Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer versus Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane .
Last updated on February 19, 2024. Published on November 29, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 12 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain ceramides and Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain fragrances, oils and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
General Moisturizer
All-purpose moisturizers hydrate the top layer of skin cells.
Price
Ingredient Info
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer 38 ingredients
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane 35 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Non Vegan
This product is not vegan 😥
Not Cruelty Free
This product is not cruelty-free 😥
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer 38 ingredients
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane 35 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer 38 ingredients
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane 35 ingredients
Water • Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate • Butylene Glycol • Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate • Cetyl Caprylate • Stearic Acid • Peg-8 • Octyldodecanol • Dimethicone • Glyceryl Stearate Se • Peg-100 Stearate • Sodium Hyaluronate • Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate • Chlorella Vulgaris Extract • Ceramide NP • Phytosterols • Centella Asiatica Extract • Linoleic Acid • Echinacea Purpurea Extract • Aloe Barbadensis Extract • Palmitic Acid • Myristic Acid • Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract • Lactic Acid • Linolenic Acid • Propanediol • Tocopherol • Potassium Cetyl Phosphate • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate • Ethylhexylglycerin • Cetyl Alcohol • Carbomer • Hydroxystearic Acid • Aminomethyl Propanol • Sodium Hydroxide • Phenoxyethanol
Water • Glycerin • Dimethicone • Squalane • Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane • Sucrose Stearate • Stearyl Alcohol • Peg-8 Stearate • Myristyl Myristate • Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil • Phenoxyethanol • Persea Gratissima Oil • Glyceryl Stearate • Cetyl Alcohol • Oryza Sativa Bran Oil • Olea Europaea Fruit Oil • Chlorphenesin • Stearic Acid • Palmitic Acid • Carbomer • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil • Xanthan Gum • Ethylhexylglycerin • Sodium Hydroxide • Tocopherol • Glycine Soja Oil • Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract • Myristic Acid • Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine • Salicylic Acid • Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil • Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract • Citric Acid
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Learn more about what what Com. / Irr. ratings are
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 helps 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!
Learn more about WaterDermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 1.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 1.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid. It is an emollient, emulsifier, and texture enhancer.
As an emollient, stearic acid helps soften skin. It aids the skin's protective barrier by preventing water loss. It also provides a gentle cleansing effect without stripping away natural oils.
Stearic acid may also be used to enhance the texture of products. It can add volume and stabilize ingredients such as water and oil. This can help water and oil ingredients from separating.
Sources of stearic acid include animal or vegetable fats/oils such as coconut or shea. It can be naturally found in butter, cocoa butter, shea butter, vegetable fats, and animal tallow.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidDermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 6.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 18.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Dimethicone has been found increase absorption in skin, boosting the benefits of other ingredients. While there is concern for the safety of dimethicone, the levels used in skincare are safe for use.
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 9.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 3.
Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid found in our skin. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It is a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
As an emollient, it helps hydrate the skin. The emulsifying properties keep ingredients together in a product.
Palmitic Acid may not be fungal-acne safe. It can worsen oily skin and cause breakouts due to its emollient nature.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidDermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 22.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 19.
Myristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidDermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 23.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 30.
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 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.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at 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.
Learn more about TocopherolDermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 28.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 27.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil is the oil derived from the seeds of a Sunflower. Sunflower seed oil is non-fragrant. It is an emollient, meaning it helps to soften the skin.
Sunflower seed oil contains many fatty acids. The fatty acids found in sunflower seeds include (from highest amount to least): linoleic acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid.
These fatty acids help the skin create ceramides. Ceramides play a role in repairing the skin barrier.
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil helps moisturize the skin. This in turn helps the skin look more rejuvenated and smoother.
Sunflowers are rich in vitamin E.
Historians believe Indigenous cultures of North America domesticated sunflowers before corn. Thus they relied on sunflower oil for a variety of uses. One such use is moisturizing skin and hair.
Sunflower seed oil may not be fungal acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilDermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 30.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 33.
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.
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 32.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 25.
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:
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 33.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 14.
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.
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 34.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 20.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideDermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 37.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 26.
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.
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer contains this as ingredient number 38.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane contains this as ingredient number 11.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer 38 ingredients
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane 35 ingredients
Usage
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When to use
Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer 38 ingredients
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane 35 ingredients
Reviews
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Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance Moisturizer 38 ingredients
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane 35 ingredients
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