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Kiehl's skincare
ingredient glossary

Inspired by our apothecary roots, Kiehl's uses powerful skincare ingredients drawn from nature and science within our unique formulas.

Squalane

Squalane

A highly-refined botanical moisturizing oil.Details

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Squalane

A signature Kiehl’s ingredient, Squalane is a highly-refined botanical lipid. With a high affinity to skin, Squalane absorbs easily and is often used in skincare products to help replenish the skin barrier keeping it soft, supple and moisturized.

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil

An aromatic oil known to soothe the feeling of skin.Details

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Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil is an aromatic oil known for its soothing properties. In our formulas, we use Lavender Essential Oil that is steam distilled.

Calendula

Calendula

Derived from the Marigold Flower, this extract and petals are known to help soothe the feeling of skin.Details

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Calendula

Native to the Mediterranean, Calendula has been regarded as a medicinal herb for many centuries, including in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Within skincare formulas, Calendula Extract and Calendula Petals are often used to help soothe the feeling of skin.

Caffeine

Caffeine

An antioxidant traditionally used for its stimulating properties.Details

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Caffeine

Caffeine is a naturally-occurring substance traditionally used for its stimulating properties. In skincare products, it is often used in formulas that help reduce the appearance of under-eye puffiness.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C

An efficacious antioxidant often used in skincare products that help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and boost radiance.Details

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Vitamin C

Vitamin C is often recommended by dermatologists as an anti-aging ingredient. A potent antioxidant, it is known to help visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil

Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil

Cold-pressed from hemp seeds, this herbaceous oil is known for its calming and soothing properties.Details

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Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil

Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil is a herbaceous oil known for its calming and soothing properties. Cold-pressed from Hemp Seeds, this concentrated oil is naturally green in color and composed of up to 90% omega fatty acids which are known to help nourish skin.

Beech Tree Extract

Beech Tree Extract

A sugar extracted from the Beech Tree known to help visibly firm skin.Details

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Beech Tree Extract

Beech Tree Extract is known for its ability to help plump skin. Within skincare formulas, this extract is often used to visibly firm skin.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera

Sourced from the leaf of the Aloe Vera plant, Aloe is known for its hydrating properties.Details

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Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera has been widely used in traditional and herbal medicine for centuries. It is known to help hydrate skin and is often used in skincare products formulated to help soothe the feeling of skin.

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid is known to smooth and plump skin.Details

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Hyaluronic Acid

Hyaluronic Acid acts like a sponge to draw moisture into skin’s surface layers and then expands as it absorbs. Hyaluronic Acid is known to help smooth and plump skin and is commonly used in products formulated to help reduce the appearance of facial lines and refine texture.

Avocado Oil

Avocado Oil

A rich emollient known to nourish and moisturize skin.Details

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Avocado Oil

Avocado Oil is rich in omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. Within skincare products, Avocado Oil is traditionally used for its moisturizing properties.

Amazonian White Clay

Amazonian White Clay

A fairly-traded and solidarity-sourced clay known to help purify skin.Details

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Amazonian White Clay

Amazonian White Clay is known for its ability to help remove excess surface oil and dead skin that can clog pores. It is commonly used in skincare formulas that help purify skin and visibly minimize pores. The Amazonian White Clay used by Kiehl’s is fairly-traded and solidarity-sourced kaolin clay from the mouth of the Amazon River.

Activated C

Activated C

A Vitamin C derivative known to help improve skin clarity.Details

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Activated C

Activated C helps visibly reduce dark spots and skin discolorations. This form of Vitamin C penetrates skin quickly to help visibly even skin tone and improve clarity.

Peony Root Extract

Peony Root Extract

An antioxidant known to help boost skin’s clarity.Details

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Peony Root Extract

Known in Traditional Chinese medicine as the “king of flowers," Peony Root Extract is an antioxidant that helps protect against free radical oxidative damage. Within skincare formulas, it is often used to help enhance skin clarity.

Turmeric

Turmeric

Turmeric is known for its antioxidant properties and is often used to help visibly brighten skin.Details

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Turmeric

Known for its antioxidant properties, Turmeric has been historically used to help reduce the appearance of skin imperfections. Skincare products with Turmeric are often used to visibly brighten skin.

Quinoa Husk Extract

Quinoa Husk Extract

An extract that can be used for its exfoliating properties. In our formulas, it is sustainably sourced.Details

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Quinoa Husk Extract

Within skincare formulas, Quinoa Husk Extract can be used for its exfoliating properties that help accelerate skin’s turnover process. The Quinoa Husk Extract used by Kiehl’s is sustainably sourced from the outer protective shell of the Quinoa seed without chemical alteration and with minimal environmental impact.

Evening Primrose Oil

Evening Primrose Oil

A botanical oil known to help maintain the skin barrier.Details

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Evening Primrose Oil

A botanical oil with a high content of omega-6 fatty acids. Within skincare formulas, it is often used to help maintain the skin barrier and leave skin feeling replenished and smooth.

Cocoa Butter

Cocoa Butter

A lipid derived from the Cocoa Plant known to help soften and moisturize skin.Details

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Cocoa Butter

Cocoa Butter is a pale yellow lipid derived from the roasted seeds of the Cocoa Plant. Solid at room temperature, it melts at body temperature. Cocoa Butter is often used in skincare products formulated to help moisturize and soften skin.

Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil

A semi-solid, highly-saturated fat known to help soften skin.Details

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Coconut Oil

Coconut Oil is derived from the Coconut Tree, known as the “tree of life.” Used in Ayurvedic medicine for over 4,000 years, Coconut Oil is rich in fatty acids and known to nourish and soften.

Sunflower Oil

Sunflower Oil

A botanical oil known to help smooth skin and strengthen the skin barrier.Details

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Sunflower Oil

Sunflower Oil is a botanical oil known to help strengthen the skin barrier. Within skincare formulas, it is often used to help improve skin’s smoothness, texture and hydration.

Argan Oil

Argan Oil

A fairly-traded and sustainably-sourced oil known for its replenishing properties.Details

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Argan Oil

Derived from the Argan Tree, Argan Oil is commonly referred to as “liquid gold” for its skin and hair benefits. Our Argan Oil is fairly traded and sustainably sourced.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E

An antioxidant known for its moisturizing properties.Details

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Vitamin E

Naturally occurring in plant leaves and skin, Vitamin E is known to help neutralize skin-damaging free radicals. In addition to antioxidant protection, Vitamin E is often used to moisturize skin.

11kDa Hyaluronic Acid

11kDa Hyaluronic Acid

A micronised ingredient that penetrates skin within its deepest surface layers.Details

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11kDa Hyaluronic Acid

Our smallest molecular size of Hyaluronic Acid, this micronised ingredient penetrates to fortify skin within its deepest surface layers.* By delivering skin-strengthening hydration to skin’s most vulnerable layer, 11kDa Hyaluronic Acid helps better retain moisture for improved resiliency, suppleness and bounce.

*Stratum corneum.

Adaptogenic Herbal Complex

Adaptogenic Herbal Complex

A proprietary blend of Red Ginseng Root, Holy Basil and Schisandra Berry.Details

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Adaptogenic Herbal Complex

Our Adaptogenic Herbal Complex is a proprietary blend of Red Ginseng Root, Holy Basil and Schisandra Berry – that are traditionally used in Traditional Chinese, Korean and Ayurvedic Medicine. Within our formula, these extracts work synergistically to help defend skin from stressors while renewing and resurfacing skin’s texture for a smooth, radiant appearance.