1025 Dokdo Cleansing Oil

October 25th is Dokdo Day in South Korea — a date that commemorates awareness of a small cluster of volcanic islets in the waters between Korea and Japan. When ROUND LAB named their flagship line 1025 Dokdo, they were doing something unusual for a skincare brand: anchoring a product line to a place and its meaning rather than an ingredient or a claim. The deep sea water sourced from the waters around these islands — rich in 72 naturally occurring minerals — became the foundation of a line that has quietly become one of K-beauty's most consistent performers. The Cleansing Oil is the line's entry point, literally the first step of a skincare routine, and it sets the tone for everything that follows.

The ingredient list is what makes this cleansing oil remarkable. Most oil cleansers are simple affairs — a base oil, an emulsifier, maybe some vitamin E for shelf stability. ROUND LAB took a different approach entirely. Ceramide NP appears in the formula, reinforcing the skin's lipid barrier during the very step most likely to compromise it. Three forms of hyaluronic acid — standard HA, hydrolyzed HA, and sodium hyaluronate — provide layered hydration at different molecular weights. Panthenol and allantoin soothe and condition. A blend of six botanical oils — evening primrose, meadowfoam, avocado, grape seed, canola, and macadamia — provides the cleansing matrix while delivering their own skin-nourishing fatty acids.

The philosophy is clear: cleansing should not be a destructive act. Every time you wash your face, you are removing not just makeup and sunscreen but also a portion of your skin's natural lipids. A well-formulated cleansing oil can minimize that lipid loss while still dissolving everything that needs to go. This formula takes it further by actively depositing barrier-supportive ingredients during the process. Whether those ingredients have meaningful contact time during a 60-second cleansing massage is a fair question — but the intent, and the user experience it creates, speaks for itself.

The texture is unusually lightweight for an oil cleanser. Where many cleansing oils feel thick and viscous, almost reluctant to move across the skin, this one has a fluid, almost watery consistency that glides effortlessly. Two to three pumps are enough for the entire face. You massage it in small circles across dry skin, feeling makeup and sunscreen dissolve within thirty seconds. Adding water triggers the emulsification — the sorbeth-30 tetraoleate converts the oil into a milky liquid that rinses clean without leaving the stubborn oily film that plagues lesser cleansing oils.

The post-rinse feel is the product's best advertisement. Skin feels clean — genuinely, thoroughly clean — but also soft, plump, and slightly dewy. There is no tightness, no pulling, no sensation of moisture being sucked out of your face. For anyone who has endured the squeaky-clean aftermath of foaming cleansers and thought that was what clean was supposed to feel like, this is a revelation.

The scent deserves honest discussion. Bergamot and sage essential oils contribute a light, fresh, citrus-herbal note that most users find pleasant. It is subtle and dissipates during rinsing. But bergamot oil is a known photosensitizer and contains limonene and linalool — both EU-listed fragrance allergens. In a rinse-off product with brief skin contact, the risk is low. But for users with documented fragrance sensitivities or essential oil allergies, this is not a concern to dismiss. It is the one compromise in an otherwise impressively gentle formula.

The deep sea water component is worth addressing with calibrated expectations. Mineral-rich water is a real thing — the waters around Dokdo do contain elevated concentrations of magnesium, calcium, zinc, and other trace minerals. Whether those minerals deliver measurable skincare benefits during a brief cleansing oil massage is unproven in rigorous clinical literature. What the sea water does contribute is a marketing narrative that connects this product to a specific place, a specific story, and a specific brand identity. That narrative has resonated with millions of consumers across Korea and increasingly worldwide.

The practical value is excellent. The 200ml bottle lasts three to four months with nightly use, bringing the per-use cost down to something trivial. The pump dispenser is reliable and hygienic. The formula's compatibility with the K-beauty double-cleanse philosophy makes it a natural first step before the ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Cleanser or any water-based second cleanser.

ROUND LAB is an emerging brand — founded in 2017, it lacks the decades of clinical validation that legacy brands carry. But the 1025 Dokdo line has accumulated enough real-world usage data and independent reviews to support confidence in its quality. The Cleansing Oil, specifically, demonstrates a level of formulation thoughtfulness — ceramides, triple HA, panthenol, six botanical oils — that many established brands have not brought to the cleansing oil category. It is not just a good K-beauty product. It is a genuinely excellent cleansing oil by any standard.

Formula

The Science

The formulation science behind this cleansing oil centers on a principle increasingly recognized in dermatological literature: that the cleansing step itself can contribute to or detract from skin barrier health. Traditional surfactant-based cleansers strip the stratum corneum of intercellular lipids, leading to increased transepidermal water loss and potential irritation. Oil-based cleansers operate through a different mechanism — like dissolves like — removing oil-soluble impurities (makeup, sunscreen, sebum) while preserving more of the native lipid structure.

The inclusion of Ceramide NP in a cleansing oil is a formulation choice that addresses this directly. Ceramides constitute approximately 50% of the stratum corneum lipid matrix, and their depletion during cleansing is a primary driver of post-wash tightness and dryness. While the contact time during oil cleansing is brief (typically 60-90 seconds), studies have demonstrated that even short-duration exposure to ceramide-containing formulations can contribute to lipid replenishment in the stratum corneum.

The triple hyaluronic acid system (standard HA, hydrolyzed HA, and sodium hyaluronate) provides humectant support at multiple molecular weights. Hydrolyzed HA and sodium hyaluronate are lower-molecular-weight forms that penetrate the upper epidermis more readily, potentially providing hydration benefits even during the brief cleansing window.

Evening primrose oil is notable for its high gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) content — an omega-6 fatty acid with documented anti-inflammatory properties. A study published in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science demonstrated that topical GLA application improved skin barrier function and reduced transepidermal water loss over time. In a cleansing oil context, the GLA-rich evening primrose provides both the cleansing dissolving action and a skin-conditioning benefit.

Dermatologist Perspective

Dermatologists generally view oil cleansing favorably as a gentle first step in a double-cleanse routine, particularly for patients who wear sunscreen and makeup daily. Board-certified dermatologists note that the inclusion of ceramides and hyaluronic acid in a cleansing oil demonstrates a barrier-conscious formulation approach that minimizes the lipid disruption typical of cleansing. However, dermatologists consistently advise patients with fragrance sensitivities to be cautious with the bergamot oil and its associated limonene and linalool content, even in a rinse-off product.

Guidance

The 1025 in the name refers to October 25th, which holds significance in Korean awareness of the Dokdo islands — a group of rocky islets in the Sea of Japan/East Sea. ROUND LAB built their flagship line around deep sea water sourced from these waters, which is naturally rich in 72 minerals. The Cleansing Oil extended the 1025 Dokdo line beyond toners and creams into the first step of the K-beauty double-cleanse routine, applying the same mineral-rich hydration philosophy to makeup removal.

About ROUND LAB Emerging Brand (2–5 years)

ROUND LAB was founded in 2017 in South Korea and gained viral popularity through its 1025 Dokdo line, formulated with mineral-rich deep sea water from the Ulleungdo and Dokdo islands. While the brand has a limited track record compared to legacy skincare brands, its products are widely praised in the K-beauty community and have gained a strong following internationally.

Brand founded: 2017 · Product launched: 2021

Myth vs. Reality

Myth

Oil cleansers clog pores and cause breakouts.

Reality

Well-formulated cleansing oils are designed to dissolve and rinse away — they emulsify with water and wash off completely. This formula includes ceramide NP and hyaluronic acid to actually support the pore environment during cleansing. The key is thorough emulsification and rinsing, ideally followed by a water-based second cleanser.

Myth

You don't need to double cleanse if you use a good oil cleanser.

Reality

While this oil cleanser rinses cleaner than most, double cleansing (oil cleanser followed by water-based cleanser) remains the gold standard for thorough PM cleansing, especially after wearing sunscreen or makeup. The oil step dissolves oil-soluble impurities; the water step catches water-soluble residue.

FAQ

Common Praise

"Melts makeup and sunscreen effortlessly including waterproof formulas"

"Rinses clean without leaving heavy oily residue — emulsifies beautifully with water"

"Skin feels clean, soft, and hydrated after use rather than stripped or tight"

"Lightweight oil texture that doesn't feel heavy or clogging during massage"

"Pleasant light citrus-herbal scent that dissipates quickly"

"Generous 200ml size lasts 3-4 months with nightly use"

Common Complaints

"Contains bergamot oil and limonene — potential sensitizers for fragrance-reactive skin"

"Some users feel an oily residue that requires thorough double-cleansing to fully remove"

"Not ideal as a standalone cleanser — best results require a second water-based cleanse"

"Ethylhexyl stearate may contribute to breakouts in acne-prone skin"

"Price is higher than some competing K-beauty oil cleansers"

Notable Endorsements

Viral K-beauty product praised by numerous beauty influencersPart of ROUND LAB's award-winning 1025 Dokdo lineAvailable at Ulta Beauty — a marker of K-beauty crossover success

Appears In

best cleanser for dryness best oil cleanser best cleanser for blackheads best k beauty cleanser

Related Conditions

dryness dullness blackheads large pores sensitivity

Related Ingredients

ceramides hyaluronic acid panthenol evening primrose oil