Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer for combination skin
Squalane
Glycerin
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Avocado Oil
Butylene Glycol
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for combination skin; other moisturizers fit it 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 moderate moisturizing for your combination skin, as squalane and glycerin provide hydration and enhance barrier resilience without overwhelming oily areas.
- While it offers general skincare benefits, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly address your oily shine.
- The product is safe for your combination skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like squalane and glycerin.
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
★4.4Overall rating based on 200+ reviewsUsers find this moisturizer to be a rich, fragrance-free lotion that deeply hydrates, benefiting dry, combination, and sensitive skin, especially in winter. Many appreciate its ability to repair the skin barrier. However, a notable number of reviewers mention it can leave a greasy or sticky residue if not fully absorbed, making it less ideal for very oily or acne-prone skin.
Highlights
Deeply hydrating Mostly Mentioned
- “Saved my dry winter skin”
- “keeps flakes away”
- “rich and nourishing”
Gentle and fragrance-free Often Mentioned
- “No strong smell”
- “doesn't sting sensitive areas”
Greasy or sticky Often Mentioned
- “Takes too long to sink in”
- “leaves face shiny”
- “feels tacky under makeup”
Key ingredients Sometimes Noted
- “Love the squalane”
- “ingredients feel premium”
- “simple but effective mix”
Value and longevity Sometimes Noted
- “Bottle lasts forever”
- “only need a pea size”
- “good value for size”
Not for oily Sometimes Noted
- “Caused breakouts”
- “too heavy for summer”
- “made my T-zone oily”
Expensive price Rarely Noted
- “Pricey for a basic lotion”
- “good but expensive”
- “waited for a sale”
Texture issues Rarely Noted
- “More liquid than expected”
- “sits on top of skin”
- “prefer the jar cream texture”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.co.uk, ulta.com, kiehls.com, makeupalley.com, amazon.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer work for combination skin?
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer provides moderate moisture for combination skin, helping hydrate without overwhelming oily areas. It is safe for this skin type, but lacks specialized ingredients to directly address oily shine. A product of this type needs brightening and balancing ingredients to control excess oil while keeping skin hydrated.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for combination skin?
Squalane and glycerin make this moisturizer a good fit for combination skin because they provide hydration and strengthen your skin barrier without making oily areas feel heavy. To work even better for this skin type, a product of this type needs ingredients that target oily shine while offering safe, balanced hydration.
What does Squalane do for combination skin?
Squalane helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by locking in moisture without feeling heavy or greasy. It supports the skin barrier and provides lightweight hydration that works well for both dry and oily areas.
Skin Health and Disease, 2024Journal of Nanobiotechnology, 2025
What does Glycerin do for combination skin?
Glycerin helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by pulling moisture in and keeping it there. It improves hydration and supports your skin barrier, which is unlikely to cause irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does this moisturizer go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This moisturizer goes after your hydrating toner in the morning and after your treatment step in the evening, as it helps lock in hydration without overwhelming oily areas. Because this product offers only moderate moisturizing for combination skin, a product of this type needs lightweight hydrators like glycerin and squalane alongside oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to properly balance both dry and oily zones.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
Yes, you can use this moisturizer with retinol by applying the retinol first and following it with the moisturizer. This routine helps reduce dryness and irritation while supporting your skin barrier, though combination skin also needs specialized ingredients to control oily shine.
How often should I use this moisturizer?
You can use this moisturizer daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. Daily application helps maintain skin moisture and supports the skin barrier.
Health Science Reports, 2021Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This moisturizer is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts on combination skin because it avoids harsh ingredients, though a product for this skin works best when it also includes targeted oil-control ingredients to help keep shine under control.
Can I use this moisturizer around the eyes or on my body?
Yes, you can use this moisturizer around the eyes and on the body because its ingredients suit thin skin and body skin well. It is generally safe and unlikely to cause irritation when applied to these areas.
Is this moisturizer fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Myristyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, 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, Squalane, Glycerin, Peg-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Oleate, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Stearic Acid, Alba Beeswax Cera, Myristyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Sweet Almond Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Apricot Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Persea Gratissima Avocado Oil
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?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.