Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil

Walk into any drugstore in Tokyo and you'll find the two Softymo cleansing oils sitting inches apart: Deep in one hand, Speedy in the other, nearly identical bottles, nearly identical prices, and a decision you're expected to make without any particular guidance. For years, Deep was the default — the heavier, more cleansing-focused formula that built Softymo's reputation. Speedy arrived around 2010 as a line extension aimed at users who loved the performance of Deep but wanted something lighter, faster, and a little more modern in its sensory profile. It's become the preferred pick of a meaningful segment of Japanese buyers, and it deserves a closer look than the 'just the lighter one' label it usually gets. The key formulation difference happens at the top of the ingredient list. Deep leads with mineral oil. Speedy leads with ethylhexyl palmitate, a lightweight ester that behaves differently in every way that matters: it feels less oily during the massage phase, it interacts more eagerly with water during emulsification, and it leaves a cleaner drydown on the skin. A smaller dose of mineral oil stays in the formula to preserve Deep-level makeup-dissolving power, and a hit of cyclopentasiloxane adds slip while also helping to lift silicone-based sunscreens — a detail that matters more than it sounds, because Japanese sunscreens are often silicone-heavy and notoriously hard to rinse. Jojoba oil rounds out the softening story. The PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate emulsifier is the same as in Deep, which is why both cleansers convert into a milky wash on water contact. In use, the difference is immediate. You massage Speedy onto dry skin, you feel less of the 'slippery oil-slick' sensation of the original Deep, and when you add water, the formula breaks into emulsion almost instantly. Deep takes noticeably longer to reach the milky stage. For users who find themselves rushing through their PM routine — which is most of us, most of the time — Speedy cuts meaningful seconds off the cleansing phase without sacrificing the core job. Sunscreen comes off, foundation comes off, mascara comes off. Only the most stubborn waterproof formulas show a slight edge for Deep. Everything else you wore that day is gone on the first pass. The tradeoffs are familiar. Same fragrance profile as the rest of the Softymo line — that sweet, synthetic floral that telegraphs 'Japanese drugstore' on first sniff. Same utilitarian plastic bottle. Same low ingredient-quality ceiling, because this is a mass-market cleansing oil and not a luxury pre-cleanse balm. Users managing fungal acne should be slightly more cautious with Speedy than Deep, since the ester-heavy solvent list is closer to the ingredients that some Malassezia-prone users find triggering if not fully rinsed, though the rinse-off nature of the product makes real-world reactions rare. At roughly $13 for 230ml, Speedy is still an absurd value. You can spend five times as much on a premium cleansing oil and not get meaningfully better performance on the day-to-day task of removing makeup and sunscreen. If you want the authoritative cleansing workhorse of Japanese drugstore skincare, Deep is still the classic. If you want that same capability in a formula that's genuinely more pleasant to use at eleven at night after a long day, Speedy earns its place on the other side of the shelf.

Formula

The Science

Speedy's faster emulsification comes down to solvent chemistry. Ethylhexyl palmitate is a short-chain fatty acid ester with a lower viscosity and a more favorable interaction with the PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate emulsifier than the longer-chain hydrocarbons in mineral oil. The result is a lower energy barrier to forming the oil-in-water emulsion when the user adds water, which translates sensorially into a faster milk-turn. Cleansing science literature has long noted that emulsification kinetics depend on the solvent-emulsifier HLB match, and ethylhexyl palmitate pairs more quickly with PEG-based emulsifiers than mineral oil does. The cyclopentasiloxane addition matters for a different reason: silicone-based UV filters and silicone thickeners are common in modern Japanese sunscreens, and like-dissolves-like chemistry means volatile silicones are effective co-solvents for removing them. A 2018 formulation review on cleansing systems in the Journal of Cosmetic Science discussed exactly this logic — adding volatile silicones to oil cleansers improves removal efficiency for silicone-containing color and sunscreen products. On comedogenicity, ethylhexyl palmitate has historically been flagged at moderate levels on some older comedogenicity lists, but those scores were derived from rabbit-ear models that overstate human risk. Modern reviews classify it as low-comedogenic in rinse-off products, which is how it functions here.

Dermatologist Perspective

Dermatologists typically recommend oil or balm-based first cleansers for any patient using daily sunscreen or long-wear makeup, since these products remove lipophilic residues more effectively and with less mechanical disruption than surfactant-only cleansers. Board-certified dermatologists generally consider ethylhexyl palmitate safe and non-irritating in rinse-off applications, though patients specifically managing fungal acne are sometimes counseled to avoid fatty acid esters even in cleansers out of caution. Fragrance is the most frequently flagged concern for this specific formula among dermatologists treating rosacea or perioral dermatitis patients, who are typically redirected to fragrance-free alternatives like DHC or a simple plant-oil cleanser.

Guidance

Kose introduced Speedy around 2010 as a line extension of the successful original Softymo Deep, aimed at younger Japanese drugstore shoppers who wanted a faster, lighter version of the formula. It quickly carved out its own following and has sat alongside Deep on Japanese drugstore shelves ever since, with each variant chosen by users based on personal preference between cleansing power and rinse speed.

About Kose Legacy Brand (20+ years)

Softymo is Kose's drugstore line and has been a top-ranked fixture on Japanese beauty site @cosme for nearly two decades. The Speedy variant extends that track record with a formula tuned for fast emulsification and a lighter sensory experience.

Brand founded: 1946 · Product launched: 2010

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

Speedy is just rebranded Deep with new packaging.

Reality

The base solvent is genuinely different — Speedy leads with ethylhexyl palmitate and silicones, while Deep leads with mineral oil. The formulas behave differently on skin and rinse at different rates.

Myth

A faster-emulsifying cleanser must be less effective.

Reality

Speed of emulsification depends on the emulsifier and solvent balance, not total cleansing power. Speedy removes the same sunscreen and most of the same makeup as Deep — it just happens faster.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Faster emulsification than Deep"

"Lighter feel during massage"

"Still removes sunscreen effectively"

"Budget price"

Common Complaints

"Same sweet fragrance"

"Slightly less effective on waterproof mascara than Deep"

"Plastic bottle feels cheap"

Notable Endorsements

Ranked in @cosme drugstore cleansing oil categoryRecurring recommendation in Japanese beauty magazines

Appears In

best budget oil cleanser best fast rinse cleanser best japanese drugstore cleanser best cleanser for oily skin

Related Conditions

oiliness blackheads

Related Ingredients

ethylhexyl palmitate mineral oil jojoba oil