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Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Review: Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Cleansing Oil for Face


If you're a longtime reader of this blog, then you know that I love cleansing oils, and I have reviewed several drugstore options over the last few years. So when I first posted about the new Palmer's cleansing oil back in September of last year, I just knew I had to get my hands on it eventually.

In March, I picked this up at my local Bed Bath & Beyond with an extended beauty department. You can also find it in-store at Kmart, in-store and online at Walgreens, in-store and online at Target, in-store at Walmart, and online at Drugstore.com. You can also get it on Amazon but I'm not even going to link to those options because they're double or even triple the price of other retailers.

Now that I've been testing this product for about three months, I'd love to share my thoughts with you!

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Cleansing Oil for Face 
retail: $6.50 - $9.99 depending on retailer; 6.5 oz.

When I bought my bottle at Bed Bath & Beyond, I distinctly remember that it was around $6.50 (BB&B always has competitive prices) but most retailers sell it for between $7.99 and $9.99.



Made in USA

  • Dissolves dirt, oil and make-up
  • For soft and brighter skin
  • Ideal for all skin types

Gently deep cleanse skin with the power of Pure Cleansing Oils, Cocoa Butter and Vitamin C. Dissolves dirt, oil and make-up and rinses perfectly clean without stripping. Purifies complexion for clear, soft and brighter looking skin. Ideal for all skin types. Deep cleansing oil blend removes make-up & impurities. Gentle skin formula won't clog pores. 

Directions:
Apply morning and night to dry skin using damp hands. Massage gently into skin and emulsify with water. Close eyes to remove eye (area) makeup. Rinse clean with no residue. Once opened use within 24 months.

Ingredients: 
Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean), Laureth-7 Citrate, Laureth-4, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Sweet Almond), Sorbitan Oleate, Vitis Vinifera (Grape Seed) Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil (Sesame), Oryza Sativa Bran Oil (Rice), Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Rosa Canina Seed Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil (Jojoba), Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Myristate, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Geraniol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional

Standard pump applicator

Well this is the first and only cleansing oil I have ever owned that has Glycine Soja Oil (soybean oil) as the main ingredient, and after looking up the Paula's Choice rating on soybean oil (she gives it a "Best" rating) I'd say we're off to a good start.

This product does not contain any mineral oil. Many, many cleansing oils contain mineral oil as the first ingredient, which is cheap and effective, but sometimes it leaves a film on my skin that I can't stand. I'm not a big "double cleansing" person so I like a cleansing oil that can do it all--remove makeup and the day's dirt and grime, and leave my oily skin clean as a whistle without ANY residue. This is why my holy grail cleansing oil for years and years has been this one from DHC (main ingredient: olive oil). But in all fairness to mineral oil, my favorite drugstore cleansing oil for the past several months has been this one from Neutrogena (main ingredient: mineral oil). So for me, mineral oil CAN work with the proper formulation. Why am I rambling on about this? I don't know. I guess just to illustrate that I'm excited about a cleansing oil that contains a main ingredient I'm not used to (and one that is apparently very beneficial to skin).

If you are new to cleansing oils in general, let me just quickly repeat what I've said in past reviews. Generally, you can treat cleansing oils just like any other facial cleansers in your routine, except that you apply them to DRY skin, and you work them into your skin before you add any water. They instantly break down makeup, which is awesome, and a good cleansing oil will rinse away with water cleanly without leaving much (or any) oily residue behind. Cleansing oils are great for normal to dry skin, but they're ALSO great for oily skin. I know it seems counter-intuitive  to apply oil to oily skin, but it actually can HELP with skin's oil production. I have very oily skin, and if you do too, then you know that if you use a harsh cleanser that strips away all of your skin's oil, you sometimes get even MORE oily just a few hours later. That's your skin working overtime to produce the oil you stripped away. So using a good cleansing oil can actually help balance out your skin's oil production and leave you LESS oily. OK, lesson over and back to the review.

I have been using the Palmer's cleansing oil off and on for about three months now, and the verdict? I LOVE IT. It breaks down all of my makeup like buttah, even tough-to-remove mascaras. Some mascaras require a little extra (gentle) effort, but eventually, every mascara I tried with this cleanser broke down and I have never once been left with raccoon eyes. That's a MAJOR plus for me. Also, this easily removes my longwear foundations and concealers and also my primers. Basically it knocks them all out like a champ. I have done the "toner test" many times after using this cleansing oil, and I never find any lingering makeup on my cotton pad.

Rinsing is also great with this product. I have no issues with it leaving any residue behind--it rinses cleanly and perfectly every time. And after I dry my face, NO residue. My face just feels clean, but not dry or tight. It seriously isn't drying at all to me--not even a little bit--so I think it would work well for normal and dry skin as well. I also want to mention that this product has not irritated my skin or caused me any breakouts.

As for the fragrance, I think it's lovely. As stated on the bottle, this product has a "rosehip fragrance". If you're unfamiliar with rosehip, it's the fruit from a rose plant. Rosehips do not smell like roses (I've smelled pure rosehip oil before and it's sort of like a cross between olive oil and an earthy tea), but this cleansing oil does have a slight rose scent to it (probably due to the added fragrance). It's not straight roses though--the scent of this cleansing oil has an earthy quality to it, combined with the roses. It smells quite "natural" to me, and it's not a strong or heavy fragrance, nor is it irritating to my skin. I personally love it.

FINAL VERDICT: I have found my new favorite cleansing oil, and it's clawing its way to holy grail status by the day (sorry, DHC!). I haven't reached for any of my others since I purchased this one back in March, and I will absolutely repurchase. If you're still on the hunt for that perfect cleansing oil at an affordable price-point, I think this one is definitely worth considering, for all of the reasons I explained above.

The products featured in this post were purchased with personal funds. For more information, click here.
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59 comments

  1. Oh... I wonder how this compares to the Julep cleansing oil that is my current HG. I'm certainly going to have to try this.

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    1. I believe the main ingredient in the Julep is grape seed oil, right? I wonder how this will compare for you, too! Please keep me posted if you try it? At 1/3 the price of the Julep, I think it's worth a shot! :)

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    2. The first cleansing oil I ever tried was Julep. I got it in my subscription box which I cancelled about 2yrs ago. I just broke out my 2nd bottle that was in my closet and I still love it.

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  2. I am going to have to try this. I love cleansing oils. I was using the Neutrogena one, which was okay, but still had to use my Garnier Miceller Water to get off all eye makeup. I am currently using the Yes to Coconuts one, which is AMAZING. I have chronically dry skin and it leaves me feeling so moisturized that sometimes I skip moisturizer. And it gets everything off. Highly recommend to my dryer skin girls.

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    1. Hey Tara! I haven't tried the Yes To one, but I definitely prefer this one over the Neutrogena. I would love to know what you think of it compared to the Yes To, if you end up trying it!

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  3. I knew I should've pulled the trigger on this, I have like a dozen Palmers products saved in my Amazon cart, there were so many that sounded good!

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    1. Lol if you get it, definitely compare the prices to Target and the other retailers I listed above because from what I can tell, the prices on Amazon are way too high for this one. I don't want you spending more than you have to for this one, girlie!

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  4. Thanks so much for this review! I really want to try this one. My one reservation is the fragrance. Sensitive skin, blah blah. If they made a fragrance free version, I'd be first in line! All of your info is very helpful as always. Thanks!

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    1. Thank you so much! The fragrance is pretty far down on the list, but if you have sensitive skin and avoid fragrance in your skincare, then I completely understand! Have you tried the one from Badger? I haven't tried it yet but maybe worth a shot?

      http://www.badgerbalm.com/p-548-organic-unscented-face-cleansing-oil.aspx

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    2. I have extremely sensitive skin and have no problems at all using this! Been using for several weeks and absolutely love it! :-) P.S. I can't wear or use any products with fragrance or even wash my laundry in a regular detergent, so when I say I'm highly sensitive I truly am :-(

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  5. yeah I'm going to have to try this

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    1. Would love to know what you think if you do!

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  6. 20% off Giorgio Armani beauty with code ARMANI20 https://www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com brings down the Armani luminous silk foundation to just under $50 without shipping/tax... Maybe Nordstrom will be price matching this as well

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    1. Thanks so much for the tip! I would definitely do a live-chat with Nordstrom and ask if they'll price-match! :)

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  7. I am definitely going to try this. I'm currently using Neutrogena, which I like, but it does leave my oily skin feeling a bit dry. My skin has changed a bit...still oily in the t-zone, but my cheeks and under eye areas have been quite dry, so I'm trying to be as gentle as I can with my skin.

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    1. I think you might love this one, Michelle. Please do keep me posted? Fingers crossed!!

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  8. I love how you convince me to try new things :-) !!!!!!

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    1. Awww, well I'm not here to convince, just to share what works for me! But hey, if you end up trying and loving, I'll take that credit. Lol!! ;)

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  9. I too am going to give this a shot. Since Garnier discotinued their oil I have been using Neutogena and it's fine, but by no means holy grail. When I finish my travel size of Burt's Bees I will look for this one. Thanks for the great review G., and I am excited to try it!

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    1. Hey Robin, how are you liking the BB one? I haven't tried my sample yet, but I know you really loved the Garnier so I'm wondering how the BB compares for you? And you KNOW I would love to hear how the Palmer's works for you if you try it! ;)

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    2. I don't love the Burt's bees but it does the trick if you use enough product. Can't be stingy. It actually doesn't feel very oily when compared to Garnier and Neutrogena. I won't be buying the full size

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    3. I really liked the Garnier oil, I had no clue they dc'd it.

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  10. I love cleansing oils too so I'm glad to hear this is a good one. And affordable too! I'm not a double cleanser either. If it doesn't do the job the first time around it doesn't get repurchased so bonus points for this one. And now this is earning HG status for you? Whoa, it must be excellent! Thanks for the great review, G.

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    1. Agreed! I don't have time for double cleansing, girl. I'm lucky to just cleanse my face ONCE when I'm tired at night. Lol. And yes, it is working its way to HG status--you know I don't say that lightly! Please do let me know what you think if you try it? Fingers crossed!

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  11. Thank you for your review. It came at a good time. I feel in love with a cleansing oil by Freeman's organic brand Eclos. It was sold at Ulta and drugstore-com but I can no longer find it. I will try this out and see if it can beat Eclos.

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    1. Yep, I loved the Eclos as well, but it's now discontinued. I think that if you also loved the Eclos, you'll probably enjoy this one quite a bit. Please do keep me posted if you end up trying it? Would love to know if you agree!

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    2. I was afraid it got discontinued. I wish I would have known - I would have bought a stockpile of it. But you sold me on the Palmers! Now I feel less anxiety. I will definitely let you know how it goes. Thanks again for the review and recommendation!

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    3. Yeah, they did it quietly, and it bummed me out too! I cannot WAIT to find out how you like this one though--hopefully it makes you not miss the Eclos as much! :)

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    4. Geez, I didn't know both The Garnier and Eclos were dc'd. They are the first ones I tried, still have some in each bottle. Bummer because they were fine as far as the product goes. I just tried other cleansing oils because I was curious, but they did the job for me!

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    5. I like the Eclos one but the scent was way too strong for me. I actually bought it when you mentioned it once lol. So its still sitting on a shelf with 75% left. But now I really want to try this one

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  12. Oh, I so have to try this. DHC is my HG oil (at least for right now!) but this sounds awesome, plus WAY cheaper! FYI, I just went to Palmer's website, and someone griped that it was hard to find, and Palmer's says it's available at CVS and Target stores! So - guess who's gonna be stopping by CVS and/or Target today?! :D

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    1. What I like about the Palmer's over the DHC is that the Palmer's leaves my face just as clean, but never on the boarder of feeling dry. Sometimes the DHC can make my skin feel ALMOST dry, if that makes sense? It never does feel dry, but it's right there on the boarder. Anyway, yes, they definitely sell at Target (I linked to the listing in my review so you can check in-store availability). If you end up trying it, I would love to know how you think it compares to the DHC!

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    2. *border (darn auto-correct!)

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    3. Absolutely! And I do know what you mean about the DHC leaving you *almost* feeling dry! My skin is dry-ish in winter, and pretty much normal this time of year, so the DHC is fine for me right now, but I have to be kinda careful in colder weather, so I'm really gonna scout this one out, and I'll gladly let you know what I think when I try it on for size! :D

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    4. Oh yay! I'm so glad you understood what I was trying to say. Now I REALLY am dying to know what you think of the Palmer's! I cannot wait for your verdict. :)

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    5. Oh, just FYI - Palmer's is part of Walgreen's buy 2 get 1 free deal, and there's a few places here that carry it, so Imma go get me some ASAP! :D

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  13. Oh, I'll have to try this one when I find it. I love the Body Shop chamomile cleansing oil, but if I can find a better priced cleanser that works, I'm all for it.

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    1. Heidi, I think you're going to love it. The Body Shop Chamomile didn't always remove all of my eye makeup, but this one does! Please keep me posted? Fingers crossed!

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  14. I use cleansing oils to clean my makeup sponges. Until I found this, I was using my expensive L'Occitane cleansing oil for this task. Now I can be guilt free as I clean my sponges!

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    1. Oh I am SO glad you mentioned this!! I tried using this to clean my Beautyblender the other day and it ROCKS! It instantly removed a stubborn stain from my Estee Lauder Double Wear concealer that had been bugging me! I think you're going to love this for your sponges. Please keep me posted if you try it?

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  15. G...I wear contacts and usually avoid anything that says oil b/c it will leave a film on mine. Do you notice any problems with it clouding your eyes up?

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    1. I do not have any cloudy vision when I use this one! Now I do always keep my eyes pretty tightly shut when I'm using this, and I don't wear contacts, but no issues for me. I would absolutely love to know what you think if you give this a try! :)

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  16. Wow! I feel like RUNNING to Walgreens right now. DHC is my HG, and I'd LOVE to replace it with something at this price point. Great review!

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    1. I think that if you love the DHC, you're going to be very pleased with this one. I would love to hear from you after you try it! Fingers crossed!

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  17. I will definitely have to try this! Ever since Salma Hayek Nuance discontinued theirs, I've been on the hunt for an alternative that doesn't contain mineral oil.

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    1. Kitsune, I would love to know how think this compares to the Nuance one! I never did try the Nuance, but I know that so many people loved it. Fingers crossed!!

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  18. I've been using the eclos too and I really like it! Eclos has a cleanser that I really like as well but of course both are gone now :( next I am trying to Neutrogena but if it has mineral oil I might not like it. Mineral oil sometimes burns my eyes along with olive oil and coconut oil so we shall see!

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    1. I would love to hear what you think of both, when you try them! I personally prefer the Palmer's, but it will be interesting to hear which one works best for you. Please keep me posted?

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  19. is this better than Garnier miceller water (the waterproof version)?

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    1. It's impossible to compare a micellar water to a cleansing oil, since they are completely different types of products. They both cleanse the face, but they're so different I can't say one is "better" than another. It would be like comparing a BB cream to a foundation, if that makes sense? It really comes down to whether you're looking for a product that can remove makeup without the help of water, or if you're looking for a facial cleanser that you use at the sink. I love both, for totally different reasons (you can check out my Garnier Micellar review by using the search bar on my blog). :)

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  20. I have been eyeing this product for a while but decided not to buy it because I hadn't read any reviews on it. Thank you so much for posting this!!!! I'm defiantly going to have to go out and pick this up😃

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  21. Yay this is my oil cleanser!!!
    I first bumped into it in December or soon after. I just looked at my bottle to see how much I paid for it but there was no price sticker on it... Not like it matters much since I live in the Caribbean so we can't really compare lol. I think I paid like 8 bucks. Prior to getting this i use to mix my own oil and I did read about the Neutrogena and other ones in here but never saw it on the island so while browsing my beauty store I saw this, skimmed over the ingredients and placed it in my basket. It did such a great job I stopped mixing my oils for cleansing and instead mainly use to moisturize.
    The instructions says to wet hand and then rub one pump in wet hands and proceed which I did at the beginning but then decided to do as I use to do with own mix of oils which basically skipped the wet hands part and it worked just as well.
    I'm glad to see it in here as a recommended product! 🤗🤗🤗

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  22. I've been using this Palmer's Facial Cleansing Oil and I absolutely love it! I have dry skin and use it daily to remove makeup and to hydrate my skin. It's gentle but effective and I'll continue to use this as long as they make it!

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  23. This is the first cleansing oil that I bought a few months ago...and I love it!!!☺

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  24. Have you tried the burts bees cleansing oil? (I was going to search your blog before I asked, but I couldn't find a search box and I'm too lazy to scroll through all your reviews, sorry) I'm using the burt's bees one now and its pulled me away from my micellar water and gotten back into oil. I love how supple my skin feels after I use it. I'm definitely going to have to try the palmers when I'm finished with that.

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    1. I have a sample but haven't tried it yet. I'm a little concerned that you couldn't find my search bar though! It's right next to my social media bar on both mobile and desktop. I've never had anyone say they couldn't find it before. Could you let me know if it's not visible to you? I hate to think that anyone can't search my blog when they want to! Thanks!

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  25. I've only ever use the Josie maran cleansing oil and I love it. It's expensive though so I may try this but I'm not too sure about the ingredient list. There's so many! I'll do more research. Thanks for the review!

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  26. I found ONE bottle at my CVS and still had my 25% off coupon(which ends today), so only paid $7.50! This'll be my first time using an oil to cleanse my face and am excited to try this. I'm 48 and still have VERY oily skin(still get zits every now and then and I have acne scars), so your review was right up my alley. I've been following you for the past 5 years and will never miss a day without looking at you blog. Thanks G!

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