Beauty & Personal Care › Grooming
Ultra Facial Cleanser
Gentle liquid facial cleanser
More about it ↓Quick take
In short: what each side says
AI panel · Reviewers · Buyers · The street · The press — each opened up in full further down ↓
Best on Gemini (avg #10.0), weakest on Perplexity (#16.5)
Reviewers agree this gentle, low-foam cleanser cleans thoroughly without stripping or tightening the skin, making it suitable across skin types.
Owners love its gentle, non-drying formula and effective makeup removal, but some report recent formula changes that strip skin and alter texture.
People love how gently it cleanses without drying, leaving skin soft and balanced—though it foams lightly rather than heavily.
The press is split — 0 recommend, 0 against, 3 mixed.
All sides but one land high — Holds up — with one check: the named outlets split on it.
Quick read · who it’s for
Main competitors
Top rivals in Grooming.
About
What it is.
Kiehl's positions Ultra Facial Cleanser within its core skincare range as a daily-use, liquid face wash formulated to clean without disrupting the skin's moisture balance. It sits in the brand's foundational grooming lineup alongside its other Ultra Facial products, aimed at buyers who want a straightforward, low-risk cleanser rather than an experimental or trend-driven formula.
It suits anyone across sensitive, dry, oily, or acne-prone skin types who wants a mild, non-stripping wash for daily use, drawing on Kiehl's standing as an established, apothecary-rooted brand. It is not built for those seeking a deep-foaming wash or a single-step makeup remover, since its role is basic, everyday cleansing rather than heavier lifting.
The verdict
The AI panel ranks Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser first for men's face washes, and buyers largely agree with a 4.6/5 score, praising its gentle formula and makeup-removal power—though some report recent batches have become drying and altered in texture.
Act one
What the machines think.
Several AI models read the category and place this product — model by model, list by list, over time.
Model by model?
How each AI sees it.
Best on Gemini (avg #10.0), weakest on Perplexity (#16.5) Averaging across the AI panel, Ultra Facial Cleanser sits around #14.4 this snapshot.
Claude
#14.5
2 appearances · best #5
Perplexity
#16.5
2 appearances · best #3
Grok
—
Didn’t rank Ultra Facial Cleanser this snapshot.
GPT
—
Didn’t rank Ultra Facial Cleanser this snapshot.
AI Mode
Didn’t rank Ultra Facial Cleanser this snapshot.
Rank trajectory?
Weeks of movement.
Act two · ★ new
What the people say.
The same product, judged by the owners who bought and filmed it — what they praise, what they knock, who it's for.
Video reviews?
What reviewers actually say.
AI summary of 4 reviews · as of Jul 2026
Reviewers agree this gentle, low-foam cleanser cleans thoroughly without stripping or tightening the skin, making it suitable across skin types.
What they praise
- Cleans without stripping or drying the skin
- Leaves skin feeling soft, hydrated, and smooth rather than tight
- Gentle enough for sensitive and acne-prone skin
- A little product goes a long way
- Suitable for all skin types including oily and dry
What they knock
- Does not foam much, forming a milky lather instead of suds
- Some reviewers only use it as a second cleanse, not for full makeup removal
- Very plain, basic packaging with little sensory indulgence
Synthesised from: Ivy's Vine · Shanice Living · Tracey Violet · Daphne S
I tried Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser! Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser REVIEW! Ultra Facial Cleanser
Shundara
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser + Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream Demo + Review
Ivy's Vine
THE BEST CLEANSER EVER | KIEHLS ULTRA FACIAL CLEANSER REVIEW
Shanice Living
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser Review + Demo | Tracey Violet
Tracey Violet
KIEHLS ULTRA FACIAL CLEANSER REVIEW | COSMETICSNOB
Daphne S
Voice of the street?
What the crowd says in 15 seconds.
People love how gently it cleanses without drying, leaving skin soft and balanced—though it foams lightly rather than heavily.
Creator voice5 short-form clips of the Ultra Facial Cleanser · since Mar ’23 · net +80 leans positive
What keeps coming up
The clips behind this
Where it shows up
Second cleanse routine×1
Heavy makeup removal×1
“It doesn't feel tight or dry, just comfortable and balanced.”
@karly4ella · 1K views · not sponsored
Reviewers noted it forms a milky lather rather than suds and is sometimes used only as a second cleanse, yet the crowd consistently praises its gentle, effective cleansing across all skin types.
as of July 8 · 5 short-form clips?
What buyers say?
What Google knows about it.
Beyond the video critics, Google pools 9,878 buyer ratings of the Ultra Facial Cleanser from across retailers — a far wider, if blunter, jury. Here’s the shape of that opinion.
9,878 ratings · 7 written
across 5 retailers
What owners single out
Review 5's complaint about the product now leaving skin stripped and dry directly contradicts the cleanser's core strength that video reviewers likely highlighted.
In their words
“My husband and I both use this cleanser and regularly re-order it. I like that it gently foams and my skin feels lovely and clean, without feeling dry afterwards. We both use it twice a day. I find that when I do wear make-up it effectively removes all traces and my skin feels lovely and soft. You only need a small amount as a little goes a long way. Will continue to buy and would recommend.”
Sofabound · verified purchase · lookfantastic.com
“I have been using this cleanser for years and loved it, it never dried out my skin and my skin has felt clean and clear. I just received a new bottle and instantly noticed a difference, it smells very different almost like sunscreen and is very thick and does not lather up like it used to.”
alybrd · verified purchase · sephora.com
as of June 5 · 9878 buyer ratings?
What the press says?
Where the established press lands.
The press agrees
The press is split — 0 recommend, 0 against, 3 mixed.
Tie-breakerThe AI models split on Ultra Facial Cleanser. The press tally below breaks the tie.
Across 3 independent outlets · published expert reviews · last 18 months
Act three · ★ new
Do they agree?
Put the machine's rank and the owners' score in one frame, settle it with a verdict, and answer the only question that matters: should you buy it?
The disagreement
Where the juries actually split.
Gemini
#10avg rank
ranks it highest of the panel
Perplexity
#17avg rank
the most sceptical model
critics 4.3/5, owners 4.6★ and press 0/3 sit outside the models' split.
critics 4.3/5owners 4.6★press 0/3Per-model average ranks from this week's panel?
The bottom line
So should you buy it?
The AIs’ #3 pick in Grooming. Owners back it at 4.6 / 5; critics back it at 4.3 / 5 — the named outlets split on it.
Find your situation?
Made for some — wrong for others.
Who reviewers think this product is — and isn’t — for
For you if
Look elsewhere if
You value a cleanser from an established prestige brand with heritage and design credibility.
Kiehl's is a flagship prestige skincare brand with tier-3 catalog confidence; Ultra Facial Cleanser is a signature product that signals quality and brand loyalty.
You need a proven cleanser with broad consensus and minimal risk of disappointment.
Nearly 10k ratings with 4.6/5 consensus, established brand, and mature product history make this a low-risk, well-tested choice trusted by many.
You want a cleanser that performs flawlessly across all the basics without compromise.
High buyer rating (4.6/5 from nearly 10k reviews) with strong marks on gentleness, makeup removal, and skin feel; only formula stability is noted as weak, a minor concern for daily use.
You want a cleanser that works immediately without learning curves or special technique.
Liquid format, gentle formula, and straightforward daily-use positioning make it an intuitive, no-fuss option; no special steps or configuration needed.
You're looking for a cleanser that delivers strong performance without a premium price tag.
Kiehl's premium positioning and brand markup mean this costs significantly more than capable alternatives like the Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser. Consider Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser.
Grounded in our buyer-review, reviewer-video, price and successor signals — a poor fit names a closer pick · as of Jul 1.
Frequent rivals?
What it competes against.
- Low pH Good Morning Gel CleanserCosRXKiehl's leads 2–0 · 2 sharedRead
- Foaming Facial CleanserCeraVeEven 1–1 · 2 sharedRead
- Gentle Facial CleanserVanicreamEven 1–1 · 2 shared$9.97–$15Read
- Calm + Restore Nourishing Oat CleanserAveenoEven 1–1 · 2 sharedRead
- Toleriane Hydrating Gentle CleanserLa Roche-PosayEven 1–1 · 2 sharedRead
- Sensibio Gel MoussantBiodermaEven 1–1 · 2 sharedRead
- Hydrating Facial CleanserCeraVeCeraVe leads 2–0 · 2 sharedRead
Alternatives by price · Same field?
Same field, less money.
Frequently asked
What buyers want to know.
Is Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser good?
Reviewers agree it cleans thoroughly without stripping or drying the skin, leaving it soft, hydrated, and smooth. It works across all skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin.
What do reviewers say about how it cleans?
It forms a milky lather rather than thick suds. Some reviewers use it as a second cleanse after a heavier makeup remover, though others find it handles makeup removal on its own. A small amount goes a long way.
Who is this cleanser best for?
Anyone wanting a mild, non-stripping cleanser for daily use. It suits sensitive, dry, oily, and acne-prone skin types equally.
What are the downsides?
It does not produce a rich foam—reviewers are split on whether it turns slightly sudsy or stays milky. The packaging is plain and basic. It may not be the best choice if you want a deep-foaming wash or a single-step makeup remover.
Does it have a scent?
Reviewers disagree: one describes a faint perfume-like smell, while others say it is nearly scentless.
The recap
Where it stands today.
- PositionBest rank #3 across 2 intents tracked (no change vs last snapshot).
- FootprintStrongest in Best Face Washes for Men (#3). Weakest in Best Cleansers for Sensitive Skin (#10).
- TraitsMost often described as “squalane” (3 mentions).
- Closest rivalLow pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser (2–0 across 2 shared intents).
- MakerBy Kiehl's — see how it ranks across other intents on its brand profile.
browse Ultra Facial Cleanser in these categories