Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream versus Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator .
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on June 05, 2021
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 7 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, dry skin and brightening skin
Free From
They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, oils, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain 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
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream 22 ingredients
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator 43 ingredients
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Contains Silicon
Ingredients in this product that are types of silicon:
Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉
Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
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 😥
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 🎉
Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉
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
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream 22 ingredients
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator 43 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
Concerns
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Notable Ingredients
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Benefits
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
This product contains 3 ingredients that may have this attribute:
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Join SkinSortIngredients Compared
Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream 22 ingredients
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator 43 ingredients
Water • Glycerin • Propanediol • Dimethicone • Isononyl Isononanoate • Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid • Phenoxyethanol • Carbomer • Butylene Glycol • Chlorphenesin • Caprylyl Glycol • Dimethiconol • Sodium Hydroxide • Xanthan Gum • Pentylene Glycol • Tetrasodium EDTA • Tocopheryl Acetate • Menthoxypropanediol • Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract • Biosaccharide Gum-1 • Sarcosine • Salicylic Acid
Water • Dimethicone • Butylene Glycol • Glycerin • Trisiloxane • Trehalose • Sucrose • Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer • Hydroxyethyl Urea • Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract • Silybum Marianum Extract • Betula Alba Bark Extract • Saccharomyces Lysate Extract • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract • Thermus Thermophillus Ferment • Caffeine • Sorbitol • Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 • Sodium Hyaluronate • Caprylyl Glycol • Oleth-10 • Sodium Polyaspartate • Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides • Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate • Saccharide Isomerate • Hydrogenated Lecithin • Tocopheryl Acetate • Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer • Glyceryl Polymethacrylate • Tromethamine • Peg-8 • Hexylene Glycol • Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate • Citric Acid • BHT • Disodium EDTA • Sodium Citrate • Potassium Sorbate • Sodium Benzoate • Phenoxyethanol • CI 14700 • CI 19140
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 WaterKiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream contains this as ingredient number 1.
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 1.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against 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, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinKiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream contains this as ingredient number 2.
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 4.
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.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream contains this as ingredient number 4.
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 2.
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.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream contains this as ingredient number 7.
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 41.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream contains this as ingredient number 9.
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 3.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolKiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream contains this as ingredient number 11.
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 21.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateKiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream contains this as ingredient number 17.
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator contains this as ingredient number 28.
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream 22 ingredients
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator 43 ingredients
Usage
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream 22 ingredients
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator 43 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream 22 ingredients
Great moisturizer for summer
This cream is great for oily skin. I discontinued using this as I needed a more powerful moisturizer to repair my skin's moisture barrier, but I think it will be great in the summer and for those without the...
Great moisturizer for summer
This cream is great for oily skin. I discontinued using this as I needed a more powerful moisturizer to repair my skin's moisture barrier, but I think it will be great in the summer and for those without the same issue with chemically drying their skin's top layer, lol
not too greasy, well under makeup, skin loves it
not too greasy, well under makeup, skin loves it
Clinique Moisture Surge™ 100-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator 43 ingredients
Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
My skin type: Dry, sensitive, eczema and redness-prone.
How long have I been using it? Two months.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Pros:
- Highly moisturizing, it does exactly...
Clinique Moisture Surge 100H Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
My skin type: Dry, sensitive, eczema and redness-prone.
How long have I been using it? Two months.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Pros:
- Highly moisturizing, it does exactly what it promises
- Very light, pleasant gel-like texture, absorbs easily into the skin
- Excellent as a makeup base
- Allergy tested and fragrance-free, it did not irritate my sensitive skin. (still smells really nice)
- Contains some really good ingredients, like aloe vera, green tea extract, glycerin, hyaluronic acid and vitamins C and E.
- Non-comedogenic, suitable for all skin types.
- Quite affordable, since a little bit goes a long way.
Cons:
- It may not be hydrating enough for extremely dry and dehydrated skin.
- Not cruelty-free.
- Personally, I do not buy the 100 hours of hydration it supposedly offers. Still a very hydrating product, but this feels more like marketing than anything.
Would I recommend it? Yes, but mostly for normal or combination skin types. Very dry or very oily skin types might need a different product.
Extremely hydrating and soothing
Extremely hydrating and soothing
Fantastically hydrating
Love this product, I’m on my forth pot and I love it! I use it all year round to keep my sensitive skin hydrated. It really is a drink for your skin! And is very soothing. Good price for such an excellent product
Fantastically hydrating
Love this product, I’m on my forth pot and I love it! I use it all year round to keep my sensitive skin hydrated. It really is a drink for your skin! And is very soothing. Good price for such an excellent product
Alternatives
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