Side-by-side comparison

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream vs Stratia Liquid Gold

Both are moisturisers. They share a 77% active-ingredient overlap, so the real decision is about price, texture and the supporting ingredients. Here's the side-by-side.

77%Active overlap
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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Stratia
Liquid Gold
MoisturiserMid-rangeMorning or evening
Damaged BarrierDrynesssensitive

A lamellar-structure barrier moisturiser built around the exact ratio of ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids the stratum corneum uses. Cult favourite for damaged-barrier recovery — unglamorous, extremely effective.

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The verdict

Which should you choose?

On price, the Stratia Liquid Gold 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 Stratia leans toward sensitive.

The overlap

What they share

At 77% active overlap, these are the ingredients doing comparable work in both formulas:

Squalane
The formulation

Ingredient stacks, side by side

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%

Stratia — top of the list

  • Water~50–80%
  • Squalane~5–25%
  • Niacinamide~3–10%
  • Cetyl Alcohol~2–6%
  • Glyceryl Stear…~1.5–4%
  • Cholesterol NF~1–2%
  • Glycerin~1–2%
  • Stearic Acid~1–2%
  • Panthenol~1–2%
  • Ceramide NP~1–2%

● 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

Kiehl'sStratia
CategoryMoisturiserMoisturiser
Price tierPremiumMid-range
Best forDryness, Damaged BarrierDamaged Barrier, Dryness, sensitive
Usage notesMorning or eveningMorning or evening
Active overlap77% — Squalane
Questions

Common questions

Is the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream or the Stratia Liquid Gold better?
Neither is universally better — they share 77% active-ingredient overlap, so for the actives that drive results they're close. The Stratia Liquid Gold 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 Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream and the Stratia Liquid Gold?
Both are moisturisers that share Squalane. Where they differ: they sit in different price tiers (Premium vs Mid-range); the Stratia targets sensitive.
Are the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream and Stratia Liquid Gold dupes for each other?
They share 77% 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 Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream and Stratia Liquid Gold 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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