Sunscreen Removal: Does Water Resistance Require a Double Cleanse?

Remove the Sunscreen, Not the Nuance

A study comparing water, cleanser and cleansing oil is often easier to simplify than to read carefully. It can help frame a removal question without proving that every sunscreen needs two cleansing steps.

SS EVIDENCE RATING | L3 PRELIMINARY: SMALL HUMAN REMOVAL STUDY

L1 Strong: multiple human randomized trials or systematic reviews. L2 Moderate: clinical evidence with limitations. L3 Preliminary: small or limited clinical evidence. L4 Mechanistic: laboratory, cellular or animal evidence. L5 Hypothesis: insufficient direct evidence.

The core source assessed 20 participants and particular products. It did not compare a two-step routine with a one-step routine or test the store oil linked below.

In Plain English

A small study found different removal results depending on the sunscreen and washing product. Cleansing oil performed better than the tested foaming cleanser for the sunscreen the paper called “waterproof.” That is not proof that any oil removes every sunscreen or that you must add a second cleanser. (Chen et al., 2020 — PMID: 31157512.)

Who This Is For

Readers choosing an evening cleanser after sunscreen, shoppers comparing cleansing oils and foams, and anyone turning “water-resistant” into a mandatory multi-step routine. This page focuses on removal measurements, not the broader theory of double cleansing.

1. What Was Compared [L3 Small Human Study]

Chen and colleagues photographed 20 participants before sunscreen application, after application and after washing with water, a foaming cleanser or a cleansing oil. They analyzed images and participant reports. This was a comparison of the washing options, not a trial showing that oil followed by foam was necessary or superior. (Chen et al., 2020 — PMID: 31157512.)

2. The Tested Sunscreen Changed the Result [L3 Small Human Study]

For the non-waterproof sunscreen, mean image-based residue rates were about 54% after water, 15.6% after cleanser and 13.4% after cleansing oil. For the sunscreen the study labeled waterproof, the corresponding means were approximately 59.3%, 36.8% and 5.8%. These are results for the tested products and imaging method, not universal removal percentages. (Chen et al., 2020 — PMID: 31157512.)

“Waterproof” here reports the paper’s terminology; it is not a claim that a retail sunscreen provides unlimited water protection. For current water-resistance labeling questions, see the separate 40-vs-80-minute sunscreen guide.

3. Residue Measurements Need a Baseline [L3 Small Human Study]

The study’s negative-control images also had nonzero measured residue rates. The authors found no significant difference between the cleansing-oil group and negative control for the tested waterproof sunscreen. That is not a literal demonstration that every molecule was removed, and a nonsignificant difference does not prove universal equivalence. (Chen et al., 2020 — PMID: 31157512.)

The SS takeaway: a study of separate cleansing options is not proof that you need to buy both.

4. Comfort Was Not Identical Either [L3 Small Human Study]

Eight participants in the cleanser group and one in the oil group reported dryness. This small study does not establish that every cleansing oil is gentler than every foam or safe for every sensitive user. The authors called for work on other sunscreens and washing products. (Chen et al., 2020 — PMID: 31157512.)

Honest Limitations

The study did not establish an optimal routine for every formulation, assess long-term acne outcomes or test the linked retail oil. Its imaging results cannot be converted into a reliable home residue diagnosis. No 100%-removal, barrier-protection or universal tolerability guarantee is made here.

The SS Protocol: Choose a Documented Cleansing Role

Read the sunscreen information: identify its current wear and removal instructions rather than assuming every SPF behaves the same.
Review the cleanser’s intended role: Cleansing Oil: Facial Cleanser for All Skintypes is marketed for makeup removal. That does not independently establish tested removal of your specific sunscreen.
Request the full directions: the reviewed catalog description does not provide a detailed application-and-removal method. Confirm the current package or manufacturer instructions; do not invent a massage duration or assume it emulsifies.
Keep the step count separate: this study does not require an oil-plus-foam sequence. Ask about the appropriate routine for your products and skin rather than treating two as automatically better than one.
Consider tolerance: the linked oil lists argan, jojoba, rosehip and blue tansy essential oil. Its broad all-skin-types marketing is not a personal safety assessment. Seek qualified guidance for persistent reactions or a diagnosed condition.

Shop This Protocol

Cleansing Oil: Facial Cleanser for All Skintypes →

An active catalog option with a verified storefront URL. It is not identified as the oil tested in the cited paper. Confirm current ingredients, removal directions and suitability before selecting it.

Stack It With / Don’t Stack It With

Pair cleanser shopping with the actual sunscreen and manufacturer instructions. Do not add repeated washes, hot water, a scrub and an exfoliating acid just to pursue an unverified residue-free feeling. No such combined routine was tested here.

Skin Type Customization

Skin-type labels do not decide the best step count. If you have recurrent irritation, acne concerns or clinician-directed care, discuss the exact formulations rather than borrowing a result from another product’s small trial.

Results Timeline

This study assessed removal after washing, not how fast a new routine improves acne or repairs a barrier. No long-term clinical result or fixed adjustment period is established for the linked oil.

The SS Perspective

Use the study to ask a better product question, not to multiply steps. Effective shopping starts with what you wear, what a cleanser documents and what your routine tolerates—not a universal double-cleanse command.

Build a More Considered Evening Routine

Compare product roles and the evidence behind your sunscreen’s label.

Explore All Skincare →

Explore Sunscreen →

See the Water-Resistance Guide →

Robert Lee
The Serum Scientist — Founder, SerumScientist.com

References

Chen W, He M, Xie L, Li L. The optimal cleansing method for the removal of sunscreen: Water, cleanser or cleansing oil? Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2020. PMID: 31157512.

Cleansing Oil catalog listing. Source for marketed product role and listed oils, not a finished-product sunscreen-removal trial.