Shu Uemura cleansing oil for oily skin
Mineral Oil
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
SqualaneLow
- LowOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for oily skin; the pre-cleansers alongside 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 makeup removal for your oily skin, as mineral oil and ethylhexyl palmitate help dissolve oil-based impurities, but these ingredients can also contribute to a greasy feel and potentially clog pores, offering limited benefits for oil control.
- While the product provides general skincare benefits like hydration and cleansing, these are largely irrelevant or mostly supportive for your specific concern of oily shine.
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
★4.6Overall rating based on 1.9k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleansing oil is highly praised for its luxurious texture that effectively melts away makeup and impurities, making it ideal for dry, normal, and aging skin types seeking a soft, hydrated, and plump outcome. Some users with acne-prone or sensitive skin report issues with its heavy fragrance and potential to cause breakouts due to comedogenic ingredients.
Highlights
Effective makeup removal Mostly Mentioned
- “dissolves makeup very quickly, washes off cleanly”
- “removes all traces of makeup, mascara included”
- “very effective at removing all makeup, including eye makeup”
- “breaks down even waterproof makeup within 30 seconds”
Softens and hydrates Often Mentioned
- “leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated”
- “leaves the skin feeling plump and soft”
- “my skin feels ultra smooth and plushy”
- “moisturizes continually even after use”
Expensive price tag Often Mentioned
- “Quite a large initial outlay”
- “This thing is pretty expensive”
- “The price is the only thing keeping it from being an unreserved recommendation”
- “priciest amongst Shu's cleansing oil variants”
No greasy residue Sometimes Noted
- “rinses clean away and doesn't leave behind any oily or greasy feel”
- “rinses cleanly without residue”
- “doesn't leave any heavy, greasy residue”
- “washes off cleanly”
Strong floral fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “has a really heavy floral smell”
- “fairly strong scent which my nose was a bit sensitive to”
- “non-starter for fragrance-sensitive”
- “pretty strong floral scent that is left even after it's rinsed off”
May cause breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Caused some milia”
- “acne-prone users can break out”
- “Really want to love this but it broke me out”
- “thick consistency may clog pores”
Sources: lovi.care, shuuemura-usa.com, sephora.sg, reddit.com, thebeautylookbook.com, musingsofamuse.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is shu uemura cleansing oil a weak match for oily skin?
Shu uemura cleansing oil is a weak match for oily skin because its heavier oils and rich ingredients can leave a greasy feel and potentially clog pores while offering limited oil control. Oily skin needs makeup removers that provide effective cleansing without over-drying, feature oil-controlling ingredients, and have a safe, lightweight formula that avoids excess oiliness.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a poor fit for oily skin?
Mineral oil and ethylhexyl palmitate make this cleanser a weak match for oily skin, as they can contribute to a greasy feel and potentially clog pores. Oily skin needs a makeup remover with oil-controlling ingredients and lighter textures that cleanse effectively without adding extra richness.
What does Mineral Oil do for oily skin?
Mineral oil helps trap moisture in dry skin, but it is unlikely to be a good fit for oily skin because it can feel too heavy. Oily skin needs lightweight, oil-free hydrators and ingredients that help balance shine.
What does Camellia Seed Oil do for oily skin?
Camellia seed oil helps keep oily skin hydrated without clogging pores and may help balance skin oils. This type of skin needs lightweight oils and ingredients that control excess shine while maintaining moisture.
Scientific Reports, 2023International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser, though it is a weak match that can feel greasy and clog pores on oily skin. Oily skin needs lightweight, oil-free cleansers and balancing ingredients that control shine without heavy oils.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser and retinol treatment, but it is a weak match for oily skin and may leave a greasy feel. Oily skin needs lightweight, oil-free cleansers with balancing ingredients like salicylic acid or niacinamide to help control shine without clogging pores.
How often should I use this cleanser?
This makeup remover is a weak match for oily skin because its ingredients can leave a greasy feel and clog pores, making it less ideal for daily shine control. Oily skin needs lighter cleansers and oil-free formulas that remove impurities without adding heaviness.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cleanser may clog pores and contribute to a greasy feel on oily skin because ingredients like mineral oil and ethylhexyl palmitate can leave residue behind. Oily skin needs a cleanser with lightweight, clarifying ingredients that dissolve impurities and control shine without heavy oils.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
Camellia japonica oil activated the human COL1A2 promoter, induced type I procollagen synthesis, inhibited matrix metalloproteinase-1 activity, and reduced trans-epidermal water loss without inducing adverse reactions in human skin.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2007Topical application of a vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate significantly increased epidermal thickness, type III collagen production, and glycosaminoglycans production in human skin explants compared to free vitamin C and vitamin C-palmitate.
Scientific Reports, 2020Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Repeated 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, 2019Liquid crystalline emulsions formulated with camellia seed oil and four different surfactant combinations reduced transepidermal water loss and increased skin hydration without causing skin irritation, with the formulation containing Lecinol S-10 and Tween 80 demonstrating the best clinical results.
Scientific Reports, 2023Plant-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, 2025
Ingredients
Mineral Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Squalane, Tocopherol
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Victoria Derkova, MS
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