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Dermalogica

Dermalogica PreCleanse.

Dermalogica PreCleanse
Cleansers
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About this product

Dermalogica Precleanse is a cleansing oil designed to remove excess oils as the first step of a cleansing routine.

Full ingredients

Guru Score

78%

Yay

4 experts · Moderate agreement
4Gurus
4Yay
0Mixed
0Nay

What they liked

  • Removes excess oil and makeup effectively

What they flagged

  • Pricey compared to alternatives

What the gurus are saying

Experts split on whether Dermalogica Precleanse justifies its premium price as a pre-cleanse oil. Those who love it genuinely praise the formula for how effectively it removes excess oils before the main cleanse. However, others find the cost difficult to justify given the number of strong alternatives from K-beauty and drugstore brands that deliver similar results for significantly less. For those watching their budget, the alternatives may be the better choice.
Synthesized from 4 expert reviews · most recent take September 2024

Best for

Type

CleansersOil

Key actives

Vitamin E

Formula notes

No drying alcohol

Where to buy

Opens a search for this product. Some links are affiliate links and we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never sways a score or a verdict.

More from Dermalogica 15 products · Guru Score 83% → How it works Independent by design. Every take comes from a creator we have no relationship with. We do not ask anyone to review, and affiliate links never move a score.

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored
✓Yay
"I was thinking about Western options here, largely because in the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty we had [...] the Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse Oil available, and that's a great cleansing oil, it really is. I feel like it probably costs more, or at least about the same price as this entire box."
All 2 takes from AliceintheRabbitHole
Is K-Beauty Skincare Better than Western? (Jolse Box Try On)
"I was thinking about Western options here, largely because in the Ulta 21 Days of Beauty we had [...] the Dermalogica Pre-Cleanse Oil available, and that's a great cleansing oil, it really is. I feel like it probably costs more, or at least about the same price as this entire box."
Critiquing Allure's Best Skincare 2023...
"The Dermalogica Precleanse is a cleansing oil. It's not a new product, and I feel like it's just way too expensive for me to repurchase at this point. There are so many good K beauty cleansing oils and even drugstore cleansing oils, amazing options out there, that I feel you just don't need to pay this price, in my personal opinion."
✓Yay
"The pre-cleanse from Dermalogica, that pre-cleanse is one of my favorites. It's actually probably one of the first oil-based cleansers that really got me into double cleansing. I remember the first time I got it I didn't know anything about double cleansing and I was like how do you use this, like it doesn't really clean my face. I remember having those specific thoughts. It's a first cleanse, that's all."
✓Yay
"This is a pre-cleanse this is just to remove any excessive oils there's anything before I get started. I love love and love their product."
✓Yay
"This is the oil to foam cleanser from Dermalogica, it's an esthetician best friend. This is literally an oil that ends up foaming up on your hands and your face. The way you use it is just by mixing it with water. I absolutely love this. As an aesthetician, I want to make sure that I'm cleaning someone's skin so that their other products can really soak in, and you usually do that through foaming, which can also make the skin barrier stripped. But this one cleans without that stripping feeling."
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All 5 takes from Cassandra Bankson
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"This is the oil to foam cleanser from Dermalogica, it's an esthetician best friend. This is literally an oil that ends up foaming up on your hands and your face. The way you use it is just by mixing it with water. I absolutely love this. As an aesthetician, I want to make sure that I'm cleaning someone's skin so that their other products can really soak in, and you usually do that through foaming, which can also make the skin barrier stripped. But this one cleans without that stripping feeling."
Dermatologist Approved Skincare Is 20% Off For 5 More Hours During Dermstore’s Beauty Refresh Sale
"The PreCleanse is more of a luxury. This smells so lovely. This is basically a makeup-removing oil, and it works extremely well. Now, if you just put olive oil or jojoba oil from Trader Joe's on your face, yes, that will also do the trick and be more than fine for removing makeup. But this is a really unique formula that while it is expensive, it's a luxury product. I find it to be worth it in my routine, and I love using this on others."
The Best Products I’ve Ever Used As An Esthetician
"Dermalogica's pre-cleanse is a really good product that is one that I do rely on regularly. It feels a little bit nicer than something like the inky list and I love this and personally use this. When putting this on someone else's face it's a little bit harder to work with whereas the pre-cleanse does have like a very relaxing smell that is one of my favorites when it comes to makeup removal."
The Dermalogica Founder Isn't Who You Think She Is...
"There are some Dermalogica products that I don't like, and there are some that I absolutely adore, such as the Pre-Cleanse and the Daily Microfoliant."
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"The precleanse is also really luxurious."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is Dermalogica PreCleanse?

Dermalogica Precleanse is a cleansing oil designed to remove excess oils as the first step of a cleansing routine.

Is Dermalogica PreCleanse worth it?

Yes. All 4 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 78%.

What is Dermalogica PreCleanse's Guru Score?

Dermalogica PreCleanse holds a Guru Score of 78%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 expert reviewers we have collected.

Who is Dermalogica PreCleanse best for?

Dermalogica PreCleanse is generally suited to oily skin.

Cheaper alternatives the gurus rate.

Lower-priced cleansers the gurus still rate highly, versus this mid-range pick.

See how they stack up →

Similar products worth a look.

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