Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner for dry sensitive skin
Squalane
Avocado Oil
Apricot Kernel Oil
Vitamin E
Ascorbyl Glucoside
High
- SuperiorDry Skin Fit
- SuperiorEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
A great choice for dry sensitive skin; a few toners fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, 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 excellent hydration for your dry skin, as glycerin and sodium hyaluronate are present in high concentrations to provide superb humectant and emollient actions, complemented by squalane and sweet almond oil.
- This toner also addresses your dry or flaky skin concerns with moderate hydration, ensuring general skincare benefits.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry and sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like glycerin and squalane.
How to apply
- You can use this hydrating toner AM and PM every day to keep your skin soft. Always remember to pair it with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this hydrating toner right after your cleanser and before your moisturizer.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the hydrating toner into your skin and let it absorb for a minute.
- For best results, apply the hydrating toner on slightly damp skin to help lock in moisture.
- Be careful to avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.4Overall rating based on 300+ reviewsThis milky, alcohol-free toner is widely praised by users with dry and sensitive skin for its immediate soothing and hydrating effects, often described as a "moisture boost" that preps the face for serums. Reactions are mixed for acne-prone and oily skin types; while some find it balancing, a significant minority report clogged pores and breakouts.
Highlights
Milky texture Mostly Mentioned
- “milky and comforting”
- “thicker than water”
- “slides on like lotion”
- “feels luxurious”
Deeply hydrating Often Mentioned
- “leaves skin touchably soft”
- “instantly hydrated”
- “banished my dry patches”
- “feels like a drink for skin”
Gentle & soothing Often Mentioned
- “doesn't burn sensitive skin”
- “calming after cleansing”
- “no tightness”
Alcohol-free Sometimes Noted
- “doesn't dry me out”
- “non-stripping formula”
- “gentle alcohol-free base”
- “keeps barrier intact”
Causes breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “clogged my pores”
- “caused tiny bumps”
- “broke me out immediately”
- “gave me cystic acne”
Unpleasant scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like saliva”
- “weird chemical scent”
- “faint baby lotion smell”
- “off-putting odor”
Pricey Rarely Noted
- “too expensive for toner”
- “price point is steep”
- “not worth the money”
- “good but pricey”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “leaves a tacky film”
- “feels sticky on face”
- “takes too long to absorb”
- “greasy after-feel”
Sources: lovi.care, ulta.com, sephora.com, spacenk.com, reddit.com, beautybulletin.com, and more
Questions and answers
What makes Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner a great fit for dry sensitive skin?
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner is a great fit because it offers excellent hydration for dry skin through high concentrations of glycerin and sodium hyaluronate, along with squalane and sweet almond oil. It also addresses flaky skin concerns while maintaining a very safe profile that is unlikely to cause irritation for sensitive skin due to soothing components and the absence of harsh ingredients.
Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, squalane, and sweet almond oil make this toner a great fit by providing deep hydration and soothing dry areas without causing irritation. These ingredients help boost moisture levels and keep your skin feeling soft and comfortable.
What does Squalane do for dry sensitive skin?
Squalane helps keep dry sensitive skin soft and smooth by locking in moisture and calming irritation without causing flare-ups. It is unlikely to cause redness or discomfort, making it a gentle choice that supports the skin barrier. This type of skin needs ingredients that deeply hydrate and soothe, such as plant oils and antioxidants.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2017Molecules, 2009
What does Avocado Oil do for dry sensitive skin?
Avocado oil helps smooth wrinkles and keeps dry sensitive skin soft by improving hydration and elasticity. It is unlikely to cause irritation when used in anti-wrinkle creams.
Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This toner goes right after cleansing, in both your morning and evening routine, to help prep your dry sensitive skin. It is unlikely to cause irritation and helps provide much-needed hydration.
The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this toner with retinol by applying the toner first to hydrate and soothe your dry, sensitive skin, followed by your retinol treatment. This routine helps deliver moisture while keeping irritation unlikely.
Cutis, 2006Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
How often should I use this toner?
You can use this toner daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It is very gentle and is unlikely to irritate your skin.
Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This toner is unlikely to irritate dry and sensitive skin, but reviewers sometimes mention breakouts. The formula avoids harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like glycerin and squalane.
Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
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, 2025Topical 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, 2013Topical 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 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, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Oleate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Peg-100 Stearate, Potassium Sorbate, Triethanolamine, P-Anisic Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, 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.
-
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.