My Shu Uemura cleansing oil is still the best for me, but there are quite a lot of affordable alternatives available in the market now. They're basically the same - mineral oil-based makeup removers that take the gunk off effortlessly. Their difference, I find, lies in the smell, the residue left over after rinsing, and how skin-friendly they are. 

For not all cleansing oils are created equal. Even though they are made of the same stuff, some ingredients may cause pimples. Some are too thick and leaves a film of oil even after you rinse it off. Some, like the Revlon Absolute C Radiance Moisture Cleansing Oil (P550), has a very distinctive scent.

The first thing you'll notice about the Revlon cleansing oil is the overwhelming citrus smell. Now I'm not particularly sensitive to perfume in skincare, but this one is too much for me. I wish they'd take it down a notch, no, several notches. It claims to have Vitamin C but I don't think they have to prove it with the strong orange smell. We get it.

That said, it's quite effective at removing makeup with only a small amount of product.

The humid weather in the Philippines is the perfect breeding ground for oily t-zones and blocked pores. The sweat and sebum we generate while wearing makeup is no joke, so we try to wash them off with soap or alcohol-based cleansers because we feel cleaner that way. But did you know that normal makeup removers can strip your face of moisture?

The truth is, soap-based makeup removers are quite drying while cream removers are too heavy ang may clog your pores more (because the skin tends to absorb it). That's why cleansing oils may be the best option for Pinay skin because they're gentle while removing makeup, oil, and dirt mercilessly. It may sound counterintuitive that you're trying to clean your skin using oil when you should be avoiding it, but believe me, it works better that way!

For that purpose, one of the best, if not The Best out there is the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil. Google it, I'll wait.

Ok satisfied? :D Shu Uemura's CO is an old cult favorite for a reason. I've tried a few cleansing oils before - waaay cheaper ones - and found that they work really well for the price, but there are a few things that makes Shu Uemura worth the dough if you can spare it. Let me count the ways!

Patrick Alcober, Shu Uemura's top makeup artist, explains the magic of milk

• It emulsifies into a nice, milky texture that you can wash off easily with absolutely no residue on your skin. Cheaper cleansing oils may feel like they leave a film on your face, so you use another cleanser to wash it off. Not with Shu Uemura! Skin is left feeling clean, soft, and moisturized after you wash it off.
• It has skin benefits like anti-aging, brightening, moisturizing, purifying, etc. so it's more than just makeup remover - it's technically skincare.

Several posts ago, after I commented on the lack of the Cleansing Oil for Sensitive Skin in Muji High Street, a reader tipped me off that the newly-opened Rockwell branch has stocks. I zoomed off and true enough, the shelf is full of the stuff! I got mild sticker shock though when I found out that the price of the makeup remover is 100%+ more expensive. From P395, it is now P600+. I would have still bought it (it's that good, for me) but the Mild Cleansing Oil variant is cheaper at P425 so I went for that instead.

I don't have much to say about since this works almost the same way as the one for sensitive skin - read my review on it. The main difference (other than the price) is that this is more runny.

I bought the Muji Cleansing Oil a couple of weeks back and I've been exclusively using it since then to remove my makeup. It works really well for me, and you can't beat the price at only P395 for a big 200ml bottle!

What I love about the product

• Removes face makeup, eyeliner, and eyeshadow pretty well. I get half a pump of oil on my fingers and then gently massage it into my face. It feels oily (of course), but it does a great job of breaking down the makeup without needing to tug or pull the skin.
• It's oil, but it washes off easily with water, leaving the skin fairly clean with no greasy residue. If my makeup is light, I actually skip using facial wash afterwards. But if I have heavy gunk on, I need to soap with Pond's White Beauty Deep Cleansing wash to take out everything.
• No smell or fragrance.