Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream Spf 30
67/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream SPF 30 is a chemical sunscreen on an older-filter base of Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate and Octocrylene. It has a balanced finish, low white cast and a lightweight feel, though it may sting slightly for some users. Pore-clogging is low and it works as an okay makeup base. With good protection and a 67.0/100 score it is a serviceable daily moisturizer with sun protection.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Good
60
- +30 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #1, UV filter (UVA1 +16)
- +12 Homosalate at #2, UV filter
- +8 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #3, UV filter
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #4, UV filter
- ×0.9 Limited long-UVA1 coverage
- +1 Label claims (SPF 30)
☢️
Health safety
Medium
46
- +100 Starting score
- −40 Homosalate at #2 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −10.5 Octocrylene at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #1, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
91
- +100 Starting score
- −2 2 declared fragrance allergens
- −4 Essential oils (Citrus Sinensis Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil)
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
🔥
Eye sting
Medium
34
- +100 Starting score
- −24 Avobenzone at #1, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Homosalate at #2, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −9 Octisalate at #3, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −4 2 declared fragrance allergens
- −5 Cooling agents (Mentha Piperita Oil)
🔴
Comedogenic
Low
98
- +100 Starting score
- −1 Myristic Acid at #33, moderate comedogenic signal
- −1 Palmitic Acid at #15, moderate comedogenic signal
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Fungal acne
Medium
47
- +100 Starting score
- −12 1 free fatty acids that feed Malassezia (Myristic Acid)
- −37 3 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Steareth-100)
- −4 2 ubiquitous fatty ingredients (Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid), weak Malassezia signal
👕
Fabric stains
High
25
- +100 Starting score
- −50 Avobenzone at #1, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #4, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 10 Glycerin at #6, the anchor humectant
- → 2 Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid at #32, hyaluronic family
- → 1 1 strong humectants (Ectoin)
- → 4 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
✨
Finish
Balanced
MatteDewy
- ← 3 1 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica)
- → 6 1 emollient lipids (Squalane)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 1 Primer-style base, volatile silicones and dimethicone slip
- → 3 1 soft-focus powders in moderation
- ← 1 Gel polymers prone to pilling under friction (Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer)
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
Nothing flagged in the ingredient list.
How we rate water resistance →Skincare extras
Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.
- ✨ Vitamin E
Full ingredient list (38)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, ↑ / ↓ give the direction, and ← / → shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 30 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 24 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 50 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Legacy UV filter (Homosalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 12 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), high in the list, a primary filter
- ↑ 8 UV protection
- ↑ 9 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- ↑ 15.2 UV protection
- ↓ 10.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
5 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
6 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
7 Squalane
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 6 → dewy emollient lipid
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 14 feeds malassezia
-
11 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 3 sebum-absorbing powder
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
-
13 Stearic Acid
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 2 minor malassezia feeder
-
16 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
18 Steareth-100
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Botanical extract
-
21 Carbomer
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Preservative, keeps the formula from spoiling
-
25 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
pH adjuster
-
Plant oil, an emollient
-
30 Limonene
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
31 Ectoin
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
- 1 → nourishing humectant
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 2 → nourishing hyaluronic family
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- ↑ 1 moderate comedogenic signal
- ↑ 12 feeds malassezia
-
Plant oil, an emollient
-
Botanical extract
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
37 Linalool
Fragrance component, a declared allergen
-
Supporting ingredient
Does Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream SPF 30 leave a white cast?
No, white cast is rated low. It is a chemical formula, so it stays largely invisible on most skin tones and has a balanced finish.
Is the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream Spf 30 mineral or chemical?
It is chemical, using older filters Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate and Octocrylene. There are no mineral filters.
Is the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream Spf 30 good for acne-prone skin?
Pore-clogging is rated low, so it is generally suitable for breakout-prone skin. Note it may sting slightly near the eyes for some users.