🇦🇪United Arab Emirates

Anua vs Kiehl's

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Anua and Kiehl's are two distinct skincare lines offering targeted moisturizers, toners, serums, and cleansers. The Korean brand features heartleaf, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid to best suit oily, acne-prone, and combination skin, whereas the American brand relies on glycerin and squalane to nurture dry skin and address dark spots. Both labels provide specialized care, but differ in their heritage, foundational ingredients, and ideal skin types.

Anua is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by The Founders Inc..

prnewswire.comkedglobal.comtracxn.comv.daum.net

Kiehl's is an American skincare brand founded in 1851 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000.

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

This page compares some of the most popular Anua and Kiehl's products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Anua vs Kiehl's products

People Say

AnuaKiehl's
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “complexion feels so plump — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “leaves skin plump — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Texture and Lightweight Feel Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “melts into skin — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “Feels like water, not heavy oil — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Significant reduction in hyperpigmentation from acne scarring. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “Gives a nice healthy glow — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Sensitive Skin Care Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Calms my redness instantly — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
    • “calmed my red spots — Anua Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin feels super smooth — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “skin feels so smooth — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Glow and Radiance Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “glass-like glow — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “glassy skin look — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “beautiful glow — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “Skin looks noticeably more plump — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Price and Value Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “price feels way too high — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “small size, the price is expensive — Anua Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder”
    • “bottle too small — Anua NANO RETINOL™ 0.3% + NIACIN RENEWING SERUM”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Breakouts and Acne Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “developed tiny white bumps — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Wrecked my skin barrier — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
  • Sticky or Greasy Finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Left such a gross tacky finish that refused to dry. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “leaves a tacky finish — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”

Anua vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · AED 1,652.44 · 84% fitBuy Anua routine · AED 550.12 · 78% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Anua vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy Anua routine · AED 389.94 · 81% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · AED 1,609.62 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Anua vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · AED 1,639.74 · 83% fitBuy Anua routine · AED 372.20 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Anua or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both Anua and Kiehl's are great choices, but Anua is a better fit for acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's offers better pricing alternatives although it may cause breakouts. Anua also stands out for glow and radiance, and its products on this page have no fragrance.

What is the difference between Anua and Kiehl's?

Anua is founded in South Korea in 2019, while Kiehl's is an older American brand founded in 1851. Anua is owned by The Founders Inc. and Kiehl's has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000. For acne-prone skin, Anua has a High fit level and Kiehl's has an Average fit level.

Anua or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Anua and Kiehl's offer a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that the products on this page for Anua are lightweight and fast-absorbing, while Kiehl's features non-greasy moisturizers.

Anua or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer cleansers suited to different skin needs, with Anua featuring high fits for oily and acne-prone skin and Kiehl's providing superior options like its Calendula and Rare Earth cleansers for oily skin types. Anua products on this page contain no fragrance, while two Kiehl's moisturizers include fragrance, though their cleansers remain fragrance-free.

Which is more affordable, Anua or Kiehl's?

Anua is more affordable, as Kiehl's reviewers often note a high price point.

Anua or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin: which brand is better suited?

Anua is better suited for acne-prone skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average fit. The products on this page from Anua also feature no fragrance, which helps minimize irritation risks.

Which brand has more products with fragrance, Anua or Kiehl's?

Kiehl's has more products with fragrance on this page, as two of its products list fragrance in their ingredients while Anua lists no fragrance for any of its products.

How do the founding years and origins of Anua and Kiehl's compare?

Anua was founded in 2019 in South Korea and is owned by The Founders Inc., whereas Kiehl's was founded much earlier in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000.

Anua or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both Anua and Kiehl's are a High fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page, and reviewers report that both brands offer gentle formulas. Lovi rates the routine fit for sensitive skin as High for both brands.

Anua or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both Anua and Kiehl's offer moisturizers well-suited for various skin types, but Anua is better for acne-prone skin, where Lovi rates its routine as High compared to Kiehl's Average. Reviewers note that Anua provides soothing and barrier support in its moisturizers, whereas Kiehl's is frequently cited for a high price point.

Anua or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Anua is a better fit for acne-prone skin, achieving a High routine fit level compared to Kiehl's Average level. Reviewers often mention that the products on this page help with brightening and skin texture, though some note breakouts as a risk.

Anua or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Anua offers the Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream, and Kiehl's offers the Better Screen UV Serum, with both brands providing high Lovi fit levels for sunscreens on these pages. Niacinamide in Anua's products helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play