✶

CeraVe Hydrating Fac… vs Kiehl's Since 1851 A… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

Products
Ingredients
Brands
K-Beauty
How We Score

Gracie
/Compare
/CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser
/vs
/Kiehl's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating Cleanser

CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser vs Kiehl's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating Cleanser

Head to head

CeraVe

Hydrating Facial Cleanser

cleanser

7.8

Buy at Amazon

Compare

Best Moisturisers
Best Serums
Best Cleansers
Best SPF

Ingredients

Niacinamide
Retinol
Hyaluronic Acid
Salicylic Acid

K-Beauty

K-Beauty Hub
K-Beauty Moisturisers
K-Beauty Serums
K-Beauty Sunscreens

About

Methodology
About Us
All Brands
All Products

Gracie

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

Kiehl's Since 1851

Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating Cleanser

cleanser

6.2

Buy at Amazon

Score comparison

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

CeraVe wins 3

Tied 2

Kiehl's Since 1851 wins 0

7.8CeraVe

+1.6vs

6.2Kiehl's Since 1851

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

CeraVe WINS

6.7

4.4

CeraVe

Kiehl's Since 1851

Irritation Risk

CeraVe WINS

9.5

7.6

CeraVe

Kiehl's Since 1851

Active Ingredient Strength

CeraVe WINS

5.7

2.7

CeraVe

Kiehl's Since 1851

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.5

CeraVe

Kiehl's Since 1851

Formulation Safety

TIE

9.0

CeraVe

Kiehl's Since 1851

Ingredient face-off

10% overlap

24CeraVe

3Shared

29Kiehl's Since 1851

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's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating Cleanser

26 unique

Aqua / Water Kaolin Coco-Glucoside Alcohol Denat Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate Coco-Betaine Acrylates Copolymer Silica Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder / Apricot Seed Powder Moroccan Lava Clay+16 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's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating Cleanser's 2.7. 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 4.4 for Kiehl's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating 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's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating Cleanser relies on Salicylic Acid and Tocopherol. 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's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating 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

+1.6 lead

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

7.8CeraVe

6.2Kiehl's Since 1851

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser or Kiehl's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating 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's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating 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's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating 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's Since 1851 Age Defender Dual Action Exfoliating Cleanser→

We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.

Some links on this site are affiliate links. We may earn a commission from purchases made through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep Gracie free and independent.