A Deep Cleanse with Radiance | Mary&May Rice Glutathione LHA Cleansing Oil Review

Mary&May is a long-time beloved and famous skincare brand in South Korea. They are the masters of true simplicity – with products containing starring ingredients, supporters and little else. In other words, they’re not the kind to add 50 extra essential oils just for the kicks. They believe in sustainable skincare, vegan formulas and provide classics for skin; from their brightening Tranexamic Acid + Glutathione Eye Cream to their nourishing Blackberry Glow Wash Off Pack. They have also specialized in gentle skin cleansers, that keep your skin moisturized whilst removing dirt and impurities for a squeaky-clean feeling. 

So, when their new rice-based cleansing oil came on the market – I was ready to give it a go! Even with sensitive skin, majority of their formulas are genuinely safe and none of their products have irritated my skin before; so, trust and expectations were high. And I’ll be honest; the shiny rainbow bottle was the thing that immediately sealed my purchase (I was born in the 90s and rainbow holographic is my weakness).  

It brags having pure Korean rice bran oil – as one of its major ingredients. Why is that interesting? Rice bran is the outer husk of rice that is removed but itself is rich in multiple bioactive compounds. It’s naturally rich in Vitamin E and Vitamin A, proteins and has been shown to reduce fine lines, boost collagen and calm inflammation. This means it’s a great addition to a cleanser, to maintain moisture whilst also calming redness and irritation. There’s some other ingredients to get excited about – but this genuinely is a carefully formulated cleansing oil that is designed for oily skin, to be gentle, refreshing and quality cleanser. Is it up to the task for oily and acne-prone skin? Let’s test it! 

Ethylhexyl Palmitate: this is the base of the cleansing oil. It is a natural emollient that helps the ingredients spread across the skin. It’s used in a large number of cleansing oils to give that liquid feeling that spreads across your skin, but does not absorb into your skin. 

Rice Bran Oil: we spoke about this one! It’s rich in natural vitamins and antioxidants, whilst also cooling inflammation and moisturizing skin for softer, calmer texture. 

Capryloyl Salicylic Acid (LHA): where plain salicylic acid is BHA, LHA is an oil-based derivative that is designed to be gentler on skin, whilst still providing that deep cleanse of sebum and dead skin cells. Is great to reduce acne, dark spots and balance oily skin.

Yuzu oil extract: moisturizing and lightening extract that helps reduce melanin production in cells, whilst calming redness, inflammation and heat in skin. 

Soybean oil: rich in natural antioxidants and boosts collagen synthesis, whist maintaining skin hydration to calm redness and irritation. 

Ginseng oil: one of the ultimate K-beauty skincare ingredients – incredibly rich in boosting, soothing, softening and rejuvenating extracts that help boost skin health, healing and restore skin balance. 

Glutathione: gentle lightening agent that helps prevent dark spot formation, to reduce melasma, PIH and small spots overtime.  

Kyounin Yu: also known as Apricot Kernel oil, helps boost moisture retention and rich in oleic and linoleic acids to boost cell renewal and healing. 

Peach extract: brightening and vitamin-rich extract that helps strengthen the skin barrier and reduce skin cell stress for a healthier, improved glow. 

This cleanser is designed primarily for oily skin (and most commonly in a double-cleansing routine), so it’s likely to be drying for dry skin types. It can be used in sensitive-to-normal skin on its own but be sure to rinse very thoroughly to prevent oil build-up in pores. For oily skin types, don’t fall prey to using cleansing oil as its own cleanser – it always works absolutely best when paired with a foamy cleanser. This allows the oils to combine with sebum on your face, allowing a deep extraction from pores and then a foam will wash it all away for a deep, lasting cleanse. 

Otherwise, this cleanser is fragrance-free and contains little irritating agents to be safe for sensitive skin use and is a vegan formula. 

I started using this cleansing oil once my last one ran out, and I needed to upgrade my evening double cleansing routine. Again, the bottle was the immediate draw – I absolutely love the holographic design on the front (and packaging!). It’s an incredibly lightweight oil with no scent that melts against skin instantly. This makes application easy, then it lathers to that milky texture immediately with water for an easy rinse. When compared to other cleansing oils – this one I can actually imagine using on its own. It doesn’t have a tacky stickiness of other oils and the rinse is very easy. But! I don’t trust my pores and always follow up with a foamy cleanser (I used Frudia Green Grape Pore Control Cleansing Foam for the extra exfoliation – and because I love the grape scent). 

This combination was a perfect addition to my oily skin – there was so much gunk coming off my face. It was remarkable. I was recovering from an acne outbreak – so having a gentle, yet really effective cleanser was perfect. I would use this in my evening routine, to wash away make-up and sunscreen and it was a really great cleanser. I’ve only used it two weeks so far – but it’s helped vanish some red spots from my face, as well as lighten darker spots slightly. 

Here’s the before and after – and you can see the improved texture and calmed red spots on my face. It also helped minimize pores and improve my skin softness – due to maintaining that hydration, whilst also extracting excess dirt and sebum from my pores. Having a quality oil cleanser is no joke and this one is light, well-balanced and actively helps calm redness and inflammation (making it so soothing for irritated and acne-prone skin) If you are a truly oily skin type – an oil-based cleanser can be transformative to your skin type!  

Disclaimer: consider an oil-cleanser if your skin is struggling with oil build-up or outbreaks. If your skin is already fairly balanced, don’t switch to a more aggressive cleansing routine as that balance can be really hard to get back again! Don’t fall into the trap of over-doing your skincare. All skin is different. 
 

If you are after a gentle, well-formulated and light cleansing oil for your routine - I would well recommend this one. It has some lovely brightening extracts, but is very effective at its role of cleansing without stripping natural moisture. I do recommend cleansing oils with a secondary cleanser to avoid break-0uts - but this one emulsifies beautifully for a refreshing rinse.

Looking for sensitive, gentle skincare? Shop the classic range of Mary & May on Arktastic - for vegan sheet mask packs, their luxurious blackberry range and more!