This guide and news article was originally posted on Reddit on May 1, 2021 and October 3, 2021 (now deleted). I’ve replaced links with archive links if necessary (and available) and made minor formatting changes and corrections, and integrated one comment of mine (with the testing process) into the post, but otherwise haven’t done any editing or updating.

—Or so I thought until I realized this product is going to be reformulated again as of March/April 2026. I’ll add information about this at the end.

[Guide] Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil

I don’t know about you, but I rarely read the instructions on my products beyond maybe a quick glance (not smart, I know). After having used Fancl’s Mild Cleansing Oil (ファンケル マイルドクレンジングオイル) for a couple of years, I actually read the instructions printed on the inside of the box that the bottle comes in for the first time. Most of this information isn’t on their English website (see previous link), so I thought I’d post about what seem like the more important/less obvious points, plus what I think are important notes on the refill pouch. Italics are notes from me.

Expiration date

• Opened (PAO): 120 days

• Unopened: 3 years after manufacturing date (including PAO)

• ETA that the manufacturing date is printed with the format YYYY.MM.DD

How to use

• Recommended amount: 2 pumps

• Use on dry or moist skin (pat dry first if very wet)

• Mascara, eyeliner, etc. that can be removed with warm water may in some cases be made more difficult to remove with this product. If so, loosen the makeup in question with warm water (e.g., just your eye area) before using the product

• Can be used on eyelash extensions

  • Can be used on cyanoacrylate adhesives. May cause extensions with other types of adhesives to come off

  • Rub gently along your extensions to avoid loosening them

• Can be used to clear out pores

  • Apply on specific area (e.g., approx. 1 pump for the so-called wings of your nose) and rub gently in circular motions with the pads of your fingers

(Plus more general instructions that go for most oil cleansers. Basic instructions are on the website)

Storage etc.

• Do not store in areas with extremely high or low temperatures. Avoid direct sunlight

• Do not remove the nozzle from the bottle, and do not get water in the bottle (because it doesn’t contain preservatives)

• The texture can become thicker in low temperatures. This does not affect the quality; shake the bottle lightly and proceed as normal

• If the product gets on sinks etc. made of resin, wipe off immediately

(Plus what I think are more typical cautionary notes)

Refill pouch

• Refill full-sized (120 ml) Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil bottles only

• Make sure to use up the entire contents of the bottle before refilling it

• Do not mix with any other products

• Do not wash the bottle. If you do wash it, make sure that it’s completely dry. Any water in (the bottle or) the nozzle can compromise the product (again, because it contains no preservatives)

• Replace the bottle after refilling twice (so, bottle → pouch → pouch → bottle)

I’ll hang on to the box for a couple more days in case anyone has any questions.

EDIT: This product will be reformulated as of November 2021 (details below). I imagine most of the above will likely remain unchanged, but no promises!

2021 reformulation

Source: Fancl’s press release (August 25, 2021)

Fancl will be releasing a reformulated version of their Mild Cleansing Oil on November 18, 2021. This will be the 7th version of this product, which was first released in 1997. (I think the current version was released in 2017.)

According to the press release, it seems like the changes (as claimed) will consist of the following:

• More cleansing and less drying

• More specifically targets clogged pores (keratin plugs)

  • New star ingredient: Matured hop extract (Humulus Lupulus Extract), from a collaboration between Fancl and Kirin Holdings. Related press release from August 20 here

• Rinses off more easily

• More environmentally conscious

  • Will be using 100% Book&Claim certified palm oil by April 2023

  • The bottle will be made of 100% chemical recycled PET

I’ll update this post with the new ingredient list (and a comparison with the current ingredient list) whenever I come across it.

Ingredient list comparison (November 27, 2021)

Before reformulation (source, double checked against what I have on hand):

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol Diisononanoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl-20 Hexacaprylate, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-20 Octaisononanoate, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Diglycerin, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Peg/Ppg/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Stearoyl Inulin, Tocopherol

After reformulation (my translation based on the list here; note that I don’t have any expertise in this field):

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol Diisononanoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl-20 Hexacaprylate, Polyglyceryl-20 Octaisononanoate, Glycerin, Tridecane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Diglycerin, Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Rubus Ellipticus (Golden Himalayan Raspberry) Root Extract, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, PPG-2 Arginine, Stearoyl Inulin, Water, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid

The original list indicates what purpose each ingredient was added for (e.g., the Lactic Acid is just there to adjust the pH level, so I wouldn’t consider it to be an exfoliant in this product).

They caution that refill pouches should only be used to refill the container for cleansers with the corresponding formulation, i.e., the refill pouches with the new formulation should only be used to refill bottles that also contained the cleanser with the new formulation (必ずリニューアル後の「マイルドクレンジング オイルe」の容器に詰め替えてください。リニューアル前の「マイルドクレンジング オイルd」の容器への詰め替えはお控えください), which makes sense considering how different the ingredient lists are. You should only refill twice per container, and although the new formulation contains water, they still say that you shouldn’t wash the bottle between refills.

New official English ingredient list (December 5, 2021)

I just tried to open the link for the English page above while working on my Routine Megathread comment and realized it’s been deleted. The new page has information for the reformulated version, with the following official ingredient list in English:

Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol Diisononanoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Diisostearate, Polyglyceryl-20 Hexacaprylate, Polyglyceryl-20 Octaisononanoate, Glycerin, Tridecane,Dicaprylyl Ether, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Diglycerin, Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rubus Ellipticus Root Extract, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, PPG-2 Arginine, Stearoyl Inulin, Water, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid

Looks like my translation was fine too, but just thought I would add this as well for the record. (I caught them with an ingredient list that was from two formulations ago on their English website once. Good to know they’re more on top of this now.)

2026 reformulation

Source: Fancl’s press release (December 4, 2025)

While looking up information for this post, I realized that the product is going to be reformulated again as of March/April 2026:

• March 1, 2026: Advance sales from @cosme stores (brick-and-mortar locations and online)

• March 17, 2026: Advance sales from Fancl stores (brick-and-mortar locations and online) and official website

• April 1, 2026: Available nationwide at drugstores, convenience stores, etc.

The “Black & Smooth” version in the charcoal gray bottle will also be reformulated with the same rollout schedule (source).

The trade name for the 2017(?) formulation was マイルドクレンジング オイルd, the 2021 formulation was マイルドクレンジング オイルe, and I’m guessing it’ll be マイルドクレンジング オイルf for the 2026 formulation, but this is TBC.

According to the press release and landing page, the new selling points are:

◆ 「素肌の美しさ」を守るという視点からクレンジング成分が肌内部にどのような影響を与えるかを研究し、洗浄成分の「大きさ」について独自で解析した結果、分子サイズによって角層への浸透性に違いがあることを発見しました。さらに、小さい分子サイズの洗浄成分は、角層内に浸透してバリア機能を乱すことに着目しました。 そこで、新発想の独自洗浄技術「セレクトクレンズテクノロジー」を開発し、肌の角層深部に浸入させない独自洗浄成分と、落としにくいメイクや角栓、不要な皮脂まで溶かすオイルを配合しました。肌本来のうるおいを守りながら、高いクレンジング力を両立させて美しい素肌に導きます。

◆ 「濃密とろすべオイル」により、肌あたりの良いクッション感を保ちながら、伸びの良さを高め、従来品よりさらに肌への摩擦を軽減しました。

◆ すすぎ時に瞬時に洗い流せるので、オイルのぬるつきやつっぱり感なく洗い上げ、メイクの再付着を防ぎます。

Machine translation by Kagi Translate:

◆ From the perspective of protecting the skin's natural beauty, we researched how cleansing ingredients affect the skin's interior. Through our proprietary analysis of the "size" of cleansing ingredients, we discovered that molecular size affects penetration into the stratum corneum. We further observed that smaller-sized cleansing molecules penetrate the stratum corneum and disrupt the skin's barrier function. Consequently, we developed our innovative and proprietary "Select Cleanse Technology." This technology combines a unique cleansing ingredient that does not penetrate deep into the stratum corneum with an oil that dissolves even stubborn makeup, clogged pores, and excess sebum. It achieves a powerful cleansing effect while protecting the skin's natural moisture, leading to beautiful, bare skin.

◆ The "Rich, Smooth-Gliding Oil" provides a pleasant, cushioned feel on the skin while enhancing spreadability, further reducing friction on the skin compared to our previous products.

◆ Because it rinses off instantly, it leaves no oily residue or feeling of tightness, and prevents makeup from re-adhering to the skin.

The 120 mL bottle will cost 1,980 JPY and the 115 mL refill pouch will cost 1,870 JPY. For reference, the 120 mL bottle (2021 formulation) currently costs 1,870 JPY and the 115 mL refill pouch costs 1,760 JPY, making the new formulation roughly 6% more expensive.

(I’ll update this post whenever I see the new ingredient list.)