Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser Versus Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

See how these products line up with your preferences

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser versus Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser .

Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on October 30, 2021

Overview

What they are

These products are both face cleansers. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and brightening skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens or parabens

What's Inside

They both contain sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

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Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

Face Cleanser Japanese Brand Japan

Face Cleanser American Brand United States

Face Cleanser

Face cleansers are used to remove makeup, dead skin cells, pollutants, oil, dirt, and/or clean out pores on the skin. Face cleansers may specialize in having one function (exa. just removing makeup) or may have multiple functions (exa. Removing makeup and cleaning pores).

Face Cleanser

Price

Shop

Buy WASO: Gentle Cleanser

Starts at $28.00

Shop

Buy Ultra Facial Cleanser

Starts at $15.00

Ingredient Info

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

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser 22 ingredients

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser 27 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

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser 22 ingredients

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser 27 ingredients

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating (2)

Redness Reducing

Reduces Irritation

Scar Healing

Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying (2)

Acne Trigger (2)

Irritating

Rosacea (2)

Eczema (2)

Notable Ingredients

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating (2)

Brightening (3)

Concerns

Drying (3)

Acne Trigger

Rosacea

Eczema

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Ingredients Compared

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

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser 22 ingredients

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser 27 ingredients

Water • Sodium Laureth Sulfate • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Peg-8 Diisostearate • Glycerin • Sodium Chloride • Phenoxyethanol • Sodium Benzoate • Isostearic Acid • Parfum • Peg-10 Dimethicone • Caramel • Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate • Disodium EDTA • Citric Acid • Limonene • Betaine • Honey • Butylene Glycol • Tocopherol • Royal Jelly Extract • BHA

Water • Sodium Laureth Sulfate • Decyl Glucoside • Glycerin • Cocamidopropyl Betaine • Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate • Acrylates Copolymer • Lauryl Glucoside • Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate • Triethanolamine • Sodium Chloride • Pentylene Glycol • Phenoxyethanol • Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate • Sodium Hydroxide • Citric Acid • Hexylene Glycol • Behenyl Alcohol • Distearyl Ether • Sodium Benzoate • Laureth-2 • Squalane • Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil • Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil • Tocopherol • Ascorbyl Glucoside • Persea Gratissima Oil

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.

Water

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 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 Water

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 1.

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

Sodium Laureth Sulfate

What it does: Cleansing, Emulsifying, Foaming

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.

SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 2.

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

Cocamidopropyl Betaine

What it does: Cleansing

Community Rating: Disliked

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine. Dimethylaminopropylamine is a diamine, an amine with two amino groups.

Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.

Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.

While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.

Learn more about Cocamidopropyl Betaine

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 3.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 5.

Glycerin

What it does: Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Skin Protecting, Solvent

Community Rating: Loved

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 Glycerin

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 5.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 4.

Sodium Chloride

What it does: Masking

Community Rating: Very Disliked

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.

This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 6.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 11.

Phenoxyethanol

What it does: Preservative

Community Rating: Very 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.

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 7.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 13.

Sodium Benzoate

What it does: Masking, Preservative

Community Rating: Disliked

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.

Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.

Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.

Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.

Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.

We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Benzoate

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 8.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 20.

Citric Acid

What it does: Buffering, Masking

Community Rating: Disliked

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and look more even.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 15.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 16.

Tocopherol

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 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 Tocopherol

Shiseido WASO: Gentle Cleanser contains this as ingredient number 20.

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

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