Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 30 for dry skin
Glacial Glycoprotein
Fountain Plant Extracts
Squalane
Avobenzone
Homosalate
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry skin; other sunscreens 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
- Offers moderate suitability for your dry skin due to the presence of glycerin and squalane, which provide humectant and emollient actions to hydrate and soften. These ingredients work well to address dryness and flakiness, though they may not deliver optimal results in all areas.
- The formulation also includes hyaluronic acid for enhanced moisturization and a blend of UV filters like avobenzone and octisalate for sun protection, offering general skincare benefits.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Apply this moisturizing sunscreen daily in your AM routine. Use it every morning as the final step of your skincare routine.
- Apply after your moisturizer and before putting on makeup. This ensures proper sun protection for your skin.
- Gently spread an even layer over your face and neck. Avoid rubbing too hard to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply on completely dry skin for the best coverage and protection. Make sure your face is clean before application.
- Avoid the immediate eye area during application. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 1.3k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this moisturizer is highly praised for its effective and long-lasting hydration, leaving skin soft and preventing dryness. It is also noted for its ability to absorb without leaving a white cast, making it suitable for various skin tones. Some users with oily or combination skin find the finish too greasy or shiny, and a moderate number report eye irritation. A low number of users experience pilling under makeup or find the scent unpleasant.
Highlights
Provides hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “Long-lasting hydration”
- “Keeps skin hydrated”
- “Soft and moist”
- “Prevents dryness”
No white cast Often Mentioned
- “Invisible on dark skin”
- “No white residue”
- “Absorbs without residue”
- “Clear finish”
Greasy or shiny finish Often Mentioned
- “Too greasy”
- “Oily residue”
- “Leaves face shiny”
- “Heavy finish”
Absorbs quickly Sometimes Noted
- “Readily absorbs”
- “Sinks in fast”
- “Rapid absorbency”
- “Layers well”
Smooth texture Sometimes Noted
- “Silky texture”
- “Leaves skin soft”
- “Glides on smooth”
- “Nice consistency”
Causes eye irritation Sometimes Noted
- “Stings my eyes”
- “Burns eyes”
- “Watery eyes”
- “Eye irritation”
Pills under makeup Rarely Noted
- “Pills under makeup”
- “Balls up”
- “Flakes off”
- “Bad under foundation”
Unpleasant scent Rarely Noted
- “Sunscreen smell”
- “Chemical scent”
- “Strong odor”
- “Smells like plastic”
Sources: lovi.care, walmart.com, kiehls.com, ulta.com, whatsinmyjar.com, sarahfynn.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 30 work for dry skin?
This moisturizer works reasonably well for dry skin, using glycerin and squalane to help hydrate and soften. It is unlikely to cause irritation, but dry skin needs richer ingredients and stronger barrier support to get the best results.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for dry skin?
Glycerin, squalane, and hyaluronic acid make this moisturizer a good fit for dry skin by pulling in moisture and softening dry areas. A product of this type needs richer hydrating and barrier-restoring ingredients to provide optimal support for dry skin.
What does Glacial Glycoprotein do for dry skin?
Glacial Glycoprotein helps dry skin stay soft and smooth by keeping moisture locked in. It is unlikely to cause irritation and works well to protect skin that feels tight or rough throughout the day.
What does Fountain Plant Extract do for dry skin?
Fountain Plant Extract helps soothe dry skin by boosting hydration and relieving itchy feelings. It may also support the skin barrier so it stays soft and comfortable throughout the day.
Nutrients, 2019BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
In your morning routine for dry skin, this moisturizer goes after your hydrating toner and before your sunscreen. It is unlikely to cause irritation and helps soften dry skin with ingredients like glycerin and squalane, though dry skin generally needs richer creams with heavier oils and butters for best results.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying your retinol first and following with the moisturizer. This helps keep your skin soft and smooth while lowering the likelihood of dryness or irritation.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizer daily in the morning as part of your routine. Daily application helps keep skin soft and protected, though dry skin of this type needs richer oils and barrier-supporting ingredients for optimal moisture.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores on dry skin, as its safety profile shows no harsh ingredients that typically trigger irritation. To care for dry skin properly, this type of product needs rich moisturizing ingredients like ceramides and rich butters to deeply soften and lock in moisture.
Is this moisturizer fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene and linalool).
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, 2017Chemical sunscreens containing avobenzone, octocrylene, homosalate, and octisalate showed no to minimal risks of dermal irritation, sensitization, photo-allergy, and photo-irritation in human subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2025Encapsulating avobenzone in low-porosity TiO2-embedded mesoporous silica (TiO2/SBA-S) reduced cutaneous avobenzone absorption from 0.76 to 0.50 nmol/mg while providing effective pollutant adsorbability, UVA protection, and a two- to three-fold reduction in photoaged skin cytokines/chemokines compared to the non-treatment control.
European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2023Squalane 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, 2025Encapsulation of ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane in lipid microparticles significantly reduced their in vivo human skin penetration compared to nonencapsulated filters.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2011Microencapsulation of the BMDBM/HP-beta-CD complex in lipid microparticles significantly decreased the percutaneous penetration of the UV filter into the stratum corneum of human volunteers compared to the non-encapsulated sunscreen agent.
Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 2011Following human skin application of an O/W emulsion containing 2% BMDBM loaded in lipospheres, 15% of the sunscreen accumulated in the uppermost layers of the stratum corneum without remarkably modifying skin permeation compared to unencapsulated sunscreen.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2008Dermal application of a sunscreen containing 10% homosalate in four volunteers resulted in delayed elimination with terminal half-times around 24 h and a bioavailability of cis-homosalate a factor of 2 lower than trans-homosalate, while metabolite ratios supported using oral-route urinary excretion fractions for dermal exposure assessments.
Archives of Toxicology, 2024Homosalate exhibited the highest permeation among tested filters with a relative permeability rate of 4.2% and a depth of 60 um, and specific thickeners and emulsifiers successfully reduced its permeation without inhibiting the skin permeation of niacinamide.
Photodermatology, Photoimmunology & Photomedicine, 2026An online-SPE-LC-MS/MS method successfully quantified specific urinary homosalate metabolites for up to 96 hours after dermal sunscreen application in a volunteer and detected metabolites exclusively in three German pilot participants who had used sunscreen within five days.
Analytica Chimica Acta, 2021
Why other sunscreens fit dry skin better
Co-encapsulation of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopheryl acetate in nanostructured lipid carrier gel formulations significantly enhanced moisture retention up to 68% and improved skin elasticity in human volunteers compared to a solution gel.
Scientific Reports, 2025Vitamin E in O/W and W/O emulsions significantly increased stratum corneum hydration and enhanced water-binding capacity, with an optimum concentration of 5%.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 1998
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Dimethicone, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica, Octyldodecanol, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Steareth-100, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium Edta, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Ectoin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Myristic Acid, Peppermint Oil, Pseudoalteromonas Extract Ferment, Ethylhexylglycerin, Linalool, Salicylic Acid, Avobenzone, Homosalate, Octisalate, Octocrylene
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
How does it fit your skin?
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