Erno Laszlo Phelityl Pre-Cleansing Oil for sensitive skin
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil Apricot Kernel Oil
Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil
Jojoba Seed Oil
Tocopheryl Acetate
Average
- AverageNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other pre-cleansers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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 normal skin, as mineral oil and apricot kernel oil effectively dissolve makeup and impurities, while Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil and Persea Gratissima Oil provide emollient action. Bisabolol and Anthemis Nobilis Oil offer mild soothing effects that can support your redness and irritation.
- The formulation is safe for your sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing agents like Bisabolol and Tocopherol.
- While it provides general hydration and soothing benefits, it lacks specific ingredients for optimal hydration or barrier repair, which could further enhance results for your skin concerns.
How to apply
- Use this makeup remover PM as the first step of your evening routine. Start 3x/week before building up to daily use if your skin tolerates it well.
- Apply this makeup remover before your regular cleanser and toner. Follow with your usual moisturizer to keep your skin hydrated.
- Gently press a small amount of the makeup remover onto your face using a soft cotton pad. Avoid any harsh rubbing to protect your sensitive skin.
- Apply the makeup remover on dry skin to ensure better tolerance for sensitive areas. This helps reduce any potential irritation or redness.
- Do a patch test before your first use and avoid the direct eye area to ensure safe application.
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
How well does Erno Laszlo Phelityl Pre-Cleansing Oil work for sensitive skin?
Erno Laszlo Phelityl Pre-Cleansing Oil works moderately well for sensitive skin, as it gently removes makeup while soothing oils calm redness and irritation. It needs added deep hydration ingredients and barrier repair agents to truly match the best choices for sensitive skin.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for sensitive skin?
This cleanser works for sensitive skin because it uses mineral oil and apricot kernel oil to dissolve makeup, alongside soothing ingredients like bisabolol and chamomile oil that help calm redness. A makeup remover for this skin type needs extra hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and protective waxes to keep the skin balanced.
What does Safflower Seed Oil do for sensitive skin?
Safflower seed oil is unlikely to be the best choice for sensitive skin because other plant oils like flaxseed oil are proven to significantly decrease skin sensitivity, roughness, and scaling while increasing smoothness and hydration. Sensitive skin needs oils rich in barrier-repairing fatty acids and proven anti-inflammatory properties that calm irritation without triggering sensitivity.
What does Apricot Kernel Oil do for sensitive skin?
Apricot kernel oil helps calm sensitive skin by soothing irritation and supporting the natural skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and works well to keep dry skin soft and smooth.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
Use this makeup remover in the evening as the first step before cleansing, or weekly before cleansing. It is unlikely to irritate sensitive skin, but a product of this type works best for this skin when it also includes targeted ingredients for deep hydration and barrier repair.
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, though a product of this type for sensitive skin works best when it includes barrier-repairing ingredients and ceramides.
How often should I use it?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening as the first step of your routine to take off makeup and impurities. This type of product needs added barrier-repair ingredients to work best for sensitive skin.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
Erno Laszlo Phelityl Pre-Cleansing Oil is generally safe for sensitive skin because it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing agents, but its heavy oils and mineral oil may occasionally clog pores or cause breakouts. A product for this skin type needs targeted hydration boosters and barrier-repairing ingredients to keep pores clear and skin calm.
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
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, 1998Topical 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, 2024Safflower 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 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
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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PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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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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