MAC Cleanse Off Oil for oily acne-prone skin
Olea Europaea Oil Fruit Olive Oil Fruit
Squalane
Jojoba Seed Oil
Tocopherol
Chamomilla Recutita Oil Flower Matricaria Oil FlowerAverage
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
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 ingredients like Olea Europaea Oil Fruit and Squalane provide emollient action, though they lack sufficient seboregulating properties for optimal results in managing oiliness.
- While it excels at makeup removal with Cetyl Ethylhexanoate and Olea Europaea Oil Fruit, it does not contain targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your oily skin, featuring soothing ingredients such as Chamomilla Recutita Oil Flower and Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, with no risk of irritation.
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
★4.3Overall rating based on 700+ reviewsThis cleansing oil is highly effective at removing stubborn waterproof makeup, leaving skin feeling moisturized and balanced, which is particularly appreciated by those with sensitive and oily skin. A notable concern is that the product has reportedly been discontinued, and some users have experienced temporary blurry vision after use.
Highlights
Effective makeup removal Mostly Mentioned
- “Removes every single trace of eye makeup”
- “melts away makeup without harsh scrubbing”
- “cuts through waterproof mascara”
Non-drying and gentle Often Mentioned
- “Leaves skin soft and fresh”
- “doesn't strip my face of moisture”
- “gentle enough for sensitive skin”
Rinses clean Often Mentioned
- “Rinses clean with no greasy feel”
- “leaves no residue”
- “emulsifies well with water”
Temporary blurry vision Often Mentioned
- “Makes my eyes all foggy”
- “clouded up my eyes”
- “vision blurry for a couple of minutes”
Long-lasting value Sometimes Noted
- “Bottle lasts forever”
- “a little goes a long way”
- “lasts me for 10-11 months”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “On the expensive side”
- “price is a bit wicked”
- “steep price for a cleanser”
Product discontinued Sometimes Noted
- “Discontinued a while back”
- “currently unavailable”
- “Hyper Real replacement is awful”
Occasional breakouts Rarely Noted
- “Made me breakout”
- “caused whiteheads”
- “ingredients are disappointing for my skin”
Sources: lovi.care, cozycot.com, macys.com, temptalia.com, nordstrom.com, hwahae.co.kr, and more
Questions and answers
How well does MAC Cleanse Off Oil work for oily acne-prone skin?
MAC Cleanse Off Oil works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin because it removes makeup safely with no irritation and softens the skin, but it lacks oil-controlling or breakout-clearing ingredients. A makeup remover for this skin needs oil-reducing ingredients, soothing components, and lightweight hydrators that manage excess oil without clogging pores.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Chamomile and lavender oil help calm your skin with little risk of irritation. Because this cleanser lacks oil-controlling and breakout-fighting ingredients, oily acne-prone skin needs a makeup remover with salicylic acid and ingredients that help balance excess oil.
What does Olive Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Topical application of olive oil may damage the outer skin barrier and is likely a poor fit for oily, acne-prone skin. This type of skin needs lightweight ingredients like sunflower seed oil that help preserve skin integrity and improve hydration without causing irritation.
What does Squalane do for oily acne-prone skin?
Squalane may help keep oily skin soft and smooth, but oxidized squalene can trigger inflammation in acne-prone skin. Because of this, oily acne-prone skin needs lightweight, non-greasy ingredients that balance moisture without clogging pores.
Where does this cleanser go in a skincare routine for oily acne-prone skin?
This makeup remover goes in the evening routine before your cleanser, or as a weekly step before your cleanser and other products. Oily acne-prone skin needs a product of this type to balance oil and target breakouts with ingredients like salicylic acid.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening before your cleanser and treatment, but this skin type needs a product with targeted ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-controlling agents to properly manage breakouts.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening as the first step of your routine to take off makeup. This product works for your skin, but an oily acne-prone skin type needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid and oil-controlling properties for the best results.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to irritate your skin, but because it lacks ingredients to manage oil or breakouts, it may occasionally cause pimples for oily acne-prone skin. To better fit this skin type, a makeup remover needs targeted ingredients like salicylic acid to help keep pores clear.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene).
What the research says
Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-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, 2025Clay 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, 2024Topical 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, 2025Topical 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, 2024Daily application of 3% German chamomile oil for 4 weeks significantly reduced serum IgE levels, serum histamine levels, and scratching frequency in DNCB-sensitized mice compared with control groups.
Journal of Veterinary Science, 2010The combination of allantoin, bisabolol, D-panthenol and dipotassium glycyrrhizinate reduces UVB-induced PGE2, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondrial superoxide in human epidermal keratinocytes.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 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
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Olea Europaea Oil Fruit Olive Oil Fruit, Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Squalane, Jojoba Seed Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, Rice Germ Oil, Tocopherol, Chamomilla Recutita Oil Flower Matricaria Oil Flower, Citrus Aurantium Amara Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil Lavender Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Water, Rosa Canina Oil Fruit Rose Oil Fruit, Limonene
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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