Side-by-side comparison

Avène Tolerance Extreme Emulsion vs Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream

Both are moisturisers. They share a 99% active-ingredient overlap, so the real decision is about price, texture and the supporting ingredients. Here's the side-by-side.

99%Active overlap
Avène
Tolerance Extreme Emulsion
MoisturiserMid-rangeMorning or evening
sensitiveRednessDamaged Barrier

A minimalist 8-ingredient emulsion designed for hyper-reactive and post-procedural skin. Steriled glass packaging, preservative-free, fragrance-free. When your routine has caused a flare and nothing else will sit comfortably on your face — this is usually the product that does.

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Kiehl's
Ultra Facial Cream
MoisturiserPremiumMorning or evening
DrynessDamaged Barrier

A squalane + glacial glycoprotein daily cream for dry to normal skin. Rich but not greasy, very lightly fragranced. A sensible daily moisturiser that won't interfere with actives — though the price/performance ratio against CeraVe is debatable.

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The verdict

Which should you choose?

On price, the Avène Tolerance Extreme Emulsion sits in the Mid-range tier versus Premium for the Kiehl's — so it's the more budget-led pick if the overlap is what you're after. The Avène leans toward Redness, sensitive. The Kiehl's leans toward Dryness.

The overlap

What they share

At 99% active overlap, these are the ingredients doing comparable work in both formulas:

Squalane
The formulation

Ingredient stacks, side by side

Avène — top of the list

  • Avène Thermal …~50–80%
  • Mineral Oil~5–25%
  • Squalane~3–10%
  • Glycerin~2–6%
  • Glyceryl Stear…~1.5–4%
  • Carbomer~1–2%

Kiehl's — top of the list

  • Aqua / Water~50–80%
  • Glycerin~5–25%
  • Squalane~3–10%
  • Cyclohexasilox…~2–6%
  • Bis-PEG-18 Met…~1.5–4%

● marks ingredients that appear near the top of both lists. Percentages are positional estimates from INCI order, not disclosed doses.

At a glance

The specs

AvèneKiehl's
CategoryMoisturiserMoisturiser
Price tierMid-rangePremium
Best forsensitive, Redness, Damaged BarrierDryness, Damaged Barrier
Usage notesMorning or eveningMorning or evening
Active overlap99% — Squalane
Questions

Common questions

Is the Avène Tolerance Extreme Emulsion or the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream better?
Neither is universally better — they share 99% active-ingredient overlap, so for the actives that drive results they're close. The Avène Tolerance Extreme Emulsion is the more budget-friendly option, while the other may differ on texture, finish and supporting ingredients. Pick based on your skin's priorities rather than a single 'winner'.
What's the difference between the Avène Tolerance Extreme Emulsion and the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream?
Both are moisturisers that share Squalane. Where they differ: they sit in different price tiers (Mid-range vs Premium); the Avène targets Redness, sensitive; the Kiehl's targets Dryness.
Are the Avène Tolerance Extreme Emulsion and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream dupes for each other?
They share 99% active-ingredient overlap based on published INCI lists, so one can stand in for the other on the actives that matter — chiefly Squalane. A dupe matches the hero actives, not the full sensory experience, so expect differences in texture, fragrance and exact concentrations.
Can I use the Avène Tolerance Extreme Emulsion and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream together?
They both fill the moisturiser slot in a routine, so you'd normally pick one rather than layer both. If you want to use both, treat one as your daytime option and the other for evening, and patch-test when introducing anything new.
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70% overlap

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