Sebum softener vs oil cleanser: a new step or just a new name?

Someone in r/KoreanBeauty asked a fair question. Sebum softeners are everywhere right now, and you put them on before washing. But softening hardened sebum is what oil cleansing was supposed to do. So were oil cleansers never really handling that part, or is this the same idea with a new label?

What the replies said

• The most-upvoted view: they are different tools. An oil cleanser, massaged in every night, is better at stopping buildup from forming. A softener is an occasional soak (a pad left on for several minutes, then gentle removal) for plugs that have already set on the nose or chin.

• People who liked the popular ILSO softener pointed out it is not really an oil, and said they use it once or twice a month, not daily.

• One user compared softeners to a mild exfoliant and said they keep it to congested spots and a short contact time.

• Pores only look smaller when they are emptied, several noted; a softener will not shrink a pore that is already clear.

• A large sceptical camp called it marketing inventing a new step, and asked whether anyone needs more than cleanse, treat, moisturise and sunscreen.

Desk note: The grey dots on many noses are sebaceous filaments, a normal structure that carries oil to the surface. Cleveland Clinic says they fill back up within about 30 days after being emptied, and advises against squeezing them. So any softener is maintenance, not a permanent fix. If your skin reacts easily, patch test first.

Which camp are you in: sebum softener, oil cleanser, both, or neither?

Original thread: r/KoreanBeauty — if sebum softeners exist, were oil cleansers not doing the job? · See also: Cleveland Clinic

#SebumSoftener #OilCleansing #SebaceousFilaments #Pores