Clearly Corrective Brightening & Smoothing Moisture Treatment

Kiehl's

Clearly Corrective Brightening & Smoothing Moisture Treatment

0.0
from 0 Ratings
Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Brightening & Smoothing Moisture Treatment is a moisturizer. Our analysis of its 29 ingredients (17 low-risk) rates it Excellent (84/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to oily / acne-prone and dry skin.

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Moisturizers
Ingredients
29
Low-risk
17
Fragrance
Fragrance-free
Origin
United States

The evidence

Quick Product Notes

Paraben-Free Sulfate-Free Alcohol-Free Silicone-Free EU Allergen-Free Fungal Acne (Malassezia) Safe

Notable Effects & Ingredients

No Notable Effects & Ingredients

Ingredients Related to Skin Types

Good   Bad — tap a skin type to see which ingredients · estimated from ingredient functions
Dry Skin 5/4
Good for dry skin
Butylene Glycol Glycerin Propylene Glycol Dimethicone Citrus Aurantium Tachibana Peel Extract
Caution for dry skin
Glycerin Salicylic Acid Alcohol Denat. Silica
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin 2/0
Good for oily/acne-prone skin
Salicylic Acid Alcohol Denat.
Sensitive Skin 4/13
Good for sensitive skin
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract Glycerin Dimethicone Tocopheryl Acetate
Caution for sensitive skin
Dipropylene Glycol Sodium Citrate Butylene Glycol Glycerin Propylene Glycol Salicylic Acid Citric Acid Alcohol Denat. Phenoxyethanol Linalool Limonene Citral Geraniol

Ingredients list

29 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (7)
All29 Skin Conditioning14 Fragrance12 Masking9 Viscosity Controlling7 Solvent7 Humectant6 Skin Protecting4 Buffering Agent4
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
3
A
Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning)
Silicone
Silicone
3
B
Propylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Humectant, Skin Conditioningagent Miscellaneous, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
2
A
Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
4
Alcohol Denat.
(Antifoaming Agent, Antimicrobial, Astringent, Masking, Solvent, Viscosity Controlling)
Bad for Dry Skin
Bad for Dry Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
(Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Butylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Solvent, Viscositydecreasing Agent, Humectant, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
Good for Dry Skin
Good for Dry Skin
3
A
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
(Film Forming, Opacifying)
3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID
(Skin Conditioning)
1
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
(Skin Protecting)
3
B
Potassium Hydroxide
(Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)
lavandula angustifolia oil
(Fragrance, Tonic)
4
B
Glycolic Acid
(Exfoliant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Sodium Citrate
(Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Chelating, Masking)
1
2
A
Silica
(Abrasive, Absorbent, Anticaking Agent, Bulking Agent, Opacifying, Viscosity Controlling)
1
Adenosine
(Skin Conditioning)
1
A
Magnesium Sulfate
(Bulking Agent, Hair Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Disodium EDTA
(Chelating Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Dipropylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Masking, Viscosity Controlling)
2
A
Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
B
Citrus Aurantium Tachibana Peel Extract
(Humectant, Skin Conditioning)
TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
3
Tocopheryl Acetate
(Antioxidant, Skin Conditioning)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
4
B
Salicylic Acid
(Antiacne Agent, Antidandruff Agent, Corn/Callus/Wart Remover, Denaturant, Exfoliant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Keratolytic, Masking, Preservative)
Good for Oily Skin
Good for Oily Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
5
Linalool
(Fragrance, Deodorant, Masking)
Allergens
Allergens
7
Geraniol
(Fragrance, Masking, Tonic)
Allergens
Allergens
6
Limonene
(Deodorant, Perfuming, Solvent)
Allergens
Allergens
7
Citral
(Flavoring Agent, Fragrance, Masking)
Allergens
Allergens

My Ingredient Notes

No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.

Browse similar moisturizer
No close formula match yet — browse other products like this

Key ingredients

Vitamin E
Protects skin and soothes irritation.
Antioxidants
Shields skin from free radical damage.
Exfoliators
Removes dead skin cells to smoothe texture.
AHA
Exfoliates skin for a brighter complexion.
BHA
Unclogs pores and reduces excess oil.
Vitamin C
Brightens, evens tone, and supports collagen.
Show all 6 key ingredients

Benefits

BrighteningRestores radiance to dull, tired skin.
Scar HealingImproves the look of marks and scars.
HydratingBoosts hydration and relieves dry, tight skin.
Reduces Large PoresMinimizes the look of enlarged pores.
Anti-AgingSoftens lines and helps skin look youthful.
Good For Oily SkinBalances oil and helps reduce shine.
Skin TextureSmooths rough patches and refines texture.
Barrier RepairStrengthen and restore your skin's natural barrier.

Concerns

Contains paraben
Contains silicone
Contains eu allergen
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
Geraniol — higher EWG
Citral — higher EWG
May not suit sensitive skin

EWG flags hazard, not real-world risk — ratings don't account for how much of an ingredient a product contains. Treat these as things to research, not verdicts. How we score →

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioning
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Film forming, Opacifying
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Film formingOpacifying
3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID
Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A Skin conditioning
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin protecting
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin protecting
Potassium Hydroxide
Ph adjuster, Buffering agent
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B Ph adjusterBuffering agent
lavandula angustifolia oil
Fragrance, Tonic
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A FragranceTonic
Sodium Citrate
Ph adjuster, Buffering agent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Ph adjusterBuffering agentChelatingMasking
Silica
Abrasive, Absorbent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1–2 CIR A AbrasiveAbsorbentAnticaking agentBulking agentOpacifyingViscosity controlling
Adenosine
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioning
Magnesium Sulfate
Bulking agent, Hair conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Bulking agentHair conditioningViscosity controlling
Disodium EDTA
Chelating agent, Viscosity controlling
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Chelating agentViscosity controlling
Dipropylene Glycol
Fragrance, Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSolventViscosity decreasing agentMaskingViscosity controlling
Citrus Aurantium Tachibana Peel Extract
Humectant, Skin conditioning
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A CIR B HumectantSkin conditioning
TOCOPHEROL
Antioxidant, Fragrance
Limited public safety data.Read moreShow less
EWG N/A AntioxidantFragranceSkin conditioning
Dimethicone
Antifoaming agent, Skin protecting
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A Antifoaming agentSkin protectingEmollientSkin conditioning Silicone
Propylene Glycol
Fragrance, Humectant
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B FragranceHumectantSkin-conditioningagent - miscellaneousSolventViscosity decreasing agentSkin conditioningViscosity controlling Good for Dry Skin
Glycerin
Denaturant, Fragrance
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A DenaturantFragranceHair conditioningHumectantOral care agentOral health care drugSkin protectingViscosity decreasing agentPerfumingSolvent Good for Dry SkinFungal-acne trigger
Alcohol Denat.
Antifoaming agent, Antimicrobial
Causes moisture evaporation - prone to dry out skinRead moreShow less
EWG 4 Antifoaming agentAntimicrobialAstringentMaskingSolventViscosity controlling Bad for Dry SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Butylene Glycol
Fragrance, Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSkin conditioningSolventViscositydecreasing agentHumectantMaskingViscosity controlling Good for Dry Skin
Glycolic Acid
Exfoliant, Ph adjuster
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B ExfoliantPh adjusterBuffering agent Good for Oily SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Citric Acid
Chelating agent, Fragrance
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR A Chelating agentFragrancePh adjusterBuffering agentMasking Bad for Sensitive Skin
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant, Skin conditioning
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 3 AntioxidantSkin conditioning Bad for Oily Skin
Salicylic Acid
Antiacne agent, Antidandruff agent
Skin irritation can occur at high concentrationRead moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B Antiacne agentAntidandruff agentCorn/callus/wart removerDenaturantExfoliantFragranceHair conditioningSkin conditioningKeratolyticMaskingPreservative Good for Oily SkinBad for Sensitive Skin
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
Linalool
Fragrance, Deodorant
Moderate-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 5 FragranceDeodorantMasking Allergens
Geraniol
Fragrance, Masking
Higher-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 7 FragranceMaskingTonic Allergens
Limonene
Deodorant, Perfuming
Moderate-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 6 DeodorantPerfumingSolvent Allergens
Citral
Flavoring agent, Fragrance
Higher-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 7 Flavoring agentFragranceMasking Allergens

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Apply near the end of your routine, after thinner serums.
  • 2 Evening, start slow: Best in the PM a few times a week to begin with; avoid layering with other strong actives the same night.
  • 3 Wear SPF the next day: Acids and retinoids increase sun sensitivity — daily sunscreen is a must while using this.

General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.

Trust & honesty

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.

Use with caution
BHA (salicylic) (Salicylic Acid)

Low-strength topical salicylic acid (BHA) is generally considered fine. Caution is usually reserved for high-strength leave-on products and salicylic peels.

This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.

Effective levels — general guide

The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.

Vitamin C (ascorbic) 5–20%

L-ascorbic acid is usually used at 5–20% (around 10–15% is common). Above ~20% adds little and tends to irritate more; it also needs a low pH to work.

3-O-ETHYL ASCORBIC ACID

BHA (salicylic) 0.5–2%

Salicylic acid is OTC-capped at 2%; 0.5–2% is the usual leave-on range. Much below that it acts more as a soothing agent than an exfoliant.

Salicylic Acid

AHA (acid exfoliant) 5–10% (OTC)

OTC leave-on AHAs are usually 5–10%. The effect also depends on pH and free-acid value, not the percentage alone.

Glycolic Acid

INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.

From the community

0
Reviews
0
Saved by users
0
In collections

Ratings & reviews

Write a Review
0.0
from 0 ratings

Used this product? Rate it in 10 seconds

Alternatives