Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser for dry sensitive skin
Squalane
Avocado Oil
Apricot Kernel Oil
Vitamin E
Average
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other cleansers fit it 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 moderate suitability for your dry skin as glycerin and squalane provide humectant and emollient actions, but it lacks sufficient occlusive ingredients for optimal hydration.
- The cleansing action is excellent due to decyl glucoside and glycerin, which effectively cleanse pores without stripping your dry and sensitive skin.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry and sensitive skin due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use your cleanser AM and PM every day to keep your face fresh. Start slowly once a day if your dry skin feels sensitive at first.
- Apply your cleanser first thing in your routine before any toner or moisturizer. Follow the usual steps for your AM or PM daily routine.
- Gently massage the cleanser onto your face using soft circular motions. Avoid harsh rubbing to protect your dry skin.
- Apply the cleanser to slightly damp skin to help it clean gently without stripping moisture. This method is very safe for sensitive and dry skin types.
- Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water and avoid the delicate eye area. Always do a patch test before using the product for the first time.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 10.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cleanser is widely appreciated for its gentle, non-stripping formula that effectively cleanses without compromising the skin barrier, making it a favorite for sensitive and combination skin. Many users highlight its ability to remove makeup and impurities while maintaining skin hydration. Some users with very dry or reactive skin have noted it can be slightly stripping or feel overpriced for its simple formulation.
Highlights
Gentle, non-stripping Mostly Mentioned
- “doesn't strip my skin's natural oils”
- “leaves face feeling clean and soft”
- “gentle enough for sensitive skin”
- “skin feels comfortable, not tight”
Effective cleansing Often Mentioned
- “removes light makeup easily”
- “dissolves excess oil and dirt”
- “face feels squeaky clean”
- “great second step in double cleansing”
Suitable for sensitive skin Often Mentioned
- “fantastic for sensitive skin”
- “no scent/fragrance-free”
- “doesn't cause redness or irritation”
Good texture/lather Sometimes Noted
- “lathers nicely without being overly foamy”
- “rich and creamy texture”
- “little goes a long way”
- “smooth gel consistency”
Can be drying Sometimes Noted
- “leaves my skin feeling stripped”
- “made my face a little dry”
- “too drying for winter months”
- “tight feeling after washing”
High price point Sometimes Noted
- “expensive for a basic cleanser”
- “overpriced compared to drugstore alternatives”
- “not worth the premium price”
- “good but pricey”
Basic formula Rarely Noted
- “nothing exceptional here”
- “pretty darn basic”
- “boring but effective”
- “just an average cleanser”
Ingredient concerns Rarely Noted
- “contains parabens”
- “dislike the SLES content”
- “caused minor breakouts”
- “stings eyes if not careful”
Sources: lovi.care, kiehls.com, ulta.com, sephora.sg, sephora.co.uk, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser work for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser works moderately well for your dry sensitive skin because it gently cleanses pores using glycerin and squalane without causing irritation, though it lacks enough sealing ingredients to lock in optimal moisture. Cleansers of this type need rich oils, butters, and heavy sealing ingredients to prevent dryness and keep dry sensitive skin fully hydrated.
Which ingredients make this cleanser a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin and squalane make this cleanser a good fit because they help draw in moisture and keep your skin soft without causing irritation. To work best for dry sensitive skin, a cleanser of this type needs extra sealing ingredients to lock in hydration.
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 cleanser go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser goes in your morning and evening routine, before a soothing toner and moisturizer. Dry sensitive skin works best with cleansers that have heavy sealing ingredients and oils to lock in moisture.
Can I use this cleanser with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cleanser in your routine when using retinol, applying it before your retinol treatment. It cleans pores well without stripping your dry and sensitive skin, but a cleanser of this type needs richer sealing ingredients and heavy creams afterward to lock in moisture.
How often should I use this cleanser?
You can use this cleanser daily in the morning and evening as part of your routine. It cleans pores well without stripping your dry and sensitive skin, but this type of dry skin also needs heavier sealing ingredients to lock in moisture.
Can this cleanser clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This cleanser is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for dry and sensitive skin because its gentle cleansing ingredients effectively clean without harshness or irritation. However, a cleanser for this skin needs richer sealing ingredients to lock in moisture and prevent dryness.
Can I use this cleanser around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this cleanser on your body and around the eyes, as it cleans pores effectively without stripping dry and sensitive skin and has no harsh ingredients that may cause irritation. To work best for dry skin, this type of product needs extra heavy sealing ingredients to lock in moisture.
Is this cleanser fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol. Behenyl 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, 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, 2024
Why other cleansers fit dry sensitive skin better
Transgenic 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, 2024
Ingredients
Water, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Acrylates Copolymer, Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Pentylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Distearyl Ether, Behenyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Laureth-2, Propylparaben, Sodium Methylparaben, Squalane, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Sweet Almond Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Apricot Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Persea Gratissima Avocado Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
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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