March 3, 2011

Origins Clean Energy Gentle Cleansing Oil Review

A few of you recommended that I try out Origins Clean Energy Gentle Cleansing Oil so I purchased some on the double as it sounded pretty good.

But a question….

Does it come with a pump of some kind that I can buy? Annoying packaging dude!

Check it!


A non mineral oil based cleansing oil that contains a combination of Olive, Sunflower, Sesame and Safflower Oils to remove dirt and makeup.


Wow! I love this stuff. Where has it been all my life? I’m kinda late to checking this out but I imagine it’ll quickly become a staple product. I personally love using cleansing oils to remove makeup and this falls into the realms of brilliant.

$19.50 gets you a chubby 6.7 oz size of the oil with a scent of orange, grapefruit and lemon (tell you more about the scent in a second). The formula is incredibly thick which I love when it comes to cleansing oils and it quickly takes on the task of removing my makeup and making my skin feel nice and hydrated after use sans a tight, dry feeling.

It doesn’t contain mineral oil so if you’re looking for a Cleansing Oil that lacks such an ingredient this is a good pick.

If you’ve never used cleansing oil before and think it’ll prove too greasy or oily don’t let that sway you as it goes on oily but washes clean away. You simply rub the oil all over your dry face, add a little water to emulsify, and proceed to rinse with more water. Done! It removes makeup easily and gives a nice deep clean without stripping your skin.

But…


Ugh the packaging is awful. They do not include a pump of any kind and the wide mouth proves a messy situation when pouring from it. It’s not a major deal to simply buy a pump (but finding one to match the size of the bottle could prove tricky) or just to pour the oil into an empty pump bottle purchased at the drugstore however I do think that for the price they could have had the decency to include the feature. It’s simply awkward to pour the oil into your hand as it spills all over the rim and bottle.

I loved the smell in the bottle as it has a fresh lemony, orange, citrus thing going on that was very clean and fruity to my nose but after getting it on my face I kinda got a strange gasoline/oily scent going on!

  • Anyone who loves cleansing oils and wants access to an inexpensive generously sized one (Shu proves expensive and there aren’t alot of cleansing oil options in the US so this is a nifty, inexpensive find).
  • Those who haven’t experienced cleansing oil before and who wear alot of makeup that they need to remove quickly in the evening (if you never tried an oil before and use alot of makeup, this does a great job of removing it all easily!).
  • Fans of cleansing oils without mineral oil.

  • Those who are easily irked by packaging (I was irritated by the lack of thought that went into the bottle).


I absolutely loved this and can easily see it becoming a staple product. I use various Asian Cleansing Oils but this is so much easier to obtain and inexpensive to boot! I love Shu but it does get a bit costly and does contain mineral oil so the Origins one is a refreshing change in the price department. The bottle did irk me but not too badly that I won’t Muse Approved it for purchase.

Well worth a buy!

Loves it!

I know many of you tried it.

Do share your thoughts!

Available at www.origins.com

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

    • the Muse

      thank ye dear ;-D I’ll try it out ;-D sounds lovely! is it really “cooling”

      • peacelovepanic

        I’ll say yes even though i am not really sure. I take really hot showers so in the shower it def feels cooling, but if you take normal showers i’m not so sure. But it works to take off water-resistant makeup which makes me uber happy. I hate going to bed feeling like there’s still makeup on my skin.

        • the Muse

          it sounds great peacelovepanic, cooling or not ;-D gonna give it a try thanks for the rec !

  • Lors

    I’ve been thinking about trying this and am so glad you reviewed it! I saw on some other reviews that there is a pump you can buy at the Origins counter for $1. I wish Origins would just include the pump because everyone complains about the bottle. I will forgive them though because I really love a lot of their skin care items 🙂

    • the Muse

      awesome Lors! I ordered online must get to origins for the pump as it’s driving me batty ;-D I agree, it’s a basic feature right?! I’ll forgive them too b/c the cleansing oil is actually AWESOME otherwise ;D!

  • Maria

    This might be a silly question, but does it take eye makeup off? And does it sting the eyes?

    • the Muse

      cloudy vision Maria as with all cleansing oil but no stinging 🙂 it takes eye makeup off yes but I normally like to use an oil based eye makeup remover and following up with cleansing oil as if you wear ALOT of eye makeup this it’s best to remove it with an eye makeup remover imho prior to cleaning your face 🙂

  • Becca

    get the $1 origins pump and reuse it…easy peasy. Best cleansing oil on a budget!

  • origami

    The packaging snafoo is ridiculous, but I’m intrigued! Do you know who carries it?

    I use Dermalogica’s Precleanse oil but, while it really is quite nice (it is inoffensive for us super sensitive gals and works magic), it is waaaaay on the pricey side and thus I use it far less often than I’d prefer. Plus, let’s be honest, it is the only cleansing oil I’ve ever stumbled upon that I could readily purchase!

    • the Muse

      macys has origins in store normally origami 🙂 yup, agreed do not want the packaging ;-D I haven’t tried the dermalogica’s one but someone else had rec’ed it and said it was great :D!

  • Butterdaisy

    1st cleansing oil I ever tried was DHC. I was amazed and loved it. Muse you ever tried theirs?

    I really want to try the Origins one and the Boscia one just bc I’m a product junkie! Lol!

  • Amanda

    Would you be so kind as to post the full ingredient list? I’m kind of picky…lol

    • the Muse

      hi amanda I don’t have the time to type it out at the moment but I’m sure it is on the origins site. hope this helps!

    • Taryn

      Here, I found this by using Google:

      lea europaea (olive) fruit oil, carthamus tinctorus (safflower seed) oil, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil, helianthus annus (sunflower) seed oil, vitis vinifera (grape) seed oil, peg-25 glyceryl trioleate, macadamia integrifolia seed oil, aleurites moluccana (kukui) seed oil, citrus arantium dulcis (sweet orange) peel oil*, lavandula hybrida (lavandin) oil*, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil*, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil*, citrus grandis (grapefruit) peel oil*, cedrus atlantica (cedarwood) bark oil*, pogostemon cablin (patchouli) oil*, salvia sclarea (clary sage) oil*, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf oil*, pelargonium graveolens (geranium) flower oil*, fusanus spicatus (australian sandalwood) wood oil*, amyris balsamifera (sandalwood) bark oil*, linalool, limonene, sorbitan trioleate, tocopheryl acetate

  • Irene

    great review! glad to hear there is a pump, I will have to try it out!

  • Kat

    They should of offered you the $1 pump to go with it. I use to work there…..we always did. Love this stuff.

  • Nunuiviet

    I love origins products god quality and very affordable. But the he’ll yeah when I saw the packaging I was like wtf? I mean there’s no pump, you might spill oil all over, very disappointed. By the muse is it more expensive than Mac cleanse off oil? Just to make a comparison

  • Holly

    As a lady who used to work for Origins (um…. like five years ago), they sell the pumps (I still shop there). They’re a buck or two. I don’t recall ANY of the face washes having pumps included, which I agree – for the price they really ought to! They had a face wash for oily skin (my mom uses it) that is thicker so if you don’t use the pump, you waste a ton and it gets messy and gross. I think Clean Energy is a new version of an old oil-based face wash Origins used to have.

    I agree with the above poster about checking out Boscia’s! It’s my HG face wash right now and I’ve *never* said that about a face wash before. Sephora had a 500 pt perk recently of Boscia stuff that included a nice travel size one (that’s at the boyfriend’s 🙂 it takes everything off, doesn’t leave me dry or greasy.

    • the Muse

      hi holly I got it online so didn’t see the pump sadly. agreed, def should include one with it anyway and not have us purchase it. ;-D I’ll have to try it ;-D!!!!!!!

  • HapaGirl84

    Hi Muse! I’m so glad you tried it! The oily scent you’re picking up on is probably the olive fruit oil — it’s the main ingredient and there are no artificial perfumes (only essential oils) in the formula, so there’s nothing to mask it. Kinda strange, but I got used to it after a while. The pump is also a great investment because like the other reviewer said, you can re-use it. Origins tries not to over-pump their products because many pumps can’t be recycled (they are made of more than 1 material, metal and plastic, which need to be separated before they can be recycled). They try to be green but it can definitely be an inconvenience sometimes. Anyway, congrats for the find! 🙂

    • the Muse

      I def got used to it hapa ;-D really liking it, good cleansing oil! I wish I had seen the pump online, damn shame they don’t have it on the website ;-D! cheers! thanks hun 🙂

  • Mandy

    I’ve been using this cleansing oil for a while now. And I love how well it takes off my makeup but like most other cleansers/cleansing oils that I’ve used so far this one also makes my skin dry and tight. I’m beginning to think it’s just my skin..lol The Origins store that I purchased from sold pumps separately for this product! If I remember correctly it wasn’t too expensive either.

    • the Muse

      hey mandy I missed out on the pump as I ordered online but they don’t seem to have/offer the pumps online!

  • Hai Dao L

    Yes! Thank you Muse! I asked for a less expensive, easier to get cleansing oil and here it is! It is now a must have. Thanks sooooo much Muse for doing this! You’re a life (and skin) saver!

    • the Muse

      ha my pleasure hai dao let me know how it works out for you hun!?

  • Jaz

    Is this purely just for removing makeup? would this be okay as a facial cleanser?

    • the Muse

      jaz I would suggest using something foaming to clean your face or just this as a pre-rinse for another cleanser. 🙂

  • aisha

    i’m currently using it and i agree about it the packaging but you are able to purchase a pump which i did when i bought it. it’s nice but i don’t love it and won’t be repurchasing as i’m not fond of the thickness and it gets into my eyes(i wear lenses) and makes them fuzzy. i don’t have that problem with the NARS cleansing oil. Have you tried it? It’s feel light yet cleanses and nourishes my skin. I am re-purchasing it after I finish my Origins. Give it a try if you haven’t already. xo

    • the Muse

      aw sorry to hear it aisha I normally have trippy fuzzy vision with more cleansing oils! I have not but will have to check it out ;D!

  • Chichi

    Hi muse. What does mineral oil do? Why do others don’t like mineral oil based products?

    • the Muse

      I personally haven’t had problems with it Chichi I think alot of it is a myth as I never experienced problems with mineral oil. Supposedly it clogs pores, ages you faster, dries skin out, etc….

      • Jessica Allison

        There have long been myths about mineral oil. Truth is, if you look up the research on it, you’ll see that it’s considered non-irritating and is a zero on a 0-5 scale of comedogenic ingredients- meaning that it does NOT clog pores. For comparison, olive oil is a 2 and coconut oil is a 4.

        Of course, there are people that object to using mineral oil because it is tied to non-renewable petroleum refining, but frankly, I think that’s misguided. The resources are processed for fuel, mineral oil is a left-over. I feel like some people think it’s “greener” to abstain from using petrol byproducts, but to me it seems wasteful not to use them, since they’ll be there regardless…

    • the Muse

      hi jayie.

      diff oils in both, 6.7 oz at $26 versus origins same size at 19.50, scents are diff, texture is about the same, thick. That’s about it. Hope this helps.

  • Sara

    This has been a favorite of mine since I picked it up over a year ago! It lasts forever; even with daily use it should still last you almost a year. I love it because it can get any and all makeup completely off without a wash cloth/cottton pad, etc. You just massage it in and rinse it off and it leaves no residue! And it smells good and has no nasty chemicals in it which makes it pretty much perfect. The pump is absolutely crucial though — it dispenses just the right amount of product (1-2 pumps) to get off a full face of heavy makeup. My only gripe is that it’s slightly drying, which is surprising because it’s chock full of oils! It’s never broken me out though. Hope you’re enjoying it!

  • Beauty Bitch

    I completely agree with everything on this blog! I adore this product but blinking hell the lack of pump is tres annoying! It’s the messiest product ever!

    I point blank refuse to spend even more money on a pump so what I do is pour a small amount into a tiny glass cup (it’s actually a nail glass used for doing acrylics, think a mini version of a shot glass) then dip my fingers in and apply that way.

    At the end I simply pour back any unused product into the bottle! 🙂

  • Kat M

    Love this cleanser! However – I see many people complaining about the lack of the pump. This is indeed necessary because you’ll spill it all over yourself without it. Here’s how you get it: Place your order online and get your order number. Call them, or chat, and explain that you want the pump for the cleansing oil, and they will match up your order number and send you off a pump in a separate package. 3 years ago I had to pay for it in the store, like 3 bucks or something. 2 years ago, they sent it to me for free. Last year, I had to call and have them add it to my order, and there was a charge again for it. This year (this morning actually), I called and they’re sending it to me for free. So sometimes I have to pay for it and sometimes I don’t. I don’t care either way because the pump is essential.

    • the Muse

      kat thanks for the tip! I paid for one but that’s rather cool they sent one free! next time I order will def call and ask see if I can get them to give one to me ;D

  • lily

    I’m using this right now, have about 1/5 of the bottle left as we speak. I bought a pump at Origins for $3, they don’t have them out, you have to ask them for one, and they go get a pump from the storage room or something. I like it, it removes 100% of my makeup and it rinses clean and doesn’t dry out my skin and its natural…but my beef with this thing is that its too liquid-y. I wish it was thicker, usually with origins cleansers a little goes a long way but I don’t find that to be the case with this product. I’ve had it for less than a month and its already almost empty. With the pump and after taxes, it cost me over 30 bucks and its not worth that price at ALL. The origins checks and balances or never a dull moment cleansers last me months because its so thick/concentrated…which that was the case with this cleanser.

  • Liz

    My all time favorite cleansing oil is DHC followed by Shu (the pink formula for pores) but I’m super excited to try the Origin oil since the price is a bit better! Glad to know about the no-pump situation so I can remember to save my DHC bottle which is almost empty.

  • Hannah

    You can now buy a pump by origins for this products at stores like John Lewis and Feel Unique, etc. In uk GBP it is around �2.00. I use 2 pumps twice a day (morning and evening) the pump really helps to conserve product so the bottle lasts longer. Have a nice day and I hope this helps. Xx

  • Dawn R. Clark

    You can buy a pump for the cleansing oil for about $4.00. They have them at origins.com

    I love mine. It’s reusable. I’ve been using the cleansing oil for about 5 years and I’ve never bought another pump. Enjoy!

    • Isabella Muse

      thanks! I actually wrote this a long time ago and have since discovered the pump 🙂

      • Dawn Renee Clark

        I did see that. My apologies. Sadly, I’m having a hard time finding the Clean Energy anywhere anymore.