Kiehl's Facial Fuel Energizing Moisture Treatment for Men for dry skin
Ascorbic Acid
Vitamin E
Chestnut Extract
CaffeineLow
- LowDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ConcerningSafety
A weak match for dry skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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
- This product offers excellent moisturizing due to glycerin and panthenol, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience for your dry skin, but it is moderately unsuitable due to alcohol denat and menthol potentially causing dryness.
- While it provides general skincare benefits, the lack of specialized humectants or emollients in significant concentrations means it won't fully address your dry or flaky skin concerns.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and work your way up to daily use.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner and before your sunscreen in the morning. At night, use it as the final step after your serum.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra hydration. This is great for soothing dry and flaky areas .
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use .
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 5.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this daily moisturizer is frequently praised for its fast-absorbing, lightweight, and non-greasy formula that provides a refreshing sensation, making it ideal for normal-to-combination skin. Some users find it insufficient for very dry skin and note that it offers basic hydration without advanced anti-aging benefits. A low number of reviews mention a strong menthol tingle or a premium price point.
Highlights
Fast absorbing Mostly Mentioned
- “Absorbs in under 60 seconds”
- “Soaks right up”
- “Non-greasy finish”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “Not at all greasy”
- “Feels very clean”
- “Lightweight cream-to-gel”
Refreshing sensation Often Mentioned
- “Immediate depuffing effect”
- “Cooling effect”
- “Invigorating tingle”
Easy to use Sometimes Noted
- “Easiest sell to men”
- “Simple and effective”
- “Great for beginners”
Lacks deep hydration Sometimes Noted
- “Insufficient for dry skin”
- “Lacks occlusives”
- “Not rich enough”
Basic functionality Rarely Noted
- “Doesn't do much else”
- “Only moisturizes”
- “Lacks active ingredients”
Premium price point Rarely Noted
- “Overpriced relative to alternatives”
- “Pricier than competitors”
Strong menthol tingle Rarely Noted
- “Strong cooling effect”
- “Redness around cheeks”
- “A bit strong”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, spacenk.com, influenster.com, target.com, looksmaxman.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Kiehl's Facial Fuel a weak match for dry skin?
This product is a weak match for dry skin because it contains alcohol denat and menthol, which may cause dryness, alongside a lack of concentrated specialized humectants or emollients. To properly care for dry skin, a moisturizing treatment needs effective soothing ingredients, rich moisture-retaining agents, and emollients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin that provide deep hydration and skin barrier support without any risk of irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a poor fit for dry skin?
Alcohol denat and menthol make this cream a poor fit because they may cause dryness and irritation on dry skin. A moisturizing treatment for dry skin needs rich, nourishing ingredients and heavy moisturizers like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to provide deep hydration and protect the skin barrier.
What does Vitamin C do for dry skin?
Vitamin C helps dry skin by boosting moisture and keeping the surface smooth and soft. It may also improve skin hydration and support the outer protective barrier over time.
Skin Research and Technology, 2008Experimental Dermatology, 2008
What does Vitamin E do for dry skin?
Vitamin E helps dry skin feel softer and smoother by increasing moisture, keeping hydration locked in, and improving overall skin barrier function. It may also calm redness and reduce roughness over time with regular use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing and before your main moisturizer. Dry skin needs rich hydrators like heavy emollients and strong humectants to lock in moisture and fully repair flaky areas.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol, but apply your retinol first and follow with this moisturizing treatment. Because this product contains alcohol denat and menthol, it may cause dryness on dry skin, so a product of this type needs richer emollients and humectants like ceramides, shea butter, or hyaluronic acid to properly soothe and hydrate flaky areas.
How often should I use this cream?
This cream is a weak match for your dry skin because alcohol denat and menthol may cause dryness, though it does contain hydrating glycerin and panthenol. To properly care for dry skin, a product of this type needs rich, specialized humectants and nourishing emollients without drying alcohols to fully soothe flakes and lock in moisture.
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This cream is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry skin, though alcohol denat and menthol may cause dryness or irritation. To properly care for dry skin, a product needs rich emollients and heavy humectants that deeply hydrate and repair the skin barrier without drying ingredients.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
This cream is generally safe to apply on the body, but you should use caution near the eyes because the skin there is much thinner and more sensitive. It is unlikely to cause issues if your skin tolerates it well, but dry skin of this type needs richer moisturizers with stronger emollients and gentle humectants.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, linalool, and citral) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).
What the research says
Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002A new topical panthenol-containing emollient significantly improved transepidermal water loss reduction, stratum corneum hydration, and intercellular lipid lamellae length compared with control in healthy subjects without negatively impacting bacterial viability.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2017Topical application of 5% vitamin C cream significantly improved global clinical scores, increased skin microrelief density, and induced elastic tissue repair in photoaged skin compared to excipient control in healthy female volunteers.
Experimental Dermatology, 2003Ascorbic acid 2-glucoside gel significantly reduced gingival melanin pigmentation after 4 weeks compared to placebo in 73 subjects with symmetric pigmentation.
Journal of Periodontology, 2009Topical application of VC-IP cream twice daily for 8 weeks reduces periorbital wrinkles in female subjects compared to a placebo cream.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024Topical application of a cosmetic cleanser containing Diospyros kaki folium, Polygonum cuspidatum, and Castanea crenata var. dulcis extracts reduced skin oil content by 77.3%, pore number by 24.83%, and pore size by 71.43% in healthy volunteers compared to a control cleanser.
Biomedical Reports, 2015A Castanea sativa spiny burs extract-loaded topical emulsion improved skin hydration, skin elasticity, and reduced periorbital wrinkles in 30 days in healthy human volunteers compared to placebo without altering skin barrier function, sebum, pH, or erythema.
Pharmaceutics, 2021An antioxidant surfactant-free topical formulation containing Castanea sativa leaf extract demonstrated stable physical and microbiological properties, a release rate of 610 ± 70 µgh(-0.5), and a significant in vivo moisturizing effect lasting at least 4 hours.
Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2015A topical cosmetic slimming product containing tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, caffeine, carnitine, forskolin and retinol significantly reduced body circumferences and improved skin aspect compared with placebo in 78 women over 12 weeks.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011Topical sunscreen formulations containing caffeine combined with UV filters increased in vivo anti-UVB protection by approximately 25% and showed higher SPF values compared to caffeine-free sunscreen, while being well tolerated by the skin of healthy subjects.
Frontiers in Physiology, 2019Caffeine gel combined with choline geranate showed high skin permeation capacity and superior clinical results in cellulite treatment compared to caffeine gel without ionic liquid.
AAPS PharmSciTech, 2021
Why other moisturizers fit dry skin better
- Menthol in this moisturizer
Topically applied menthol produced a subjective cooling effect and increased transepidermal water loss in 18 subjects, but it did not affect thermal or pain thresholds, nor did it alleviate histamine-induced itch magnitude or duration compared to alcohol and control sites.
Archives of Dermatological Research, 1996 Cosmetic formulations containing 5% Centella asiatica extract showed the best efficacy in improving skin moisture and decreasing transepidermal water loss, while also exhibiting antiinflammatory properties in 25 volunteers compared to baseline measurements.
Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2016Nanoemulsions containing Macadamia integrifolia seed oil successfully enhanced skin hydration and reduced wrinkles in human volunteers, outperforming conventional emulsions in skin hydration enhancement.
Nanomaterials, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Cyclohexasiloxane, Alcohol Denat, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Panthenol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Linoleate, Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether, Polyacrylamide, Dimethiconol, Glyceryl Oleate, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Parfum, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycine Soja Oil, Soybean Oil, Caffeine, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Chestnut Seed Extract, Benzophenone-4, Menthol, Limonene, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Laureth-7, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Disodium Edta, Glyceryl Linolenate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice, Juice, Lemon Juice, Linalool, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate, Citral, Potassium Sorbate, Ci 42090, Blue 1, Ci 14700, Red 4
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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