✶

Kiehl's Ultra facial… vs Murad Nutrient-Charg… — Which Is Better? | Gracie

Products
Ingredients
Brands
K-Beauty
Blog
How We Score

Gracie
/Compare
/Kiehl's Ultra facial cream
/vs
/Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel

Kiehl's Ultra facial cream vs Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel

Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel scores 9.4/9.8 vs Kiehl's Ultra facial cream at 6.9/9.8. Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel wins for active ingredients.

Head to head

Kiehl's

Ultra facial cream

moisturiser

6.9

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.

✶

Murad

Nutrient-Charged Water Gel

moisturiserpremium

9.4

Score comparison

Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel takes this one, winning 3 of 5 attributes.

Kiehl's wins 0

Tied 2

Murad wins 3

6.9Kiehl's

+2.5vs

9.4Murad

Scores last verified: April 2026

Attribute battle

Hydration Efficacy

Murad WINS

5.6

9.8

Kiehl's

Murad

Irritation Risk

TIE

9.5

Kiehl's

Murad

Active Ingredient Strength

Murad WINS

2.2

9.8

Kiehl's

Murad

Ingredient Transparency

TIE

8.5

Kiehl's

Murad

Formulation Safety

Murad WINS

8.6

9.0

Kiehl's

Murad

Ingredient face-off

8% overlap

35Kiehl's

5Shared

60Murad

Only in Kiehl's Ultra facial cream

30 unique

Aqua/Water Cyclohexasiloxane Squalane Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane Sucrose Stearate Stearyl Alcohol Peg-8 Stearate Myristyl Myristate Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil/Apricot Kernel Oil+20 more

Shared ingredients

5 in common

Glycerin Phenoxyethanol Carbomer Xanthan Gum Ethylhexylglycerin

Only in Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel

55 unique

Water/Aqua/Eau Dimethicone Propanediol Saccharide Isomerate Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer Hydroxyethyl Urea Isononyl Isononanoate Ceramide Np Ceramide Ap Ceramide Eop+45 more

Why Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel comes out ahead

Where Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 9.8 compared to Kiehl's Ultra facial cream'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. Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel scores 9.8 here versus 5.6 for Kiehl's Ultra facial cream. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.

Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel brings Ceramide Np, Ceramide Ap, and Ceramide Eop as actives, while kiehl's Ultra facial cream relies on Tocopherol, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, and Salicylic Acid. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.

Best for your skin type

Kiehl's Ultra facial cream is better if you have

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

Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel is better if you have

Sensitive skin — the low-irritation formula keeps things gentle
Dry or dehydrated skin that craves moisture, thanks to Glycerin
Targeting specific concerns like aging or uneven tone — Ceramide Np does the heavy lifting

Value comparison

Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel comes in at premium pricing with a 9.4 score, which is solid value at that tier.

Our verdict

✶ Our verdict

+2.5 lead

Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.

6.9Kiehl's

✶

9.4Murad

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: Kiehl's Ultra facial cream or Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel?

Based on ingredient analysis, Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.

Do Kiehl's Ultra facial cream and Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel share ingredients?

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

What's the main difference between Kiehl's Ultra facial cream and Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel?

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

Full analysis: Kiehl's Ultra facial cream→Full analysis: Murad Nutrient-Charged Water Gel→

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.