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CeraVe Hydrating Fac… vs Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

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/CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
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/Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser vs Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

Head to head

CeraVe

Hydrating Facial Cleanser

cleanser

7.8

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Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

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Honest skincare intel. No jargon, no gatekeeping — just the ingredients decoded.

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Kiehl

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

cleanser

6.8

Buy at Amazon

Score comparison

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser takes this one, winning 3 of 5 attributes.

CeraVe wins 3

Tied 2

9.0

CeraVe

Kiehl

Ingredient face-off

11% overlap

24CeraVe

3Shared

27Kiehl

Only in CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser

21 unique

Aqua/Water/Eau Cetearyl Alcohol Peg-40 Stearate Stearyl Alcohol Potassium Phosphate Ceramide Np Ceramide Ap Ceramide Eop Carbomer Glyceryl Stearate+11 more

Shared ingredients

3 in common

Glycerin Phenoxyethanol Tocopherol

Only in Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser

24 unique

Aqua/Water Sodium Laureth Sulfate Decyl Glucoside Cocamidopropyl Betaine Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate Acrylates Copolymer Lauryl Glucoside Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate Triethanolamine Sodium Chloride+14 more

Why CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser comes out ahead

Where CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 5.7 compared to Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser's 2.2. Its formula features Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, and Ceramide Eop in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.

Hydration Efficacy is another area of separation. CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser scores 6.7 here versus 5.7 for Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser brings Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, and Ceramide Eop as actives, while kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser relies on Tocopherol and Ascorbyl Glucoside. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Anyone who prefers clean, well-vetted formulations

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+1.0 lead

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

7.8CeraVe

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6.8Kiehl

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser or Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser?

Based on ingredient analysis, CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser and Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser share ingredients?

Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.

What's the main difference between CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser and Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser?

The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.

Full analysis: CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser→Full analysis: Kiehl Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser→

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