Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream for acne-prone skin
Glacial Glycoprotein
Squalane
Glycerin
Apricot Kernel Oil
Avocado Oil
Caution
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A poor match for acne-prone skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers general hydration for your combination skin, but the low concentration of salicylic acid means it may not effectively address your acne, blemishes, and breakouts, potentially posing moderate risks of worsening these conditions.
- While glycerin and squalane provide excellent moisturizing benefits and enhance barrier resilience, the formula lacks sufficient ingredients for optimal oil control on the oily areas of your combination skin.
How to apply
- Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
- Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
- Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
- Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 35.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is widely celebrated for restoring the moisture barrier, particularly for those with dry, sensitive, or dehydrated skin in harsh winter climates. Users consistently report that it provides deep, long-lasting hydration without feeling heavy. A minority with oily or acne-prone skin experienced breakouts or found it too rich for humid weather.
Highlights
Deep, long-lasting hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours”
- “eliminates dry patches”
- “saved my winter skin”
Gentle for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “fragrance-free”
- “no irritation”
Lightweight, non-greasy texture Often Mentioned
- “Absorbs quickly”
- “leaves no residue”
- “feels like a drink of water”
Expensive price point Often Mentioned
- “pricy daily staple”
- “waiting for sales”
Excellent makeup base Sometimes Noted
- “no pilling”
- “creates a smooth canvas”
- “sits well under foundation”
Improves skin barrier Sometimes Noted
- “reduces tightness”
- “skin feels plump/supple”
- “contains squalane”
Too greasy for oily skin Sometimes Noted
- “oil slick in summer”
- “heavy T-zone shine”
- “not matte enough”
Unhygienic jar packaging Sometimes Noted
- “dipping fingers is unsanitary”
- “prefer pump/tube”
- “exposure to air”
Causes breakouts/stinging Rarely Noted
- “cystic acne for some”
- “burning sensation on application (phenoxyethanol sensitivity)”
Not rich enough Rarely Noted
- “some extremely dry skin types need a thicker balm or oil on top”
Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, sephora.com, ulta.com, kiehls.com, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why does Lovi advise caution with Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream for acne-prone skin?
Lovi advises caution because this moisturizer may not effectively target your breakouts and carries a moderate risk of worsening them. A product for acne-prone skin needs ingredients that help clear blemishes and control oil without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for acne-prone skin?
This cream may not be the best fit for acne-prone skin because it lacks enough oil-controlling ingredients and has only a very low amount of salicylic acid, which may not clear up breakouts well. A moisturizer for this skin needs effective acne-fighting ingredients, soothing extracts, and great oil control without any risk of irritation.
What does Glacial Glycoprotein do for acne-prone skin?
Glacial Glycoprotein helps keep dry skin feeling soft and smooth while protecting it from moisture loss. For acne-prone skin, a product of this type needs lightweight hydration and ingredients that calm irritation without clogging pores.
What does Squalane do for acne-prone skin?
Squalane may help keep acne-prone skin soft and smooth, but peroxidated forms can trigger inflammation in skin cells. For a better fit on acne-prone skin, products need non-clogging, soothing ingredients that balance oil without causing irritation.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This cream goes toward the end of your morning and evening routines, right before sunscreen in the morning and as the final step at night. Because it is a poor match for acne-prone skin, a moisturizer of this type needs effective oil-controlling ingredients and salicylic acid to help clear breakouts without making oily areas worse.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the retinol first and following it with the cream to help keep your skin soft and reduce dryness. However, this cream may not be the best fit for acne-prone skin because it lacks oil control ingredients and salicylic acid, so acne-prone skin needs a lightweight moisturizer with oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to help clear breakouts.
How often should I use this cream?
You may use this moisturizer twice daily as part of your morning and evening routine, though it may not effectively address breakouts on acne-prone skin. Daily application helps keep skin soft and supports barrier function.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cream may pose moderate risks of worsening blemishes and causing breakouts on acne-prone skin because it lacks sufficient oil control ingredients. A product for this skin needs oil-balancing ingredients and blemish-fighting salicylic acid to keep pores clear.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizer is generally safe for use around the eyes and on the body, though the thin skin of the eyelids requires gentle application and good tolerance. Since skin thickness varies across the body, rich moisturizers may help keep dry areas soft, but heavier body skin might need extra targeted ingredients to stay smooth.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Stearyl alcohol and cetyl alcohol are fatty alcohols, which soften the skin.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Topical cream containing saffron extract and avocado oil improved wrinkle grading, reduced nasolabial fold area and volume, and increased skin elasticity in twenty healthy volunteers over 12 weeks without allergic reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Topical treatment with SSFAO 50% or avocado oil increased wound contraction, reepithelialization, collagen density, and tensile strength while showing anti-inflammatory activity compared to petroleum jelly in rats.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Squalane, Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sucrose Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Peg-8 Stearate, Myristyl Myristate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethlhexanoate, Prunus Armeniaca Apricot Kernel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Persea Gratissima Avocado Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Oryza Sativa Rice Bran Oil, Olea Europaea Olive Oil Fruit, Chlorphenesin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Disodium Edta, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Sweet Almond Oil, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Soybean Oil, Pseudoalteromonas Extract Ferment, Myristic Acid, Hydroxypalmitol Sphinganine, Bht, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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