Side-by-side comparison

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream vs Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream

Both are moisturisers. They share a 70% active-ingredient overlap, so the real decision is about price, texture and the supporting ingredients. Here's the side-by-side.

70%Active overlap
Drunk Elephant
Lala Retro Whipped Cream
MoisturiserLuxuryMorning or evening
DrynessDamaged BarrierDullness

A whipped barrier cream with six African oils, ceramides and a fermented base for dry, depleted skin. Rich and replenishing without fragrance; the luxury price is the main trade-off versus simpler ceramide creams.

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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 Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream sits in the Premium tier versus Luxury for the Drunk Elephant — so it's the more budget-led pick if the overlap is what you're after. The Drunk Elephant leans toward Dullness.

The overlap

What they share

At 70% active overlap, these are the ingredients doing comparable work in both formulas:

Squalane
The formulation

Ingredient stacks, side by side

Drunk Elephant — top of the list

  • Aqua~50–80%
  • Caprylic/Capric…~5–25%
  • Glycerin~3–10%
  • Squalane~2–6%
  • Cetearyl Alcohol~1.5–4%

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

Drunk ElephantKiehl's
CategoryMoisturiserMoisturiser
Price tierLuxuryPremium
Best forDryness, Damaged Barrier, DullnessDryness, Damaged Barrier
Usage notesMorning or eveningMorning or evening
Active overlap70% — Squalane
Questions

Common questions

Is the Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream or the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream better?
Neither is universally better — they share 70% active-ingredient overlap, so for the actives that drive results they're close. The Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream 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 Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream and the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream?
Both are moisturisers that share Squalane. Where they differ: they sit in different price tiers (Luxury vs Premium); the Drunk Elephant targets Dullness.
Are the Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream and Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream dupes for each other?
They share 70% 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 Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream 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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99% overlap

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