The Best Kiehl's Products by Skin Type and Concern

The best Kiehl's products are Ultra Facial Cream ($39) as the everyday moisturizer, Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream ($39) for oily skin, Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ ($45) for daily sunscreen and the Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum ($65) as a first retinol. Very dry or sensitive skin should look at Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream ($48), and Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution ($65) is the pick for dark spots if your skin tolerates alcohol and lavender oil.

Before you buy, you can scan a jar's barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check the formula against your skin type. That helps with Kiehl's, because fragrance-free and scented formulas sit side by side in the same range. Pori reads ingredients; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

Quick picks

• Best overall: Ultra Facial Cream ($39 for 1.7 oz, Ulta): a fragrance-free glycerin and squalane cream with the National Eczema Association seal.
• Best for oily skin: Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream ($39 for 1.7 oz, Ulta): a non-comedogenic, fragrance-free gel for oily to normal skin.
• Best sunscreen: Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+ ($45 for 1.7 oz, Ulta): a light serum sunscreen that Kiehl's says suits oily and acne-prone skin.
• Best first retinol: Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum ($65 for 1.0 oz, Ulta): retinol with ceramide NP and niacinamide, made for first-time users.
• Best for very dry, sensitive skin: Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream ($48 for 1.7 oz, Ulta): colloidal oatmeal, ceramide NP and the eczema seal.
• Best budget: Ultra Facial Cleanser ($26 for 5.0 oz, Ulta): a pH-balanced daily wash for all skin types.
• Best for dark spots: Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution ($65 for 1.0 oz, Ulta): a vitamin C derivative with salicylic acid, with a fragrance catch.

We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are Ulta list prices as of November 2026; Ulta was running sales on some of them when we checked, so look before you pay full price. This page ranks products. For where Kiehl's comes from, what is in its classic formulas and which cleanser suits which skin, see our Kiehl's skincare guide.

How do the best Kiehl's products compare?

Which Kiehl's moisturizer is best?

Ultra Facial Cream: best overall

This is the Kiehl's product most people should start with. Its Ulta listing opens with water, glycerin, dimethicone and squalane, calls it paraben-free and fragrance-free, and says it holds the National Eczema Association's Seal of Acceptance. It is $39 for 1.7 oz.

Who it suits: normal, combination and mildly dry skin that wants a light cream under sunscreen or makeup. Who should skip it: people who react to plant oils, since the list includes apricot, avocado, olive, almond and others. The catch: about $23 an ounce for ingredients that drugstore creams also use, and the 72-hour hydration claim comes from Kiehl's own instrumental study. Our Ultra Facial Cream review goes through the list line by line.

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream: best for oily skin

The gel version drops the plant oils. Ulta lists it for oily to normal skin and describes it as non-comedogenic, allergy-tested, alcohol-free, fragrance-free and paraben-free. The ingredient list starts with water, glycerin, propanediol and dimethicone, and Kiehl's credits sarcosine, an amino acid, with reducing shine over time. It is $39 for 1.7 oz.

Who it suits: oily and combination skin, and anyone who finds Ultra Facial Cream too rich in summer. Who should skip it: dry skin, which will want more cushion. The catch: it contains menthoxypropanediol, a cooling agent behind the "instant cooling effect," which some reactive skin feels as a tingle. Our best moisturizers for oily skin list has cheaper gels.

Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream: best for very dry, sensitive skin

When Ultra Facial Cream is not enough, this is the step up. The Ulta listing says it carries the National Eczema Association seal and was tested on people with sensitive skin, half of them dry to extra dry. Its list puts glycerin, niacinamide, ceramide NP, beta-glucan and colloidal oatmeal in a balm-to-cream base. It is $48 for 1.7 oz.

Who it suits: dry, tight or windburned skin, and skin that stings with most creams. Who should skip it: oily skin, and anyone with a known niacinamide sensitivity. The catch: the one-hour barrier repair claim comes from a 28-person test on tape-stripped skin, and the oatmeal sits near the end of the list. Our guide to ceramides and the skin barrier explains what to look for.

What is the best Kiehl's sunscreen?

Better Screen UV Serum SPF 50+: best sunscreen

Kiehl's best daily sunscreen is a thin serum. The Ulta listing gives four chemical filters, avobenzone 3%, homosalate 7%, octisalate 5% and octocrylene 7%, and calls it suitable for all skin types, including oily and acne-prone skin. No fragrance appears on the list. It is $45 for 1.7 oz.

Who it suits: oily, combination and acne-prone skin that hates a heavy sunscreen, and deeper skin tones that want no white cast. Who should skip it: anyone who reacts to chemical filters; a mineral formula is the alternative. The catch: the listing makes no water-resistance claim, so pick a water-resistant sunscreen for swimming or sweating, as the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) advises. Kiehl's says to reapply every 2 hours. Our guide on how much sunscreen to use shows a full dose, and chemical sunscreen filters explained covers each filter.

What is the best Kiehl's retinol?

Micro-Dose Anti-Aging Retinol Serum: best first retinol

This serum is built for people who have never used retinol. The Ulta listing pairs retinol with ceramide NP, a peptide and niacinamide, says it suits all skin types including sensitive skin, and allows use morning or night with SPF. It lists at $65 for 1.0 oz; Ulta had it on sale for $45.50 when we checked.

Who it suits: beginners who want fine-line help with a low risk of peeling. Who should skip it: anyone pregnant, since the AAD says retinoids should not be used during pregnancy, and experienced retinol users who want a stronger dose. The catch: Kiehl's does not disclose the retinol percentage, and retinol sits low on the list. The 12-week results come from Kiehl's own testing. Our retinol for beginners guide covers how to start.

Which Kiehl's cleanser is best?

Ultra Facial Cleanser: best budget

Kiehl's gentlest everyday wash is also its cheapest pick here. Ulta describes it as pH-balanced and for all skin types, including sensitive skin, and the ingredient list starts with water, glycerin and decyl glucoside, a mild surfactant. It is $26 for 5.0 oz.

Who it suits: dry, normal and sensitive skin, and anyone using a retinoid. Who should skip it: very oily skin that likes a squeaky finish; Kiehl's soap-based Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser is the one for that, as our guide explains. The catch: the squalane and avocado oil Kiehl's highlights sit near the end of the list, so the wash itself does the work.

What is the best Kiehl's product for dark spots?

Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution: best for dark spots, with a fragrance catch

This serum targets sun spots and post-acne marks with a stabilized vitamin C derivative, 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid, plus salicylic acid and peony extract. Kiehl's says to use it day and night on the whole face. It is $65 for 1.0 oz at Ulta.

Who it suits: normal and oily skin with post-acne marks or sun spots. Who should skip it: fragrance-sensitive and dry skin. The catch: alcohol denat. is fourth on the list, and lavender oil and linalool, a fragrance allergen, appear further down. The page's results footnotes also name two different panel sizes, so treat the percentages as brand claims. Wear sunscreen daily, or the spots come back; our guide on how to fade dark spots and our dark spot serum picks list fragrance-free options.

What is the best Kiehl's eye cream?

Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado: best eye cream

It is a rich, bland eye cream built on shea butter, emollient esters and avocado oil, with no fragrance on the ingredient list. It is $40 for 0.51 oz, about $78 an ounce.

Who it suits: dry, flaky or papery under-eyes. Who should skip it: anyone buying it for pigmented dark circles, which a moisturizer will not fade. The catch: the puffiness figures come from Kiehl's own four-week tests. See our eye creams for dark circles if pigment is the issue.

Which Kiehl's products are best for each skin type?

Not sure which row you are? Our guide on how to find your skin type walks through a simple test.

Which Kiehl's products should you skip?

• Midnight Recovery Concentrate on reactive skin. The $55 face oil lists lavender, geranium and rosemary leaf oils plus several fragrance allergens; our fragrance and essential oils guide explains why that matters.
• The dark spot serum on dry or broken skin. Alcohol and acid together can sting; repair the barrier first.
• Two retinoids at once. Use the Micro-Dose serum alone and add nothing else strong for a few weeks; see how to introduce new products.
• Full price on a sale brand. Several picks here were discounted at Ulta in November 2026.

Weighing Kiehl's against another department-store brand? Our Clinique vs Kiehl's comparison goes product by product.

How we chose

We picked one Kiehl's product for each common need, favoring fragrance-free formulas with published ingredient lists, and ranked them by how many people they suit. We read each product's Ulta listing in November 2026 for price, size, skin type, full ingredients, directions and the footnotes behind each claim, and checked sunscreen and retinoid advice against the AAD. We did not wear-test anything and took no payment from Kiehl's or L'Oréal. Patch test anything new; our guide on how to patch test shows how. Browse more in our moisturizer and sunscreen catalogues.