This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase.
It could be if it’s Malin + Goetz Facial Cleansing Oil…
I am one of those ladies who are blessed with oily skin, long out of my teen years. One positive of this is that it will probably help reduce some signs of aging and reduce wrinkling as I get older. On the negative is that I have to be extremely selective when it comes to products I use on my face. I still get the occasional breakout and I get shiny. It’s a blessing and a curse, y’all.
Due to my oily skin, I was kind of skeptical about trying out Malin+Goetz facial cleansing oil–putting oil on oily skin is pretty much the opposite of everything I’ve ever been taught in regards to caring for my face!
The facial cleansing oil ($42/4fl.oz.) comes in a tall, skinny white plastic pump bottle. Pedestal sinks are not conducive to stashing face wash on, but this little beauty fits perfectly on what little space I have (and no fear of breaking if it falls off!)
The bottle recommends applying 1-2 pumps to dry skin to remove makeup/clean your face. One pump is plenty if you’re cleansing a bare face, but I preferred 2 pumps for removing makeup. Personally, the smell is not my favorite (though our editor Stef LOVES it). It contains grapeseed, avocado and olive oils, along with lavender and eucalyptus to help calm and balance. It smells like fancy salad dressing to me. But, in the name of beauty, I persisted!

Not too shiny, not too dry, but just right. …
This thick, clear oil spreads onto skin easily without running all over the place–I did not make a mess of myself! I rubbed this into my face in small circles and it made quick work of my eye makeup and foundation. It even powered through my long-wear lipstick that makeup wipes have been known to fail at removing completely. The instructions say to add a little water to create an emulsion and doing so quickly turned the oil white and milky, and the texture started to feel like a low-lathering face wash. I rinsed the product off with some warm water and the end result was almost squeaky, clean skin.
I did not expect my skin to feel so clean from a cleansing oil…I think I expected my face to feel…oily? Instead, all that was left behind was baby soft skin that stayed balanced. Not too shiny, not too dry, but just right. Overall, I am both impressed and in disbelief that an OIL can cleanse my face as well/if not better than a traditional face wash!
Have any of you tried cleansing oils? Any other oily gals afraid to take the cleansing oil plunge? Tell me all in the comments below…
shop the post
- Pat McGrath Lust: Gloss – The Only Lip Gloss You’ll Ever Need - July 9, 2019
- CoTZ Pure Botanicals & Minerals – Mineral Sunscreen Review - May 23, 2019
- Who Wants Cake? (Answer: We ALL Want Cake!) - April 4, 2019
I’ve had oily skin since I was 12 (I’m 62 now). At least for me, it’s a myth that oily skin reduces aging and wrinkling. I just have aging, wrinkling and oily skin, LOL! Back in my teens waterless oil and cream cleansers were all the rage, but it only exacerbated my oily skin. Fast forward to the availability of better formulations and obsession with Korean skin care and I have since tried several; I haven’t found an oil that helped my skin (not even rosehip) but some (e.g., the coconut oil craze) caused breakouts. Not all oily skin gets breakouts, unfortunately I do. I have changed up my routine with one ingredient in the last 3 months – I added Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid and I’ve seen a reduction in my oil production. It’s a steep price but for someone who’s had oily skin for 50 yrs, I’ll eliminate some new release makeup purchases instead!
You’re killing my hope for smooth, wrinkle-less skin when I’m older! Booooo! lol
I love lactic acid as part of my skincare routine! I highly recommend The Ordinary for their lactic acid formulation–it’s under $7! Unfortunately, it’s so good that Sephora has a hard time keeping it in stock. :(