, and eye shadow with ease.”
- “Takes off layers of sunscreen and baking powder without scrubbing.”
Rinses completely clean Often Mentioned
- “Rinses off easily with water, leaving no residue behind.”
- “Turns into a milky emulsion and washes away completely.”
- “Leaves skin feeling super clean and not greasy at all.”
- “No oily film left on the skin after rinsing.”
Gentle & non-drying Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves my skin feeling soft, never tight or dry.”
- “Super gentle on the skin, doesn't strip moisture.”
- “Great for sensitive skin, causes no irritation or redness.”
- “Feels hydrating compared to other harsh cleansers.”
Ideal for acne-prone skin Sometimes Noted
- “Works very well with my oily acne-prone skin.”
- “Does not clog pores or cause breakouts.”
- “Non-comedogenic and lightweight, perfect for congestion-prone skin.”
- “Helps clear up my skin by removing all impurities.”
Causes blurry vision Sometimes Noted
- “Leaves a cloudy film over my eyes for a few minutes.”
- “Makes my vision blurry if it gets into my eyes.”
- “Stings slightly and causes temporary cloudiness.”
- “Hard to keep out of eyes when removing mascara.”
Chemical/plastic scent Rarely Noted
- “Has a faint chemical smell despite being fragrance-free.”
- “Smells a bit like plastic or old oil.”
- “Not a pleasant scent, though it fades quickly.”
- “Smells synthetic compared to other oils.”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “Pump dispenses too much product at once.”
- “Bottle leaks if not kept perfectly upright during travel.”
- “The lock on the pump is finicky and hard to use.”
- “Wish it came in a larger size for the price.”
Thin/watery consistency Rarely Noted
- “Texture is very thin and runny compared to the balm.”
- “Runs through fingers easily, leading to product waste.”
- “Wish it was slightly thicker so it didn't drip as much.”
- “Feels a bit too watery for a deep massage.”
Sources: lovi.care, clinique.com, sephora.sg, ulta.com, makeupalley.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil a great fit for dry skin?
Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Oil is a great fit because it uses cetyl ethylhexanoate and triethylhexanoin to smooth skin lipids while easily dissolving makeup without irritation. It also includes glycerin and vitamin E, which help boost moisture and keep dry skin feeling soft and calm.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry skin?
Cetyl ethylhexanoate and triethylhexanoin smooth the skin, while glycerin and tocopheryl acetate help keep it hydrated and calm. These gentle ingredients give the cleanser an excellent safety profile for dry skin without any risk of harsh irritation.
What does Cetyl Ethylhexanoate do for dry skin?
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate helps make dry skin feel soft and smooth by spreading easily and locking in moisture on the surface. This ingredient improves how the skin barrier holds onto water so your face stays comfortable throughout the day.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2017International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2010
What does Triethylhexanoin do for dry skin?
Triethylhexanoin helps dry skin feel soft and smooth by holding in moisture and keeping your skin barrier protected. It is unlikely to cause irritation and works well to keep dry skin hydrated throughout the day.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2012Current Problems in Dermatology, 2016
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This makeup remover goes as the first step in your evening routine to dissolve makeup and impurities before cleansing. It is also used at the start of your weekly routine before applying a nourishing mask.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser when using retinol, as its gentle formula is unlikely to irritate dry skin. It effectively dissolves makeup while providing soothing benefits, making it a safe first step before applying your treatment.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this makeup remover daily in the evening as part of your nighttime routine, or once a week as part of your weekly routine. Its gentle oils and hydrating ingredients dissolve makeup safely without irritating dry skin.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores, cause breakouts, or lead to purging on dry skin. It has an excellent safety profile for dry skin with no harsh ingredients, making it very gentle for daily use.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Vitamin E in O/W and W/O emulsions significantly increased stratum corneum hydration and enhanced water-binding capacity, with an optimum concentration of 5%.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1998Co-encapsulation of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopheryl acetate in nanostructured lipid carrier gel formulations significantly enhanced moisture retention up to 68% and improved skin elasticity in human volunteers compared to a solution gel.
Scientific Reports, 2025A preservative system containing 1,2-hexanediol and caprylyl glycol showed no delayed Type IV dermal sensitivity reactions in 200 subjects when tested as a 15% mixture in carbomer gel and in a cosmetic formulation.
Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology, 2009Dermatological 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 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, 2025Topical 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, 2024A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001
Ingredients
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Triethylhexanoin, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Polybutene, Peg-8 Diisostearate, Peg-12 Diisostearate, Ppg-15 Stearyl Ether, Water, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Laurate, Bht
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.