The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Light Cleansing Oil for oily acne-prone skin
Rice Water
Rice Bran Oil
Isopropyl Myristate
Glycerin
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
Average
- AverageOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
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 Cetyl Ethylhexanoate and Rice Bran Oil effectively dissolve makeup and impurities, providing general cleansing and hydration.
- While Glycerin and Rice Bran Oil offer emollient action, the formula lacks specialized ingredients for optimal oil control and addressing your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your oily skin with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients.
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
★4.4Overall rating based on 3.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this oil is frequently praised for its lightweight texture and effectiveness in removing makeup and clearing pores, especially for oily and combination skin. However, a significant number of users report eye irritation and stinging, and the strong floral fragrance is a common concern, particularly for sensitive skin types.
Highlights
Effective makeup removal Mostly Mentioned
- “melted off my waterproof mascara easily”
- “dissolves foundation instantly”
- “removes sunscreen without scrubbing”
Eye irritation Mostly Mentioned
- “stings my eyes badly”
- “gives me blurry foggy vision”
- “eyes were red the next morning”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “watery and not heavy”
- “doesn't feel greasy on oily skin”
- “rinses off completely clean”
Pore and blackhead care Often Mentioned
- “literally feel the grits coming out”
- “cleared my sebaceous filaments”
- “blackheads on nose look smaller”
Strong fragrance Often Mentioned
- “smell is overpowering”
- “perfume scent gave me a headache”
- “too much fragrance for sensitive skin”
Brightening effect Sometimes Noted
- “skin looks visibly brighter after washing”
- “helped even out my skin tone”
- “gives a nice glow”
Value for money Sometimes Noted
- “bottle lasts forever”
- “great price for the amount”
- “affordable compared to other brands”
Caused breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “gave me cystic acne”
- “broke me out in tiny whiteheads”
- “clogged my pores after a week”
Too watery Sometimes Noted
- “drips everywhere”
- “hard to control the pump”
- “runs down my arms immediately”
Drying sensation Rarely Noted
- “left my skin feeling tight”
- “stripped my moisture barrier”
- “too drying for winter use”
Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, yesstyle.com, reddit.com, ulta.com, youtube.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Light Cleansing Oil work for oily acne-prone skin?
This cleansing oil works moderately well for oily acne-prone skin, as it dissolves makeup and impurities while remaining gentle and unlikely to cause irritation. However, it lacks targeted ingredients for oil control and managing breakouts. A makeup remover of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-controlling ingredients to properly balance and care for this skin.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for oily acne-prone skin?
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate and Rice Bran Oil make this cleanser a good fit for oily skin by effectively dissolving makeup and impurities while providing general cleansing and hydration. A cleanser of this type needs soothing ingredients like aloe or chamomile, oil-controlling elements to manage excess sebum, and specialized ingredients to help prevent breakouts and clear blemishes.
What does Rice Water do for oily acne-prone skin?
Rice water helps soothe oily acne-prone skin while providing gentle moisture without clogging pores. Rice-derived ingredients exhibit anti-inflammatory and soothing properties that may help calm irritation and reduce redness.
What does Rice Bran Oil do for oily acne-prone skin?
Rice bran oil helps keep oily acne-prone skin feeling soft and smooth while providing moisture without clogging pores, because it has a very gentle nature and absorbs easily. It also provides antioxidants that may help calm irritation and protect the skin from daily stress.
Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2011Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
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, and as part of your weekly evening steps. It is safe for oily skin, but a product of this type for your skin needs specialized ingredients for oil control and to target breakouts.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this makeup remover in your evening routine before your cleanser, making it a good first step before applying retinol. It is unlikely to irritate your oily skin, though this type of skin needs a formula with targeted oil control and blemish-fighting ingredients for a better fit.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this makeup remover in the evening and for your weekly routine as part of your oily acne-prone skin care. It is safe for your skin with no risks of irritation, but an oil of this type needs specialized ingredients for optimal oil control and addressing your acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily acne-prone skin?
Yes, this cleanser can cause breakouts for oily acne-prone skin because it lacks specialized ingredients to control oil and address blemishes. A product of this type for this skin needs oil-balancing ingredients and blemish-fighting additions to keep pores clear.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A rice bran oil nanoemulsion formulated using low energy methods showed low irritation potential in vitro and improved skin moisture while maintaining normal skin pH in human volunteers during in vivo assessments.
Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2011A 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, 2017Saponaria officinalis callus extract suppressed inflammatory mediators in macrophages, showed no skin irritation in 30 volunteers, and significantly reduced desquamation by 44.07% in 21 participants, demonstrating significant anti-inflammatory and exfoliating effects.
Plants, 2025An antiacne herbal cream containing Saponaria officinalis, Inula helenium, and Solanum nigrum extracts led to the disappearance of 91.4% of acne lesions by the end of six weeks in 27 acne patients compared to placebo.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2020Daily application of a cream containing niosomes loaded with purple glutinous rice extract in 20 human volunteers for 28 days resulted in a significant decrease in melanin index and skin roughness by -14.05% and -9.95%, and increases in skin hydration and elastic recovery by +48.73% and +35.98% compared to initial values.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020The iontophoretic delivery of hyaluronic acid nanogel-loaded Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate significantly reduced advanced glycation end products and mitigated skin stiffening in an ex vivo skin tissue glycation model.
International Journal of Nanomedicine, 2025Red rice extract suppressed UVB-induced inflammation and skin aging in human skin fibroblasts by inhibiting the MAPK signaling pathway, leading to decreased NF-kappa B and AP-1 activation, reduced ECM degradation, and increased ECM synthesis compared to UVB-irradiated controls.
Natural Product Communications, 2016Nanoencapsulation of rice bran oil in a hydrogel prevented UVB-induced ear edema by 60% and reduced protein carbonylation and NF-κB nuclear translocation by 81% and 87%, respectively, in mice compared to a control hydrogel.
European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 2015Repeated 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, 2019Increasing the softness of pressure-sensitive adhesives using isopropyl myristate decreased pain and stripped corneocytes during removal without significantly changing human skin dermal peeling force.
Skin Research and Technology, 2007A modern cold cream formulation using a self-emulsionable excipient with isopropyl myristate shows improved preparation ease, stability, rheological qualities, and moisture and emollient power compared to traditional cerates.
Bollettino Chimico Farmaceutico, 1996The 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, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
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, 2013Topical application of tocopherol succinate ethosomal gel decreased erythema, melanin, and sebum levels while improving moisture content and skin elasticity in 34 human women.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024
Ingredients
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Polyglyceryl-10 Diisostearate, Glycerin, Rice Bran Oil, Aleurites Moluccana Seed Oil, Canola Oil, Rice Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Water
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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