Curel Makeup Remover: Cleansing Gel vs Oil vs Milk Compared

Curél sells three makeup removers in Japan: the Makeup Cleansing Gel (ジェルメイク落とし), the Makeup Cleansing Oil (オイルメイク落とし) and the Makeup Cleansing Milk (乳液ケアメイク落とし). The gel and oil are rinse-off cleansers that Kao says remove makeup while protecting skin’s ceramides, and the oil also removes waterproof mascara; the milk is a wipe-off cleanser used with cotton pads that needs no rinsing or face wash afterwards. All three are medicated quasi-drugs for dry, sensitive skin with dipotassium glycyrrhizate as the active ingredient, labelled weakly acidic, fragrance-free and alcohol-free.

What you’ll learn in this article:

• The three Curel makeup removers: cleansing gel, cleansing oil and cleansing milk
• Which one to choose for your makeup and routine
• The full ingredient list of each one
• How to use each one, and whether you need a face wash afterwards
• Whether they remove sunscreen and waterproof mascara, and where to buy them from Japan

Curel Makeup Removers Compared: Cleansing Gel vs Oil vs Milk

Curél makes three makeup removers: the rinse-off Cleansing Gel and Cleansing Oil, and the wipe-off Cleansing Milk. The oil is the one for waterproof mascara, and the milk needs no rinsing or face wash afterwards.

From Kao’s official Japanese product pages, Curél cleansing page and product Q&A (as of October 2026). All three are labelled weakly acidic, fragrance-free, colorant-free, alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol), allergy-tested and patch-tested, and are not classed as dangerous goods for air transport. The English names are those printed on the boxes. Kao doesn’t publish prices, so store prices in Japan vary.

• Fragrance-free
• Colorant-free
• Alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol)
• Allergy-tested

Which Curel Makeup Remover Should You Choose?

Choose the cleansing oil if you wear waterproof mascara or long-wearing makeup, the cleansing gel for everyday makeup including long-wearing lipstick, or the cleansing milk if you want to wipe off makeup and skip the face wash, for example as soon as you get home or instead of your morning wash.

Based on Kao’s official product descriptions and product Q&A (as of October 2026).

Curel Cleansing Gel (Makeup Cleansing Gel)

The Makeup Cleansing Gel (キュレル ジェルメイク落とし) is a 130 g soft gel that Kao says removes long-wearing lipstick and foundation deep in pores while protecting skin’s ceramides. You don’t need to rub hard, it rinses off without feeling sticky or slimy, and Kao recommends following it with the Curél Foaming Facial Wash.

Curel Cleansing Gel Full Ingredient List

Key ingredient / Worth checking if your skin is sensitive

Curel Cleansing Oil (Makeup Cleansing Oil)

The Makeup Cleansing Oil (キュレル オイルメイク落とし) is a 150 mL pump oil that Kao says blends quickly with long-wearing makeup, including waterproof mascara, so you can remove it without rubbing. It mixes easily with water, so a light rinse washes it away, and Kao says it prevents dryness after cleansing while protecting skin’s ceramides. Use it with dry hands; if your hands or face are wet, pat them dry first, and take out contact lenses before use.

Curel Cleansing Oil Full Ingredient List

Key ingredient / Worth checking if your skin is sensitive

Curel Cleansing Milk (Makeup Cleansing Milk)

The Makeup Cleansing Milk (キュレル 潤浸保湿 乳液ケアメイク落とし) is a wipe-off makeup remover that moisturises at the same time. Kao says it is a “100% milk formula”, made only from ingredients used in Curél’s and other milks (emulsions), so after wiping it off with cotton you don’t need to rinse or use a face wash, and it also removes sunscreen. It contains Kao’s ceramide functioning ingredient in oil droplets about 1/1,000 the size of a pore, plus eucalyptus extract for moisture. It comes in a 200 mL pump bottle and a 180 mL refill.

Curel Cleansing Milk Full Ingredient List

Key ingredient / Worth checking if your skin is sensitive

Ingredient lists from Kao’s official Japanese product pages (as of October 2026), in Japanese quasi-drug order: the active ingredient first, then the other ingredients. The English names are our translations of Kao’s Japanese labelling names. Formulas can change, so always check the package.

Is Curel Makeup Remover pH Balanced?

Yes. Kao labels all three Curel makeup removers weakly acidic (弱酸性), and healthy skin is also weakly acidic, at about pH 4.5 to 6. Kao doesn’t publish the exact pH values.

How to Use Curel Makeup Remover

Cleansing Gel

1. With dry hands, take a dollop about 2 cm across and place it on both cheeks, your forehead, nose and chin.
2. Massage it gently into your makeup, drawing about 4 to 5 small circles in each area. Work long-wearing eye makeup and lipstick in carefully while your hands and face are dry.
3. Rinse well with water or lukewarm water, then wash your face, for example with the Curél Foaming Facial Wash.

Cleansing Oil

1. With dry hands, take about 4 pumps and gently blend it into your makeup. If your hands or face are wet, pat them dry first.
2. Rinse well with water or lukewarm water.
3. Wash your face, for example with the Curél Foaming Facial Wash.

Cleansing Milk

1. Soak a large cotton pad with 3 to 4 pumps. Kao says pads with unsealed edges hold the liquid better.
2. Slide the pad along the grain of the cotton, from the centre of your face outwards, to blend it into your makeup. For eye makeup, close your eyes, hold the pad there for a moment, then wipe gently.
3. Switch to a fresh pad when it gets dirty, and repeat until no makeup comes off. There’s no need to rinse or wash your face afterwards.

Kao doesn’t recommend using the cleansing milk with your hands and rinsing it off, because it is made thin so cotton can soak it up and it runs off your hands. For waterproof or film-type eye makeup, Kao suggests the cleansing oil, a point makeup remover or warm water instead of the milk.

For Curél’s BB cream and tone-up base milks with UV protection, see our Curel BB cream and base milk guide.

Where to Buy Curel Makeup Remover

The easiest way to get Curel makeup remover is to order it shipped directly from Japan through kachicollect. Buy from the kachicollect catalog with no proxy fees, and if you can’t find the one you want there, search Japanese stores or marketplaces for its Japanese name (for example, キュレル オイルメイク落とし) and paste the product URL into kachicollect for an instant quote, with no request fee. Duties are shown in your total before you pay, and orders ship worldwide with tracking in about 7 to 14 days.

Kao says none of the three is classed as dangerous goods for air transport. On marketplaces such as eBay, check the Japanese name to make sure you get the one you want.

Proxy services that buy from Japanese stores on your behalf are another option, but the service fee they advertise is only the starting point, and various other charges are added on top by the time you check out.

Curel Makeup Remover FAQ

Which Curel makeup remover is best?

It depends on your makeup: the cleansing oil for waterproof mascara and long-wearing makeup, the cleansing gel for everyday makeup with a non-oily feel, or the cleansing milk if you want to wipe off makeup without rinsing or a face wash.

Is Curel makeup remover good for sensitive skin?

Kao designs all three for dry, sensitive skin with a low-irritation formula, and says they are allergy-tested and patch-tested, though that doesn’t mean no one will react.

Does Curel cleansing oil remove waterproof mascara?

Yes. Kao says the Makeup Cleansing Oil removes waterproof mascara without rubbing.

Do I need to wash my face after the Curel cleansing milk?

No. Kao says the cleansing milk is a 100% milk formula, so you don’t need to rinse or use a face wash after wiping it off. If you want more moisture, add your usual skincare.

Do I need a face wash after the Curel cleansing gel or oil?

Yes. Kao says to wash your face after both, and recommends the Curél Foaming Facial Wash.

Does Curel makeup remover remove sunscreen?

Yes. Kao says the cleansing milk removes sunscreen, and for Curél sunscreens it recommends the gel or oil followed by the Foaming Facial Wash. See our Curel sunscreen guide.

Can I use the Curel cleansing milk instead of my morning face wash?

Yes. Kao says you can use it instead of your morning wash, with no need to rinse or use a face wash afterwards.

Can I use Curel cleansing oil with wet hands?

Kao says to use it with dry hands, and to pat your hands or face dry first if they are wet. Remove contact lenses before use.

Is Curel makeup remover fragrance-free and paraben-free?

All three are fragrance-free, colorant-free and alcohol-free (no ethyl alcohol), according to Kao, but not all are paraben-free: the gel and milk contain paraben, while the oil’s preservative is phenoxyethanol.

Conclusion: Which Curel Makeup Remover to Buy

Choose the Curel Makeup Cleansing Oil if you wear waterproof mascara or long-wearing makeup, the Makeup Cleansing Gel for everyday makeup with a non-oily feel, or the Makeup Cleansing Milk if you want to wipe off makeup and moisturise with no rinsing or face wash. All three are weakly acidic, fragrance-free medicated cleansers for dry, sensitive skin.

The simplest way to get them outside Japan is kachicollect: buy from the catalog with no proxy fees, or paste a Japanese store URL for an instant quote. You pay the item price plus shipping, and duties are shown before you pay.