Updated on July 14, 2023
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 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 needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream 53 ingredients
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream 22 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream 53 ingredients
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream 22 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
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Concerns
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Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
SD Alcohol 40-B is created by denaturing ethanol with tert-Butyl alcohol and denatonium benzoate. It is a solvent and astringent.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created stabilizer and solvent. It is a part of the glycol class in the alcohol family.
6 Benefits
Niacinamide has emerged as an all-star ingredient due to its many benefits.
Cyclohexasiloxane is a type of silicone more commonly known as D6. It is an emollient and solvent.
Hydrogenated Polydecene is an emollient. It creates a non-occlusive film on the skin that offers extra protection for your skin barrier.
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.
Myristyl Myristate is created from the fatty acids of myristyl alcohol and myristic acid. In skincare, it is an emollient and texture enhancer.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Hydrogenated Palm Oil is an oil and isn't fungal acne safe.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer (let's call it AAVC for short) is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
A type of fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as traditional alcohols.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone used to improve the texture of products and absorb oil. It does not get absorbed into the skin.
5 Concerns
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is usually an astringent alcohol.
Antioxidant Helps brighten skin
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.
You might know this ingredient as a sugar substitute in foods. It is a sugar alcohol with humectant properties.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
2 Concerns
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products.
Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Caffeine is most associated with coffee, tea, and cacao. In skincare, it helps with calming inflammation and anti-aging.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Antioxidant 4 Benefits May cause irritation
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.
Ci 77492 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a yellow hue to products.
2 Concerns
Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite is an antioxidant and is a preservative.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
EU Allergen
Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
EU Allergen
Geraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
5 Benefits
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract is derived from the leaves of the tea plant. Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from this plant.
Not safe for Fungal Acne
Citrus Junos Seed Extract comes from the Yuzu fruit.
Ci 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
We don't have a description for Eucheuma Serra/Grateloupia Sparsa/Saccharina Angustata/Ulva Linza/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract.
We don't have a description for Saccharina Angustata/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract.
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract comes from the microalga, Chlorella vulgaris. It is hydrating and contains antioxidants. Studies also show Chlorella Vulgaris may help in rebuilding collagen and elastin.
2 Concerns
Silica is a mineral naturally found in our skin. It helps to thicken and smooth the texture of a product. It also acts as an agent for other ingredients by increasing the absorption of other ingredients into the skin.
Water, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Dimethicone, Ppg-3 Dipivalate, Myristyl Myristate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Behenyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, Peg-30 Phytosterol, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Batyl Alcohol, Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Erythritol, Peg/Ppg-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Peg/Ppg-17/4 Dimethyl Ether, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Caffeine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Metaphosphate, Tocopherol, Sapindus Mukorossi Peel Extract, CI 77492, Linalool, Sodium Metabisulfite, Limonene, Citronellol, Angelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract, Geraniol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Citrus Junos Seed Extract, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Ziziphus Jujuba Seed Extract, CI 77491, Eucheuma Serra/Grateloupia Sparsa/Saccharina Angustata/Ulva Linza/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Curcuma Longa Rhizome Extract, Saccharina Angustata/Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Silica
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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
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.
Isononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Chlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
Dimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
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.
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.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
Tetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Antioxidant Helps brighten skin
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.
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract isn't fungal acne safe.
Biosaccharide Gum-1 is a sugar created from fermented sorbitol. Most sorbitol is made from potato starch.
Preservative 5 Benefits 4 Concerns
Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.
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
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. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterGlycerin 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 GlycerinDimethicone 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.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent 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.
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 AcetateButylene 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.
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.
Ingredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.
When to use
Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream 53 ingredients
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream 22 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream 53 ingredients
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream 22 ingredients
MeaganClare
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...
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
