Sarah Chapman Ultimate Cleanse for oily skin
Isopropyl Palmitate
Caprylic Capric Triglyceride
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E
Retinyl Palmitate Vitamin A
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 cleansing and hydration for your oily skin, with ingredients like Isopropyl Palmitate and Caprylic Capric Triglyceride effectively dissolving oil-based impurities. However, these ingredients can be occlusive and may not provide sufficient sebum regulation for your oily skin.
- While the formula contains soothing Glycerin and Ubiquinone, it lacks specialized ingredients to target and reduce oily shine.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, as it avoids harsh ingredients and includes beneficial components like Glycerin and Ubiquinone.
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
★4.8Overall rating based on 600+ reviewsThis balm-to-milk cleanser is highly regarded for its luxurious, spa-like experience, effectively dissolving stubborn makeup and waterproof mascara without drying out the skin. It is especially favored by those with dry, mature, and sensitive skin for its hydrating and soothing properties, leaving the complexion feeling plump. A notable drawback is the polarizing, potent essential oil fragrance.
Highlights
Spa-like scent Mostly Mentioned
- “smells like a spa”
- “heavenly scent”
- “relaxing evening ritual”
- “divine smell”
Effective makeup remover Often Mentioned
- “melts waterproof mascara”
- “removes all traces”
- “dissolves heavy makeup”
- “no scrubbing needed”
Hydrating and non-stripping Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin soft”
- “never feels tight”
- “nourishing for dry skin”
- “plump and bouncy”
High price point Often Mentioned
- “very expensive”
- “pricey for a cleanser”
- “luxury splurge”
- “wish it was cheaper”
Luxurious texture Sometimes Noted
- “buttery balm”
- “silky consistency”
- “glides on skin”
- “pleasure to massage”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “scent is overpowering”
- “too much camphor”
- “smell is too strong”
- “fragrance lingers”
Opaque packaging Rarely Noted
- “can't see amount left”
- “runs out unexpectedly”
- “heavy bottle hides content”
- “hard to gauge usage”
Requires cloth removal Rarely Noted
- “needs a flannel”
- “leaves oily film”
- “residue if not wiped”
- “heavy for morning”
Sources: lovi.care, sarahchapman.com, spacenk.com, lookfantastic.com, cultbeauty.co.uk, qvcuk.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Sarah Chapman Ultimate Cleanse work for oily skin?
Sarah Chapman Ultimate Cleanse works reasonably well for oily skin by dissolving impurities, though it lacks oil-controlling ingredients to manage shine. A cleanser for oily skin needs lightweight cleansing agents and oil-balancing ingredients to keep the complexion fresh.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin?
Glycerin and ubiquinone make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin because they provide safe, gentle hydration and soothing benefits without using harsh ingredients. However, an oily skin type needs lightweight or oil-controlling ingredients to manage excess shine and prevent clogged pores.
What does Isopropyl Palmitate do for oily skin?
Isopropyl palmitate is unlikely to suit oily skin because heavy ingredients of this type tend to clog pores and trigger breakouts. Skincare for oily skin needs light, oil-free ingredients that hydrate without feeling heavy or greasy.
What does Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride do for oily skin?
Caprylic/capric triglyceride helps oily skin by increasing moisture and reducing water loss without feeling heavy. This ingredient keeps skin soft and smooth while supporting its natural barrier.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
Sarah Chapman Ultimate Cleanse goes in the evening routine before your regular cleanser, as a makeup remover used to dissolve oil-based impurities. While it is safe and provides moderate hydration, oily skin needs a product of this type that also offers sebum regulation and targeted ingredients to reduce oily shine.
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser, and it is safe to use alongside retinol. An oil-based cleanser of this type works well for this skin when it includes soothing ingredients like glycerin and coenzyme Q10, but oily skin also needs oil-controlling ingredients to properly manage shine.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine and weekly routine. For oily skin, a product of this type needs specialized ingredients to control excess shine and balance oil production.
Can it clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
Sarah Chapman Ultimate Cleanse works for your oily skin, but some of its ingredients can be heavy and may not help control excess oil. A product of this type needs lighter hydrators and ingredients that regulate sebum to truly balance oily skin.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (limonene and linalool) and drying alcohol (ethanol).
What the research says
Topical 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 treatment with coenzyme Q10 formulas replenishes Q10 levels in the skin surface and deeper epidermis, augments cellular energy metabolism, and reduces free radicals while increasing antioxidant capacity in stressed skin.
BioFactors, 2015Topical application of CoQ10 improves mitochondrial function in aging skin in vivo, combating cellular signs of aging caused by an age-dependent shift to a functionally anaerobic energy metabolism.
BioFactors, 2008Topical 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, 2024Over-the-counter retinol products provided only weak evidence for a mild ameliorating effect on fine facial skin wrinkle lines in randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled trials, and major methodological flaws call the validity of positive results into question.
The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 2021A cosmetic niacinamide/peptide/retinyl propionate regimen significantly improved periorbital wrinkle appearance relative to a 0.02% tretinoin regimen at 8 weeks with comparable benefits at 24 weeks, while demonstrating significantly better tolerability in 196 women.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2010A novel triple-active cosmetic formulation containing 4-hexylresorcinol, retinyl propionate, and niacinamide improved the visual appearance of photoageing similarly to 0.02% tretinoin and reversed a consensus gene signature associated with ageing in female adults while causing less skin irritation.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
Ingredients
Isopropyl Palmitate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbitan Oleate, Peg-10 Laurate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ceteareth-6 Olivate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Alba Cera Beeswax Cera, Decyl Glucoside, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Water, Camphor Oil Bark, Eucalyptus Globulus Oil Leaf, Limonene, Bergamot Oil Fruit, Propylene Carbonate, Tribehenin, Ethanol, Ubiquinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Ceramide 2, Peg-10 Phytosterol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Oil Fruit, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Glycerin, Retinyl Palmitate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Linalool, Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil Twig Leaf, Lemon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil Flower, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil Mandarin Orange Peel Oil, Myrtus Communis Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Oil Flower, Myrocarpus Fastigiatus Oil, Mimosa Tenuiflora Bark Extract, Cananga Odorata Oil Flower, Jasmine Leaf Extract Flower, Rosa Damascena Oil Flower
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
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