Clinique All About Clean™ Liquid Facial Soap Oily Skin Formula Review
BeautyBrief™
Brand
Clinique
Product
All About Clean™ Liquid Facial Soap Oily Skin Formula
Claims check
If you want fragrance-free foam for oily skin, this formula removes surface oil, but MCI/MI preservatives can limit use for sensitized skin.
Shopper fit
- Combination
- Oily
Formula flags
- Sulfates
- Methylchloroisothiazolinone
- Methylisothiazolinone
Shopper preferences
- Dermatologist-Tested
- Ophthalmologist-Tested
Key ingredients
| Lauramidopropyl Betaine | Helps remove oil, sweat, and daily buildup. |
|---|---|
| Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine | Adds lather and cleansing support. |
| Sodium Laureth Sulfate | Adds stronger surface-oil removal and noticeable foam. |
| Sucrose | Supports a conditioning feel in the rinse-off cleanser. |
| Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice | Adds light conditioning support. |
Price tier
$$ Mid-Range
Value check
At the Mid-Range tier, you pay for dermatologist-tested oily-skin cleansing, not established long-term sebum suppression.
Where to buy
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Bottom line
If you have oily skin and tolerate its preservatives, Clinique Oily Formula provides rich fragrance-free cleansing. MCI/MI matters for sensitized skin, and saw palmetto is absent from its published full INCI. At the Mid-Range tier, choose it for cleansing texture rather than acne treatment.
If your skin is combination-oily or oily and you want a fragrance-free cleanser with noticeable lather and strong surface-oil removal, Clinique All About Clean™ Liquid Facial Soap Oily Skin Formula gives you a focused Mid-Range option. The main fit limitation is the MCI/MI preservative system if your skin is reactive or already sensitized.
What it claims
Clinique positions this version for combination-oily to oily skin and says the soft, non-drying lather removes dirt, debris, sweat, pollution, and excess oil while helping preserve your natural moisture balance. The current U.S. page highlights saw palmetto extract, sucrose, and aloe and identifies the formula as fragrance-free, dermatologist-tested, ophthalmologist-tested, and allergy-tested.[1]
Claims vs. formula
Lauramidopropyl betaine and cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine lead the current formula, followed by sodium laureth sulfate, sodium cocoyl sarcosinate, and TEA-cocoyl glutamate. Together they give you noticeable foam and effective removal of surface oil and daily buildup.
Sodium laureth sulfate is a sulfate surfactant, so BB keeps the Sulfates flag. Its presence does not automatically make the cleanser harsh, but it helps explain why this version feels more oil-removing than Clinique’s drier-skin formulas.
Saw palmetto extract supports the oily-skin positioning, but a rinse-off cleanser does not establish long-term sebum reduction from that ingredient alone.
Aloe, sucrose, butylene glycol, hexylene glycol, and conditioning polymers help soften the rinse. They support the non-drying story without turning the cleanser into a moisturizer.
Methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone are the main fit limitation. They are established contact allergens for some people, especially those already sensitized to isothiazolinone preservatives.
Ingredients that matter
Lauramidopropyl betaine, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine and sodium laureth sulfate contribute to rich lather and surface-oil removal. Butylene glycol, aloe and sucrose add minor conditioning components.
Clinique highlights saw palmetto in product marketing, but the full published INCI does not list the extract. The Key Ingredient field therefore uses sucrose instead. The ingredient list also includes methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone; these are particularly relevant to shoppers with a known preservative allergy.
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a well-established cleansing and foam-supporting surfactant used mainly in rinse-off formulas. The complete surfactant system determines cleansing strength and tolerability.
Read the IngredientBrief
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is an effective cleansing and foaming surfactant used mainly in rinse-off products. Tolerability depends more on concentration and the complete cleansing system than on the SLES name…
Read the IngredientBrief
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera has some human evidence for hydration in specific topical formulas. Aloe juice, extracts, gels, and polysaccharide-rich materials differ, so the finished formula matters more than a headline aloe…
Read the IngredientBrief
Butylene Glycol
Butylene Glycol is a well-established humectant and solvent that supports hydration, ingredient solubility, and formula texture. It is usually a useful supporting ingredient rather than a hero active.
Read the IngredientBriefSafety and regulatory context
Clinique’s exact Oily Skin Formula page declares the product fragrance-free, dermatologist-tested, ophthalmologist-tested and allergy-tested.[1] These declarations do not guarantee tolerance if you have a preservative allergy.
Despite its skin-type positioning, this is not a medication for acne or permanent sebum reduction. Sodium laureth sulfate and the MCI/MI preservatives are worth checking against your own tolerances rather than automatically labeling the wash unsafe.
What to expect in the short term
You get a clean, refreshed finish with noticeable lather and efficient surface-oil removal. Combination-oily and oily skin are the clearest fit.
Clinique directs you to use it morning and night on a makeup-free face, so long-wear makeup and waterproof sunscreen are better removed first with a dedicated remover.[1]
What to expect over time
The repeat-use value is maintenance cleansing: keeping excess oil, sweat, sunscreen residue, and pollution from building up without adding an acne-treatment active to the wash step.
At the Mid-Range tier, you are paying for Clinique’s skin-type-specific formula, fragrance-free positioning, polished lather, conditioning ingredients, and multiple size options. The value drops if your skin is already sensitized to MCI/MI.
Who it fits
This makes the most sense if your skin is combination-oily or oily, you like foam, and you want fragrance-free daily oil removal.
If your skin is dry, highly reactive, or already sensitized to isothiazolinones, a gentler cleanser is easier to justify. If acne or clogged pores are the main concern, a cleanser with a clearly dosed acne active makes more sense.
Compare before you buy
Choose Clinique All About Clean™ Liquid Facial Soap Mild when dry-combination skin wants more conditioning and less oil removal.
Read the BeautyBrief
Choose Clinique All About Clean™ Liquid Facial Soap Extra Mild when very dry skin needs a softer, lower-foam formula.
Read the BeautyBriefFinal Assessment
If you have combination-to-oily skin and enjoy strong foam, Clinique Oily Formula provides surface-oil cleansing without added fragrance. Its MCI/MI preservatives limit the fit for already sensitized skin, and saw palmetto does not appear in the full INCI. At the Mid-Range tier, value lies in the lather and brand’s skin-type positioning, not a proven acne or sebum treatment.
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Last reviewed: October 2026
Sources
Clinique. Oily Skin Formula. Exact U.S. product page, accessed October 14, 2026; formula, use and testing declarations.
