shu uemura cleansing oils are the industry standard for oil cleansers; they are the originals; the ones that came up with cleansing oils when cleansing oils didn’t exist; and I simply love them because they work well. Nothing works better to remove makeup than these cleansers, and there’s no need to double cleanse (they remove all dirt and grime off the face as well), and best of all, these formulas don’t strip the skin of moisture.

Above: Texture for the shu uemura cleansing oil. The oils themselves are colourless; their bottles are tinted to reflect the colour of the main ingredient in the respective formula.

I’ve been using these cleansers for more than 20 years now, and they’ve kept my skin youthful and blemish-free. And whenever I get asked about the one skincare I can’t live without, it’s always been the shu uemura cleansing oil.

This month, the famous line goes through a packaging revamp; the bottles are even sleeker (if that’s even possible), and the brand has made an improvement to the formula for the Anti/Oxi+ variant. Here’s the full updated catalogue of all the cleansing oils available now.

ultime8 sublime beauty cleansing oil

PURPOSE: This is one of the two premium cleaning oils under the range, and is designed to be nourishing, and suitable for all skin types.

KEY INGREDIENT: Japanese Tsubaki oil, which is pressed from tsubaki seeds sustainably sourced from volcanic Toshima Island. This ingredient nourishes, refines and replenishes the skin, creating a smooth and soft complexion.

PRICE: $65 for 150ml / $165 for 450ml

botanicoil indulging plant-based cleansing oil

PURPOSE: This is the other premium cleaning oil under the range and is meant to be relaxing and calming for sensitive skin.

KEY INGREDIENT: Japanese yuzu extract from hand-picked and freshly-processed yuzus. These contain vitamin C that encourage new collagen growth, improving the condition of skin and making it appear less fatigued.

PRICE: $65 for 150ml / $165 for 450ml

Anti/Oxi+ pollutant & dullness clarifying cleansing oil

PURPOSE: An anti-pollution formula meant for tired skin.

KEY INGREDIENT: Japanese Uji matcha extract (extracted from fresh-picked green tea leaves hand-picked from Ujitawara town in Uji) that is high in antioxidants and helps to stimulate microcirculation in the skin, promoting healthy and radiant skin.

OTHER INGREDIENTS: Papaya extract (antibacterial properties) and moringa extract (vitamin and nutrient-rich, this boosts collagen, reducing fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin).

PRICE: $55 for 150ml / $135 for 450ml

blanc:chroma lightening & polishing cleansing oil

PURPOSE: A brightening formula for dull skin.

KEY INGREDIENT: Japanese charcoal that is also known as Binchotan. This acts like a magnet to draw and absorb micro-impurities in the skin (and impurities disrupt the light reflection on the skin).

OTHER INGREDIENTS: Bilberry (helps to exfoliate dead skin cells to accelerate cell renewal) and tea ferment (this evens out the skin tone for a more radiant complexion).

PRICE: $55 for 150ml / $135 for 450ml

POREfinist²

PURPOSE: A pore-refining formula for oily skin and those with enlarged or more visible pores.

KEY INGREDIENT: A Japanese Sakura duo complex comprising Sakura sake extract and Sakura petal extract. Both of these gently remove blackheads and draw out impurities that can lead to enlarged pores or oily skin. With the reduction of impurities in the skin, the skin can turnover better and will ultimately improve in condition over time.

PRICE: $50 for 150ml / $118 for 450ml

HOW TO USE CLEANSING OILS

Step 1: Take 3 to 4 pumps of the cleansing oil onto the palm.

Step 2: Message the product over the face in a slow, gentle circular motion. You can hold your fingers over the eyes for a few seconds to dissolve heavier, waterproof eye makeup.

Step 3: Wet the hands with a little bit of water to emulsify the cleansing oil and continue to massage the skin. The product will appear milky here.

Step 4: Rinse off thoroughly with water.

NOTES ABOUT CLEANSING OILS

• Cleansing oils do not make the skin oily. In fact, the skin needs natural face oils to maintain balanced and hydrated, and cleansing oils do not strip the skin of moisture.
• It takes oil to dissolve and remove oil, which makes an oil cleanser perfect for removing sebum and oil from the face.
• If you like that “tight” feeling on your skin after washing your face, a cleansing oil is probably not for you, because it’ll instead make your skin feel smooth and soft (but that’s really a good thing!).
• That squeaky clean feeling on the face isn’t actually good for the skin; it usually means that the skin is dry and unbalanced, and that’s when the skin will produce extra face oil to overcompensate for the dryness, and that’s also when the face gets oily and you’ll start to break out.

The shu uemura cleansing oils are available online at SEPHORA.SG and at shu uemura’s official store on LazMall.