A two-step cleansing set covering the full evening cleanse in one purchase: the Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil (200 ml) followed by the Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam (125 ml). It is aimed at anyone who wears sunscreen or make-up daily and finds a single water-based wash leaves the skin feeling coated.

The logic behind double cleansing is chemical rather than cosmetic. Sunscreen filters, silicones and long-wear pigments are oil-soluble and will not disperse in water, so the first step uses an oil phase of ethylhexyl stearate, cetyl ethylhexanoate and caprylic/capric triglyceride to dissolve them on contact; sorbeth-30 tetraoleate then lets that oil emulsify and rinse away rather than smear. The second step clears what remains — sweat, sebum, water-soluble debris — using amino-acid-derived surfactants instead of sulfates, so the stratum corneum is cleaned without stripping its lipids. Centella asiatica extract runs through both formulas.

Key ingredients

• Centella asiatica extract — present in both steps; its triterpenes (asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic and madecassic acid) calm visible irritation and support the barrier.
• Ethylhexyl stearate and cetyl ethylhexanoate — the emollient esters that dissolve sunscreen and make-up in step one.
• Sorbeth-30 tetraoleate — the emulsifier that turns the oil milky with water so it rinses clean.
• Sodium cocoyl isethionate and sodium methyl cocoyl taurate — sulfate-free coconut-derived surfactants in the foam, cleansing without tightness.
• Sodium hyaluronate — humectant in the foam that offsets the drying effect of any wash.

How to use

1. On dry skin, massage the cleansing oil over the face for 30 to 60 seconds, concentrating where sunscreen builds up.
2. Add lukewarm water and keep massaging until the oil turns milky, then rinse thoroughly.
3. Lather a small amount of the ampoule foam in wet hands and massage over damp skin for about 30 seconds.
4. Rinse with lukewarm water, pat dry, and continue with toner while the skin is still slightly damp.

Recommended frequency

• Daily sunscreen or make-up wearers — full double cleanse every evening; foam alone in the morning.
• Dry or sensitive skin — double cleanse in the evening only; water alone in the morning if the foam feels like too much.
• Oily or congested skin — evening double cleanse daily; foam morning and evening.
• Timeline — the difference in how skin feels after rinsing is immediate; reduced congestion around the nose and chin generally becomes visible over two to four weeks.

Best suited to

Normal, combination and oily skin, and anyone reapplying sunscreen through the day. Very dry or compromised barriers should keep the foam to once daily. The oil contains botanical oils with EU-listed fragrance allergens, so skin that reacts to essential oils should approach it cautiously.

Specifications

• Format — two-piece set: cleansing oil plus foam cleanser
• Volume — cleansing oil 200 ml, ampoule foam 125 ml
• Key actives — centella asiatica extract, sodium hyaluronate, amino-acid-derived surfactants
• Texture — light, fast-spreading oil; dense creamy foam
• Origin — made in South Korea

Good to know

The oil contains fragrance components including limonene and linalool, which oxidise on air exposure; close the cap and store away from heat and light. The foam itself is fragrance-free and alcohol-free. If you already use retinoids or acids, cleanse gently and do not scrub — over-cleansing is a common cause of the irritation people attribute to their actives. Patch-test the oil along the jawline if you react to plant oils.