Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer for skin with dark spots
Squalane
Glycerin
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Avocado Oil
Butylene Glycol
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for skin with dark spots; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. 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 benefits for your normal skin, as squalane and glycerin provide excellent hydration and support barrier resilience. These ingredients are highly suitable for normal skin, enhancing its natural moisture levels.
- While the product offers general skincare benefits like cleansing and soothing, these are not directly targeted towards your main goal of pigmentation.
- The product is safe for your normal skin, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the inclusion of soothing components like squalane and glycerin.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM and PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and move to daily use if your skin likes it.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing it too hard so it absorbs nicely.
- For the best moisture, you can apply it when your skin is slightly damp. This helps your skin stay soft and happy.
- Remember to avoid the eye area when applying. Always 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 skin with dark spots?
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer works moderately well for skin with dark spots, as it provides good hydration and is safe for your skin, though it does not directly target pigmentation. To fit this skin better, a product needs effective brightening ingredients alongside moisturizing components to address dark spots while maintaining overall skin health without irritation.
Which ingredients make this moisturizer a good fit for skin with dark spots?
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer is an average fit for skin with dark spots because its squalane and glycerin hydrate your skin safely, though it lacks targeted brightening ingredients. Skin with dark spots needs effective brightening ingredients alongside soothing and moisturizing agents to tackle pigmentation while keeping skin soft and calm.
Scientific Reports, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
What does Squalane do for skin with dark spots?
Squalane helps keep skin soft and smooth, but it is unlikely to directly fade dark spots on its own. For hyperpigmentation, this type of product needs added brightening ingredients like vitamin C or antioxidants to help even out skin tone.
What does Glycerin do for skin with dark spots?
Glycerin helps keep dry skin hydrated and supports a healthy skin barrier, which makes skin feel soft and smooth. While it does not directly fade dark spots on its own, it is often added to spot-fading products to keep the skin comfortable while other ingredients work.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Acta Dermato-venereologica, 2017
Where does it go in a skincare routine for skin with dark spots?
Apply this moisturizer in the morning after a hydrating toner and before your SPF, and in the evening as the last step after your treatment. Because this product does not target dark spots, skin with dark spots needs a dedicated treatment serum with brightening ingredients.
Can I use this moisturizer with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this moisturizer with retinol, and applying it first helps keep your skin soft and smooth while lowering the chances of irritation. Using a moisturizer alongside retinol is unlikely to reduce its benefits and supports your skin barrier.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizer daily in your morning and evening routines. Daily application helps improve skin moisture and supports the skin barrier.
Can this moisturizer clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots?
This moisturizer is unlikely to cause breakouts or purging for skin with dark spots because it is free of harsh ingredients and safe for the skin, though it may feel greasy or sticky. Skin with dark spots needs targeted brightening ingredients and vitamin C to help fade discoloration while keeping the skin smooth.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizer around your eyes and on your body, as its ingredients are safe and well-tolerated. However, because skin thickness varies across the body, products used in delicate areas like the eyelids may need extra specialized care for optimal results.
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, 2017Topical application of a vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate significantly increased epidermal thickness, type III collagen production, and glycosaminoglycans production in human skin explants compared to free vitamin C and vitamin C-palmitate.
Scientific Reports, 2020Squalane 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
Why other moisturizers fit skin with dark spots better
Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Topical oxidized glutathione significantly decreases the skin melanin index and improves moisture content, smoothness, wrinkle formation, and elasticity compared to placebo in healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2014Topical application of Lactobacillus plantarum-GMNL6 enhanced collagen synthesis and SPTSSA gene expression while reducing melanin synthesis, Staphylococcus aureus biofilm, and Cutibacterium acnes proliferation, leading to clinical improvements in skin moisture, color, spots, wrinkles, UV spots, and porphyrins in human volunteers.
International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2021
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?
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