Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane Versus First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream with Squalane Versus First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Oil-Control Moisturizer

This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Squalane and Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.

This oil-control moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Avena Sativa Kernel Extract to balance excess oil and strengthen the skin barrier.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

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

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

Propanediol

Butylene Glycol

Niacinamide

Nylon-12

Acrylates Crosspolymer

Sodium Hyaluronate

Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract

Avena Sativa Kernel Extract

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract

Oleanolic Acid

Sorbitan Isostearate

Caprylyl Glycol

Glyceryl Stearate Citrate

Hydrogenated Polydecene

2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate

1,2-Hexanediol

Lecithin

Polysilicone-11

Polysorbate 60

Sodium Caprylate

Sodium Acrylates Copolymer

Laureth-8

Potassium Sorbate

Sodium Benzoate

Water, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Nylon-12, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Glycerin, Oleanolic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, 2-Hydroxyethyl Acrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lecithin, Polysilicone-11, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Caprylate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Laureth-8, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate

Reviews

Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.

Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.

However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.

Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.

In skincare formulas, citric acid can:

While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.

Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.

Rosacea skin has a lower threshold for acids generally, with 62.5% of rosacea subjects in one study reacting to lactic acid in a sting test. This is why we mark citric acid as a potential rosacea trigger.

However, this ingredient shows up as a pH adjuster or chelator at roughly 0.1-1% in many products. These low levels are unlikely to be an issue for rosacea skin and becomes a potential trigger at exfoliating concentrations (20%). Because everybody's skin is unique, we recommend a patch test if you are unsure.

Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.

What it does:

Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:

Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.

Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.

This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.

Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).

It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.

On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.

Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).

You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.

Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.

Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.

Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.

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. Remember to stay hydrated!

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