Botanical cleansing oil
Take off the day without stripping your skin.
Nine organic oils dissolve sunscreen, makeup and the day's buildup. A warm cloth lifts it away. Skin is left soft instead of tight.
- Removes SPF and makeup in one pass
- Skin feels soft and comfortable, never tight
- Gentle enough for nightly use
- Rinses clean, no residue
- Non-Toxic
- Free shipping over $75
- Ships from Denver, Colorado
- Clean Ingrdients
- Removes sunscreen and makeup
- Made in small batches in Denver
- 4.8 from 18 reviews
Your face wash was never built to remove sunscreen (and other residue).
Water-resistant SPF and long-wear makeup are engineered to stay put. Getting them off with a foaming cleanser usually means washing multiple times, scrubbing harder, or accepting that your skin feels tight by the time you reach for moisturizer. Or all of that, plus whatever ingredients were required to create that foam. No thanks.
Thoroughly clean. Never squeaky.
Dissolves what Water Can't
Sunscreen, makeup and a full day of sebum are all oil-soluble. Oil reaches them directly. Surfactants have to strip to get there.
No Tight Aftermath
Nothing in this bottle is designed to take your skin's own oil along with everything else. You shouldn't need to rush to moisturizer.
One step, Done Slowly
Four to five pumps, a minute of massage, a warm cloth. The cleanse is the evening ritual, not the chore before it.
The Texture
Thin, not heavy
It spreads like a dry oil — no drag, no pulling at the eye area. Four to five pumps covers a whole face, which is less than most people expect the first time.
What it doesn't do is foam. There's no surfactant in the bottle to make it.
Dissolve. Lift. Soften.
There are no emulsifiers or PEGs in this formula, so it doesn't turn milky and it doesn't rinse away under running water. It comes off on a warm cloth. Here is what happens in between.
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First
Oil dissolves oil
Applied to dry skin, the blend loosens sunscreen, makeup and sebum...the things water alone slides straight past.
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Then
A warm cloth lifts it away
Warmth softens what's been dissolved and the weave carries it off the skin. No surfactants, no foam, no scrubbing.
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What's Left
The oils that stay behind
Jojoba and strawberry seed don't leave with the cloth. That's the reason skin feels soft afterwards instead of squeaky.
Three things people tell us
The skin around my mouth is always dry after cleansing, and this is the FIRST cleanser that didn't have me desperate for moisturizer after.
I loved seeing my makeup dissolve instantly. A few brands I've tried have left a residue on my eyelids, but I'm happy to report Merigold's doesn't.
The oil has a great consistency and never sits heavy on my skin.
Yes, it's oil. You May Need A Cloth or Cotton Round.
This formula has no emulsifiers and no PEGs in it, which means it won't foam and it won't disappear under the tap. You take it off with a warm, damp cloth.
That's the trade. What you get for it is a bottle of certified organic oils with nothing added to make the removal easier for us to market.
If you want something you can splash off at the sink in ten seconds, this isn't it.
It's the slower version. Most people who stay with it stay for exactly that reason.
Where you fit
I wear sunscreen every day
This is the case it's built for. Nightly on dry skin, then a warm cloth. Mineral SPF is the most stubborn kind, a second cleanse afterwards is a reasonable habit.
I wear heavy or waterproof makeup
Oil first, then your usual water-based wash. Double cleansing isn't us upselling you — it's the reliable way to get long-wear products off without scrubbing at your eyes.
My skin feels tight after washing
That tightness is surfactants taking your own oil along with the dirt. There are none in here. This is the most common reason people switch to us.
My skin is oily or breaks out
Jojoba and castor are well tolerated by plenty of oily skin. Start with the 10 ml rather than the 50 ml
We Never Use Ingredients We Can't Explain
Every oil in the bottle has a job. Here are the ones doing the most.
Strawberry Seed Oil
brightens + supports barrier
Rich in antioxidants and omega fatty acids, it helps reinforce the moisture barrier while promoting smoother, brighter-looking skin. Nourishing without heaviness — ideal for restoring softness after cleansing.
Jojoba Oil
regulates oil + hydrates deeply
Balances oil production and hydrates deeply, making it a powerhouse for both dry and combination skin. Because it mimics the skin’s natural sebum, it conditions without clogging or residue.
Caston Oil
dissolves buildup + cleans pores
A deep-cleansing oil that binds to makeup, sunscreen, and buildup so they rinse away effortlessly. Ideal for dissolving impurities inside pores while keeping the skin cushioned and moisturized.
See the full ingredient list
Grapeseed (Vitis vinifera)*
Coconut (Caprylic/capric triglyceride)*
Strawberry Seed Oil (Fragaria ananassa)*
Sunflower Seed Oil (Helianthus annuus)*
Castor (Ricinus communis)*
Essential Oil Blend*
Vitamin E (Tocopheryl)*
Limonene
Linalool
*Certified Organic
Botanically scented with an organic essential oil blend. We disclose limonene and linalool because they occur naturally in that blend. If your skin is reactive, patch test along the jaw first.
The bottle
Amber glass, because oils don't like light
Botanical oils oxidise in sunlight. Amber glass slows that down, which is why every oil we make ships in it rather than clear glass or plastic.
Both the 50 ml and 10 ml come with a pump.
Hover to see what's inside.
How to Use an Oil Cleanser
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Dry hands, dry face
Four to five pumps. Don't wet your face first.
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Massage 30–60 seconds
Work over sunscreen, makeup and anywhere that holds buildup. This is the step people rush and the step that does the work.
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Warm, damp cloth
Press it to the skin for a few seconds to soften everything, then wipe. A damp cotton round works too. Go gently around the eyes.
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Follow while damp
Night Nourisher goes on next, before skin fully dries.
Wetting your face before you apply. Water sits between the oil and everything you're trying to remove, and the cleanse never really starts.
Do you need a second cleanse?
We'd rather tell you than sell you a second product you don't need.
- Waterproof mascara or long-wear foundation
- Yes. Oil first, then your usual water-based cleanser. This is what double cleansing is actually for.
- Mineral or water-resistant sunscreen
- Usually. Mineral filters are the most stubborn thing most people wear. A second cleanse is the reliable call.
- Light makeup or a bare-skin day
- No. One thorough oil cleanse and a warm cloth is the whole step.
- Oily or congestion-prone skin
- Follow with a water-based cleanser if that's what your skin prefers. Some people like the finish better. Some don't need it at all.
How it compares
This is about format, not quality. It's here so you can tell whether this is the kind of cleanser you want.
| Revive and Restore | Cleansing balm | Micellar water | Foaming cleanser | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | Pumpable oil | Solid-to-oil | Water-like | Gel or foam |
| Applied to | Dry skin | Dry skin | Cotton pad | Wet skin |
| Removes SPF and long-wear makeup | Yes | Yes | Partially | Often needs a second pass |
| Rinses off with water alone | No — warm cloth | Usually | Wipe off | Yes |
| Emulsifiers or PEGs | None | Usually | Usually | Yes |
| Leaves skin feeling | Soft | Soft | Varies | Can feel tight |
A cleansing balm from a good brand is a good product. We lose the rinse-off row on purpose, that's the honest trade for a formula with nothing in it but the cleanest ingredients.
Before you buy
Will an oil cleanser break me out?
The blend is built around jojoba, which is structurally close to skin's own sebum, and castor, which binds to buildup so a cloth can lift it away. If you're cautious, the 10 ml is $16 and exists for exactly this.
Does it remove sunscreen?
That's the main thing it's built for. Mineral sunscreen is the most stubborn kind, so a second cleanse afterwards is a reasonable habit if that's what you wear.
Do I need a second cleanser?
Depends what you're wearing, there's a decision tree further up this page that walks through it.
Can I use it with lash extensions?
We wouldn't. Oil breaks down the adhesive used for most lash extensions.
What if it isn't for me?
Emailinfo@merigold.coand we'll sort it out. We're a small team in Denver and we read everything.
Is it scented?
Botanically, with an organic essential oil blend. We disclose limonene and linalool on the label because they occur naturally in that blend.
How is this different from a face wash?
Face washes use surfactants, which lift oil by stripping it. This dissolves oil with oil instead, so nothing has to be stripped to get skin clean — which is the difference you feel afterwards.
For Sensitive People, with Sensitive Skin
Free shipping over $75 · Ships from Denver