Everyone says you need two cleansers. I tried it for a month — my skin nearly mutinied.
The risk isn’t the method, it’s the products. Use something harsh twice and you’re begging for a tight, red face by Thursday.
Enter The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser. $13.90. The claim? A gentle first cleanse that dissolves makeup without stripping.
Squalane Base
Derived from sugarcane, it mimics your skin’s own oils.
Balm-to-Oil Texture
It’s a solid balm that melts on contact — no tugging.
Rinses Clean
Washes off with water, no oily film left behind.
Photo: Angelina / Unsplash
Shockingly short list. Squalane is the hero — it’s a hydrating workhorse, not a degreaser. The rest are just emollients and emulsifiers to make it work.
- Squalane: Hydrates while it cleanses — a rare combo
- Coco-Caprylate: A coconut-derived ester that gives slip
- Isostearyl Isostearate: The emulsifier that makes it rinse off
- Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate: A texture modifier, keeps it solid in the tube
Photo: Rosa Rafael / Unsplash
Weird texture — like a waxy jelly. It warms up fast in your palms. Smells like nothing, which I appreciate.
After two weeks, my skin stopped feeling thirsty after step one. That never happens. The real test? It removed a tubing mascara that usually requires a wrestling match.
No barrier damage. Zero tightness post-cleanse. Makeup removal is an 8/10 — stubborn liners need a second pass. But my morning redness? Noticeably calmer.
Double cleansing is safe — if your first cleanse is this gentle. This isn’t a deep pore purge; it’s a polite, effective dissolution.