Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream for combination skin
Micronized Amino Acid
Glacial Glycoprotein
Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Glycerin
Salicylic Acid
High
- SuperiorCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for combination skin; a few moisturizers fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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 excellent moisturizing for your combination skin due to high concentrations of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, which hydrate and plump the skin, while salicylic acid provides mild pore-cleansing benefits to address oily shine.
- The formula is well-suited for combination skin, balancing oil production and hydration effectively.
- This product is safe for your skin, as it contains soothing ingredients like Menthoxypropanediol and Cucumis Sativus Cucumber Fruit Extract Juice, and lacks harsh or prohibited substances.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizer in your AM and PM routine every day to control shine. Always pair with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin and avoid harsh rubbing. Let it ⏳absorb for a minute.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help it lock in moisture better. This keeps your combination skin balanced.
- Avoid the eye area when applying the moisturizer. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.5Overall rating based on 500+ reviewsThis lightweight gel moisturizer is highly recommended for oily and combination skin, providing hydration without greasiness or pore-clogging. Users frequently praise its oil control and refreshing feel, making it ideal for warmer weather. However, individuals with dry skin often find it lacks sufficient moisture, and a small number of sensitive users have reported stinging or a sticky residue.
Highlights
Lightweight & non-greasy Mostly Mentioned
- “absorbs instantly without residue”
- “feels like water on skin”
- “super light gel texture”
- “doesn't feel heavy at all”
Excellent oil control Often Mentioned
- “keeps my T-zone matte”
- “no midday grease”
- “controls oil all day”
- “shine-free finish”
Hydrating for oily Often Mentioned
- “perfect balance of moisture”
- “hydrated but not oily”
- “doesn't clog my pores”
- “great summer moisturizer”
Insufficient for dry Often Mentioned
- “skin felt tight after an hour”
- “not enough for winter”
- “dry patches remained”
- “need to layer it”
Alcohol-free formula Sometimes Noted
- “no longer smells like alcohol”
- “doesn't dry me out like the old one”
- “gentler on my barrier”
- “improved ingredient list”
Cooling & refreshing Sometimes Noted
- “feels cool on contact”
- “refreshing burst of hydration”
- “great for hot summers”
- “soothes heated skin”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “way too pricey for a basic gel”
- “jar is too small for the cost”
- “expensive for what it is”
Sticky/tacky finish Sometimes Noted
- “leaves a tacky film”
- “feels sticky to the touch”
- “hair sticks to face”
- “takes a while to dry down”
Pilling issues Rarely Noted
- “pills under my makeup”
- “rolls off when I rub my face”
- “doesn't play well with sunscreen”
- “clumps up”
Stinging sensation Rarely Noted
- “burned my cheeks”
- “stung upon application”
- “caused redness and heat”
- “irritated my sensitive skin”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, ulta.com, kiehls.com, reddit.com, lookfantastic.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream a great fit for combination skin?
This cream is a great fit for your combination skin because it hydrates and plumps with high concentrations of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate while using salicylic acid to help clear up oily shine. The formula also balances oil and moisture effectively and feels calming on the skin.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017BioMed Research International, 2020
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
This cream is a great fit for your combination skin because high levels of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate keep your skin hydrated and plump. Additionally, salicylic acid helps cleanse pores to reduce oily shine, while cucumber fruit extract and other soothing ingredients help keep your skin calm.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017BioMed Research International, 2020
What does Micronized Amino Acid do for combination skin?
Micronized amino acid helps balance combination skin by supporting essential moisture and improving overall skin texture. This type of skin needs a lightweight formula with hydrating ingredients and barrier-supporting nutrients to keep both dry and oily areas smooth and comfortable.
What does Glacial Glycoprotein do for combination skin?
Glacial Glycoprotein helps keep combination skin hydrated and soft throughout the day. It supports the skin barrier, which is unlikely to leave dry spots or feel oily.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This moisturizer goes near the end of your morning and evening skincare routines, right after your toner and before your sunscreen in the morning. Using a daily moisturizer helps hydrate the skin and manage oil production effectively.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use it with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol to help keep your skin comfortable and smooth. Apply it after your retinol treatment to lock in hydration and reduce the likelihood of dryness or irritation.
How often should I use this cream?
This moisturizing treatment is a great fit for your combination skin, offering balanced hydration and oil control with ingredients like glycerin and salicylic acid. You can safely use it every day to keep your skin feeling soft, smooth, and comfortable.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for combination skin, as it contains salicylic acid to help keep pores clean and balance oil production. It is formulated to be gentle and safe, so it is unlikely to trigger purging when added to your routine.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
This product is a great fit for combination skin, but it is not specifically formulated or tested for the very thin skin around the eyes or general body use. You can use it safely on your face, but eye areas and body skin require products tailored to their specific thickness and moisture needs.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
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, 2017A moisturizer containing licochalcone A, 1,2-decanediol, L-carnitine, and salicylic acid significantly reduced noninflammatory, inflammatory, and total acne lesion counts compared to a vehicle control in Thai patients during a 12-week maintenance phase.
BioMed Research International, 2020Transgenic cucumber expressing poly-γ-glutamic acid synthesis genes increased water content by 6-14%, reduced water loss by 11-12%, decreased facial wrinkles and roughness by 19.58% and 24.97%, decreased skin melanin by 5.27%, and improved facial elasticity in human skin and zebrafish compared to controls.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024The 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, 2012Cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen achieved a higher cure rate (39%) than salicylic acid (24%) and a wait-and-see approach (16%) for cutaneous warts at 13 weeks in primary care patients.
CMAJ, 2010Treatment with 2% supramolecular salicylic acid hydrogel resulted in a regression and markedly improvement rate of 51.01% compared to 43.10% for Adapaline gel in patients with mild to moderate facial acne vulgaris, showing no significant difference in efficacy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid achieved the greatest lesion reduction at early 2 to 4 week time points compared to benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin, and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin, while 5% benzoyl peroxide plus salicylic acid and combination benzoyl peroxide/clindamycin showed similar efficacy at 10 to 12 weeks in acne patients.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2010
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat, Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Tetrasodium Edta, Tocopheryl Acetate, Menthoxypropanediol, Pseudoalteromonas Extract Ferment, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sarcosine, Salicylic Acid, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Propanediol, Cucumis Sativus Cucumber Fruit Extract Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
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.
-
Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-
Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-
Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-
Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-
Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-
Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-
Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.