The Ultimate Guide to One-Step Cleansers: My Holy Grail Products for Busy Nights

Hey everyone, and welcome back to No BS Beauty! A recent product launch sparked a renewed interest in a skincare category I haven't discussed in a while: one-step cleansers. These are the absolute holy grail for those busy evenings when a quick and effective cleanse is all you have time for. We're talking about products that remove everything – makeup, sunscreen, the day's accumulated grime – and leave your skin feeling clean, fresh, and soft, without any residue. Finding that perfect all-in-one cleanser can be a real challenge, so I'm sharing some of my tried-and-true favorites, including some I’ve repurchased countless times and a few other solid contenders. All of these cleansers can be applied to dry skin, massaged in, rinsed off, and you're done. Simple, effective, and perfect for streamlining your routine. Let's dive in!

This is one of the most budget-friendly options on my list, and I even have the jumbo size to prove my love for it. The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser is fantastic. It does a remarkably thorough job, especially when it comes to makeup removal. It's fragrance-free, which is a huge plus for sensitive skin, and has a pleasant, almost balm-like texture that glides effortlessly across the skin. Application is super easy: just smooth it onto dry skin, massage it in gently to break down makeup and impurities, and then rinse it off with water. You're left with clean, soft skin without any tightness or dryness. A quick note about The Ordinary's sizing: the smaller sizes can be a bit deceiving price-wise. When you break down the cost per ounce, the larger size definitely offers better value. So, if you're planning on making this a staple in your routine, I highly recommend going for the jumbo size.

Before I move on, I need to take a moment to mourn a discontinued favorite: the Isntree Chestnut Jelly Cleansing Oil. I absolutely adored this cleanser. It had a unique jelly-like texture that transformed into a silky oil upon application, effortlessly melting away even the most stubborn makeup. It rinsed clean without leaving any residue and left my skin feeling incredibly soft and hydrated. I'm truly devastated that it's gone. If anyone knows of a good dupe, please let me know in the comments!

This is a cleanser I’ve repurchased close to 10 times: the PSA Reset Nourishing Cleanser with Acai and Manuka Honey. PSA was owned by Allies of Skin until recently, but they’ve since been acquired by another company. This cleanser is another fragrance-free gem. It's incredibly versatile; you can use it as a one-step makeup remover/cleanser on dry skin or as a regular evening cleanser on wet skin. It lathers lightly, which I personally enjoy, and does a fantastic job removing sunscreen and everyday makeup. It does struggle a bit with heavier eye makeup, so you might need a dedicated eye makeup remover for those days. But overall, it's a winner in my book. As you can imagine, I always have a backup bottle on hand!

Speaking of Allies of Skin, let's talk about their Molecular Silk Amino Hydrating Cleanser. This one is a bit more lathering than the PSA cleanser, but still very gentle and effective. You can massage it onto dry skin, add water to create a milky emulsion, and massage again to remove makeup and sunscreen. Alternatively, for a regular cleanse, simply massage it onto damp skin. For extra softness, the brand recommends leaving it on for one to two minutes, allowing the hydrating ingredients to really penetrate the skin. This cleanser reminds me a bit of a cleansing balm that Paula’s Choice used to have (or maybe they still do? They release new products so frequently, it’s hard to keep track!). It has a luxurious feel and leaves the skin feeling incredibly smooth and hydrated.

Next up is the Jordan Samuel After Show Performance Cleansing Cream. Like the others, you apply this to dry skin with makeup on, add water to emulsify, and rinse. You can also use it on damp skin, but I find it works best on dry skin. If your skin is already damp when you apply it, it doesn’t seem to cleanse as effectively. A good tip for maximizing the effectiveness of these types of cleansers is to use a washcloth to remove them. It really helps to lift away all traces of makeup, especially stubborn eye makeup. I almost always use a washcloth with this one. This cleanser is fragrance-free (I believe they might have a fragranced version as well) and contains nourishing ingredients like grapeseed oil, olive fruit oil, and aloe. It’s formulated for sensitive skin and is incredibly gentle. I really enjoy Jordan Samuel products; they’re a great brand that deserves more attention.

Now for the product that inspired this whole post: the new Drunk Elephant Mellow Marula Cream Cleanser. It does a very good job of cleansing and leaves my skin feeling soft and clean without any film. It effectively removes sunscreen and makeup. I've only been testing it for about a week, but so far, so good. My relationship with Drunk Elephant is…complicated. I’ve gone through phases of loving them, hating them, and now I’m somewhere in between. Some of their releases are excellent, while others feel like an afterthought. I’m still not over the foaming protein debacle, and then there was that massive recall (this cleanser wasn’t part of it, thankfully). If you own any Drunk Elephant products, definitely check the recall information – I mentioned it in my newsletter. Back to the cleanser: it’s a good product, but it’s pricey. The size is quite small compared to some of the other cleansers on this list, especially considering the price point. The Jordan Samuel cleanser, for example, is only a few dollars more and almost double the size.

Next up is HoliFrog. They actually launched their brand with cleansers, which is unusual. Most brands launch with a hero serum or moisturizer and then expand their line from there. HoliFrog did the opposite, starting with three or four cleansers and then branching out into other categories like exfoliants, toners, and moisturizers. This cleanser has a lovely, creamy, almost balm-like texture that effectively removes makeup. It's a small size, but a little goes a long way.

Now for a few honorable mentions, or what I like to call the "runners-up."