Skincare Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of CeraVe Moisturizing Cream versus Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream .

  • these products are both general moisturizers that both contain ceramides and vitamin e.
  • they both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens or parabens.
  • they both contain silicones.
  • they're both likely to be good for brightening skin.
  • they are reef safe.
  • these products have a total of 9 ingredients in common.
General Moisturizer Canadian Brand Canada
General Moisturizer American Brand United States

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

General Moisturizer

All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream 24 ingredients

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream 35 ingredients

alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream 24 ingredients

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream 35 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E
Ceramides (3)
Hyaluronic Acid

Benefits

Redness Reducing (3)
Anti-Aging (3)
Brightening

Concerns

May Worsen Oily Skin
Acne Trigger

Notable Ingredients

AHA
BHA
Vitamin E
Ceramides

Benefits

Hydrating
Good For Oily Skin
Reduces Large Pores (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger (2)
Irritating (2)
Eczema

Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it's there to help dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.

Learn more about Water
2
What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent
Community Rating: Loved

Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps moisturize and protect your skin. A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.

Glycerin is a humectant, helping the skin retain moisture by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin. Having moisturized skin helps improve the skin barrier. Your skin barrier protects against skin irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, animal sources include tallow. It is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English while British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 2.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream contains this as ingredient number 2.

Learn more about Glycerin
3
What it does: Emollient, Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Masking
Community Rating: Disliked

Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.

Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.

Its main roles are:

  • Emollient: helping hydrate skin by trapping moisture
  • Emulsifer: preventing ingredients from separating
  • Thickening: making the product texture thicker

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 5.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream contains this as ingredient number 15.

Learn more about Cetyl Alcohol
4
What it does: Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming
Community Rating: Disliked

Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.

Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 12.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream contains this as ingredient number 23.

Learn more about Carbomer
5
What it does: Preservative
Community Rating: Disliked

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 18.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream contains this as ingredient number 12.

Learn more about Phenoxyethanol
6
What it does:
Community Rating: Disliked

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives. It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and are found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 19.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream contains this as ingredient number 21.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA
7
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also provides some UV protection by reducing the damage caused by UVB rays. Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Vitamin E aids in stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 21.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream contains this as ingredient number 28.

Learn more about Tocopherol
8
What it does: Emulsifying, Emulsion Stabilising, Gel Forming, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Disliked

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 23.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream contains this as ingredient number 25.

Learn more about Xanthan Gum
9
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Mixed

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream contains this as ingredient number 24.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream contains this as ingredient number 26.

Learn more about Ethylhexylglycerin

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream 24 ingredients

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream 35 ingredients

33% are loved or liked
13% have mixed ratings
42% are disliked or very disliked
13% have no rating yet
23% are loved or liked
20% have mixed ratings
40% are disliked or very disliked
17% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream 24 ingredients

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream 35 ingredients

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Ratings

Here's what our community thinks

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream 24 ingredients

3.8 /5
Honestly. Its Ok

its alright. its not the best bc of how heavy it is. its slightly moisturizing but its just too much. i wouldn't use again

from kawaiidesuwu_683
The Best Emollient Cream Balm I've Tried So Far For Eczema

I have dishydrotic eczema (on my hands), and I've tried La Roche Posay AP+M (which is too oily for me, and doesn't even hidrate as much as this one), Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Baume and Topicrem AD Emmolient Balm, but none of them hydrated that much as this one. It absorbs really fast.

from BlankaBak_966
Best For Dry Skin

The best cream for dry skin, I use it every day for face and body. And although I usually vary with others that I have, I always go back for it, it is my holy grail.

from Alba_m99

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream 35 ingredients

Ultra Facial Cream hasn't been rated yet.
Rate it now

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