Cleansers
Foam, Oil or Milk? Korean Cleansers Compared by a Guy Who Uses All Three
Walk into any Korean drugstore and the cleanser aisle alone can take up a whole wall: foams, oils, balms, milks, gels, waters. If you’re new to this, it’s hard to know which type you actually need.
I’m a 24-year-old Korean guy, and I ended up using three different types, each for a different job. In the morning I use a foam. At night I double cleanse with a cleansing milk and the same foam. About once a week, I swap the milk for a cleansing oil.
Here’s how the three compare, and how to figure out which one fits your skin.
The Three Cleansers at a Glance
| Foam | Milk | Oil | |
|---|---|---|---|
| My product | Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam (150 ml) | Make p:rem Safe Me. Relief Moisture Cleansing Milk (200 ml) | Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil (350 ml) |
| Use on | Wet skin, lathered | Dry skin, then rinse | Dry skin, emulsify with water, then rinse |
| Main job | Washing off oil, sweat and residue | Gently melting sunscreen and tinted lotion | Melting heavier oil and residue |
| Notable on the label | Heartleaf + BHA (salicylic acid) | Soybean protein, ceramide NP, pH 5.5 ± 1.0 | Heartleaf, marketed for pores and blackheads |
| How often I use it | Every morning and night | Most nights, as step one | About once a week, instead of the milk (too harsh for daily use on my skin) |
Foam: my everyday cleanser
The Anua foam is the one cleanser I use twice a day. It has a little salicylic acid (BHA) in it, which suits my oily T-zone, but it doesn’t leave that squeaky, stripped feeling. That matters a lot because my skin feels tight right after washing.
Milk: the gentle first step
At night, the cleansing milk goes on dry skin first to lift off sunscreen and my tinted cover lotion. Then I follow with the foam. It takes both off well, and my skin barely feels tight afterward, which is why it’s my default first step.
Oil: the once-a-week deep clean
About once a week, I swap the milk for the Anua cleansing oil, then follow with the foam as usual. It breaks down easily: I add a little lukewarm water, massage it around, and it turns milky (emulsifies) quickly.
So why not use it every night? For my skin, it’s too much to use daily. It feels harsher than the milk, so I deliberately keep the gentler milk as my everyday first step and save the oil for a once-a-week deeper clean.
Which One Do You Need?
- You don’t wear sunscreen or anything tinted: one gentle foam or gel cleanser is enough.
- You wear sunscreen every day (you should): a gentle first cleanser at night, like a milk, makes it easier to get it all off without scrubbing.
- You wear heavier sunscreen, tinted products or makeup, or you want a deeper clean now and then: a cleansing oil does the job well. If your skin is sensitive, try it once or twice a week first, like I do.
- Your skin feels tight after washing: look for a gentler foam, and put toner on right after.
FAQ
Can I use a cleansing oil on oily skin? Yes. Cleansing oils are designed to emulsify with water and rinse off. Oil dissolves oil, which is why they’re popular for removing sunscreen and excess sebum.
Is double cleansing too much for guys? Only if you skip sunscreen. If you wear it daily, a quick double cleanse at night takes about a minute.
Should I use the same cleanser morning and night? I do for the foam. In the morning there’s no sunscreen to remove, so a single gentle wash is enough.
You can see where each cleanser fits in my full routine, and what’s inside them in the ingredients glossary.
This post is based on my personal experience and is not medical advice. If you have a persistent skin condition, please see a dermatologist.