Skin1 product guide
The useful difference is the starting texture: PreCleanse is a cleansing oil; Micellar Prebiotic PreCleanse is a water-based cleansing milk with oils, oat extract and glycerin. Both go onto dry skin, then turn into a milky rinse when you add water. Neither is a cotton-pad micellar water.
Choose PreCleanse for a liquid-oil first cleanse and more bottle-size options. Choose Micellar Prebiotic PreCleanse for a milky starting texture with oat extract and glycerin. The checked 5.1 fl oz bottles cost the same, so texture and ingredients are the useful deciding factors. Both contain aromatic plant oils.
USD prices checked October 24, 2026, before tax and shipping. Unit price = listed price ÷ package ounces.
| Product | US retailer | Size | Price | Price per ounce |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dermalogica PreCleanse Cleansing Oil | Dermalogica US | 5.1 fl oz | $49.00 | $9.61/fl oz |
| Dermalogica Micellar Prebiotic PreCleanse | Dermalogica US | 5.1 fl oz | $49.00 | $9.61/fl oz |
The liquid-oil option for removing sunscreen and makeup before your regular face wash; available in travel, standard and larger sizes.
Consider: Contains citrus, lavender and other aromatic oils; fragrance components include citral, limonene and linalool.
Use: Massage onto dry skin with dry hands. Add water, massage until milky and rinse with lukewarm water. Dermalogica directs a second cleanse afterward.
A milky first cleanser with water, glycerin, oat extract and cottonseed protein alongside oils. A useful choice if you prefer creamier products to a straight oil texture.
Consider: Contains bergamot, sandalwood and other aromatic oils alongside its milky base.
Use: With dry hands, massage onto dry skin, add water and continue massaging, then rinse. Use before your usual cleanser in a double-cleanse routine.
Choose the two options you are weighing. Read the ingredients below or compare how the products fit your routine here.
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Full published ingredient list
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-40 Sorbitan Peroleate, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Citral, Limonene, Linalool.
Full published ingredient list
Water/Aqua/Eau, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C15-19 Alkane, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Santalum Album (Sandalwood) Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Seed Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit, Hydrolyzed Cottonseed Protein, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphor) Bark Oil, Myroxylon Pereirae (Balsam Peru) Oil, Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil, Thuja Occidentalis Leaf Oil, Evernia Prunastri (Oakmoss) Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hexylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Astrocaryum Murumuruate, Capryloyl Glycine, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Saccharide Isomerate, Ethylhexylglycerin, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Cistus Ladaniferus Resin, Styrax Benzoin Resin Extract, Octadecyl Di-t-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Linalool, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate.
Dermalogica Micellar Prebiotic PreCleanse — manufacturer source
For either product, use dry hands on dry skin first. Massage to loosen makeup and sunscreen, then add water, massage again and rinse. Starting with a wet face skips the dry massage step in the brand's directions.
In a double cleanse, follow with the face wash you already use. The Special Cleansing Gel alternatives guide below compares foaming and moisturizing second-cleanser options.
PreCleanse has no water listed and begins with caprylic/capric triglyceride, an emulsifier and apricot kernel oil. Micellar Prebiotic PreCleanse begins with water, caprylic/capric triglyceride, C15-19 alkane and glycerin. Its oat extract, cottonseed protein and sugar-derived ingredients distinguish the milk from the oil.
The milk's prebiotic positioning is Dermalogica's description of that formula. For choosing between these bottles, its creamier starting texture is the clearest practical difference. Both formulas list aromatic plant oils and fragrance components; neither is the simple fragrance-free option in a cleanser routine.
They fill the same first-cleanse slot. Pick one by texture and ingredient preference, then use your usual second cleanser if following Dermalogica's double-cleanse method. You do not need to layer the oil and the milk.
Dermalogica's professional fact sheet says the micellar milk can also be used alone if thoroughly removed. It recommends a second cleanser for its full double-cleanse routine. For lash extensions, that same fact sheet advises against using the oil-containing milk because oil can affect lash adhesive.
The two 5.1 fl oz bottles are each $49 at the checked US brand store, or $9.61 per fluid ounce. That removes price as the deciding factor at the standard size. PreCleanse also has smaller and larger bottles; compare the size you will actually use rather than a travel bottle's checkout price against a full-size milk.