Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 30 for oily skin
Glacial Glycoprotein
Fountain Plant Extracts
Squalane
Avobenzone
Homosalate
High
- HighOily Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
A great choice for oily skin; a few sunscreens fit it even better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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
- Highly suitable for oily skin due to salicylic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid, which offer keratolytic action and seboregulation to manage oily shine.
- The inclusion of glycerin and hyaluronic acid provides excellent moisturizing benefits, while avobenzone, homosalate, and octisalate offer effective UV protection.
- The formula is safe for your oily skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizing sunscreen daily in your AM routine. Reapply every two hours when exposed to direct sun.
- Apply this moisturizing sunscreen as the final step of your morning routine after your moisturizer.
- Smooth an even layer of the moisturizing sunscreen over your face and neck, avoiding harsh rubbing.
- Apply the moisturizing sunscreen onto clean, dry skin for the best protection and even coverage.
- Avoid the immediate eye area and discontinue use if any irritation occurs.
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
What makes Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 30 a great fit for oily skin?
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 30 is a great fit for oily skin because it uses salicylic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid to clear out pores and help manage oily shine. It also includes glycerin and hyaluronic acid to keep your skin soft and hydrated without feeling heavy, alongside built-in sun protection.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for oily skin?
This cream is a great fit for oily skin because it contains salicylic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid, which help control oily shine. It also includes glycerin and hyaluronic acid to keep your skin hydrated without feeling heavy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Glacial Glycoprotein do for oily skin?
Glacial Glycoprotein helps keep oily skin hydrated without feeling heavy or greasy. It supports the skin barrier so your face stays comfortable and balanced throughout the day.
What does Fountain Plant Extract do for oily skin?
Fountain Plant Extract helps reduce the shiny, oily look of the skin while making pore size look smaller and your complexion more even and bright. This ingredient is useful for oily skin types because it helps balance extra oil production, but oily skin also needs lightweight hydration and ingredients that clear pores without feeling heavy.
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for oily skin?
This moisturizing SPF goes in your morning routine as the third step after a cleanser and hydrating toner. It is a great fit for oily skin because it helps manage oily shine while providing hydration and sun protection, and it is unlikely to cause irritation.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying your retinol first, letting it dry, and then smoothing this moisturizer over it. This formula helps keep oily shine under control while giving your skin safe, gentle moisture, and using a moisturizer alongside strong treatments like retinol is unlikely to cause irritation.
How often should I use this cream?
Use this moisturizing spf every morning to protect your oily skin from the sun while managing shine. Daily application helps keep your skin feeling comfortable and hydrated without clogging pores or causing irritation.
Health Science Reports, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?
This cream is a great fit for oily skin and helps manage oily shine without being harsh. However, some reviewers do complain about a greasy or shiny finish, so it is unlikely to clog pores for everyone but may feel heavy depending on your skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (limonene and linalool).
What the research says
Daily treatment with a facial serum containing multiple acids reduced post-inflammatory hyperchromia lesion grade and number by 29.4% at 56 days, and decreased skin oiliness by 30.7% at 7 days in Brazilian patients with acne vulgaris.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021A 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, 2025Squalane 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
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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