Ultra Facial Cleanser

Kiehl's

Where to buy Possibly in stock

About this product

The Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser is a cleanser. Our analysis of its 27 ingredients (19 low-risk) rates it Excellent (93/100).

Vegan-friendly Reef-safe

Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.

At a glance

Type
Cleansers
Ingredients
27
Low-risk
19
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

PH Level

(Know the PH? Submit it here! )

N/A - No submissions yet

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 4/11
Good for dry skin
Behenyl Alcohol Squalane Glycerin PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Caution for dry skin
Decyl Glucoside Lauryl Glucoside Glycerin Hexylene Glycol Acrylates Copolymer Laureth-2 Sodium Laureth Sulfate Sodium Hydroxide PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate Triethanolamine
Oily/Acne-Prone Skin No data
Sensitive Skin 2/7
Good for sensitive skin
Ascorbyl Glucoside Glycerin
Caution for sensitive skin
Sodium Chloride Glycerin Hexylene Glycol Citric Acid Sodium Benzoate Phenoxyethanol Triethanolamine

Ingredients list

27 total
Lower hazard (1) Higher hazard (5)
All27 Skin Conditioning11 Surfactant8 Fragrance8 Emulsifying6 Solvent5 Cleansing5 Foam Boosting4 Masking4
EWG CIR Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions Notes
1
Water
(Solvent)
3
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
(Cleansing, Emulsifying, Foaming, Surfactant)
Bad for Oily Skin
Bad for Oily Skin
Sulfate
Sulfate
1
B
Decyl Glucoside
(Cleansing, Emulsion Stabilising, Surfactant)
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
B
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
(Antistatic Agent, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Sufactant, Foam Boosting, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
(Hair Conditioning, Sufactant, Foam Boosting, Hydrotrope, Skin Conditioning)
2
B
Acrylates Copolymer
(Adhesive, Artificial Nail Builder, Binding Agent, Film Forming, Hair Fixing, Suspending Agent Nonsurfactant, Antistatic Agent, Binding)
1
B
Lauryl Glucoside
(Cleansing, Surfactant)
3
PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
(Cleansing, Emulsifying, Solvent, Surfactant)
5
B
Triethanolamine
(Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Emulsifying, Surfactant, Buffering Agent, Masking)
1
Sodium Chloride
(Bulking Agent, Masking, Oral Care Agent, Viscosity Controlling)
1
A
Pentylene Glycol
(Skin Conditioning, Solvent)
4
A
Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative)
Paraben
Paraben
4
B
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
Fungal Acne
Fungal Acne Trigger
3
B
Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent)
2
A
Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking)
Bad for Sensitive Skin
Bad for Sensitive Skin
1
A
Hexylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Emulsifying, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant)
1
A
Behenyl Alcohol
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Emollient, Viscosity Controlling)
1
Distearyl Ether
(Skin Conditioning)
3
A
Sodium Benzoate
(Fragrance, Preservative, Anticorrosive, Masking)
3
B
Laureth-2
(Cleansing, Emulsifying, Surfactant)
1
A
Squalane
(Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Refatting, Skin Conditioning)
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
(Skin Conditioning)
prunus armeniaca kernel oil
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning)
1
Ascorbyl Glucoside
(Antioxidant)
PERSEA GRATISSIMA OIL
(Skin Conditioning)

My Ingredient Notes

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

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Key ingredients

Antioxidants
Shields skin from free radical damage.
Vitamin C
Brightens, evens tone, and supports collagen.
Vitamin E
Protects skin and soothes irritation.

Benefits

HydratingBoosts hydration and relieves dry, tight skin.
Barrier RepairStrengthen and restore your skin's natural barrier.
Anti-AgingSoftens lines and helps skin look youthful.
BrighteningRestores radiance to dull, tired skin.
Scar HealingImproves the look of marks and scars.
Redness ReducingSoothes visible redness and calms irritation.
Dark SpotsFades dark spots for even skin tone.
Show all 7 benefits

Concerns

Contains paraben
Contains sulfate
Not fungal acne (malassezia) safe
May not suit dry skin
May not suit sensitive skin

Ingredients explained

Water
Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Solvent
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing, Emulsion stabilising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B CleansingEmulsion stabilisingSurfactant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Antistatic agent, Hair conditioning
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B Antistatic agentHair conditioningSkin conditioningSufactantFoam boostingViscosity increasing agentViscosity controlling
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
Hair conditioning, Sufactant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Hair conditioningSufactantFoam boostingHydrotropeSkin conditioning
Acrylates Copolymer
Adhesive, Artificial nail builder
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 2 CIR B AdhesiveArtificial nail builderBinding agentFilm formingHair fixingSuspending agent -nonsurfactantAntistatic agentBinding
Lauryl Glucoside
Cleansing, Surfactant
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR B CleansingSurfactant
PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate
Cleansing, Emulsifying
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CleansingEmulsifyingSolventSurfactant
Sodium Chloride
Bulking agent, Masking
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Bulking agentMaskingOral care agentViscosity controlling
Pentylene Glycol
Skin conditioning, Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Skin conditioningSolvent
Sodium Hydroxide
Denaturant, Ph adjuster
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B DenaturantPh adjusterBuffering agent
Hexylene Glycol
Fragrance, Solvent
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A FragranceSolventViscosity decreasing agentEmulsifyingPerfumingSkin conditioningSurfactant
Behenyl Alcohol
Binding agent, Emulsion stabilising
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 CIR A Binding agentEmulsion stabilisingViscosity increasing agentBindingEmollientViscosity controlling
Distearyl Ether
Skin conditioning
Low-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 1 Skin conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR A FragrancePreservativeAnticorrosiveMasking
Laureth-2
Cleansing, Emulsifying
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 3 CIR B CleansingEmulsifyingSurfactant
+ 6 more — see the full ingredients list above
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing, Emulsifying
Potentially comedogenic - can block poresRead moreShow less
EWG 3 CleansingEmulsifyingFoamingSurfactant Bad for Oily SkinSulfate
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
Triethanolamine
Fragrance, Ph adjuster
Moderate-hazard ingredient.Read moreShow less
EWG 5 CIR B FragrancePh adjusterEmulsifyingSurfactantBuffering agentMasking
Phenoxyethanol
Fragrance, Preservative
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR A FragrancePreservative Paraben
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Skin conditioning, Emollient
Low-to-moderate hazard.Read moreShow less
EWG 4 CIR B Skin conditioningEmollientEmulsifyingSurfactant Fungal-acne trigger
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

How to use

How to use

  • 1 Where it fits: Use as the first step, on clean hands, before the rest of your routine.
  • 2 Morning & evening: Suitable for both AM and PM use.

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

Trust & honesty

Officially notified as a cosmetic in Malaysia (NPRA). Government registration record.

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.

Ascorbyl Glucoside

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.

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