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Kiehl's vs Dermalogica

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

Kiehl's and Dermalogica are respected American skincare brands that offer thoughtful arrays of moisturizers, serums, cleansers, and targeted treatments. Kiehl's is widely loved for nourishing ingredients like glycerin and squalane, suiting dry skin and dark spots best, whereas Dermalogica relies on powerful actives like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and salicylic acid to suit oily and combination skin. While both utilize glycerin to improve hydration and restore barrier function, they differ in their primary approaches, as the first brand focuses on carefully formulated hydration to counteract oxidative stress, and the second balances excess oil and moisture to reduce acne lesion counts.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Dermalogica is an American skincare brand founded in 1986 and owned by Unilever since 2015.

en.wikipedia.orgcosmeticsbusiness.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Dermalogica products

People Say

Kiehl'sDermalogica
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “Saved my dry skin — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “super hydrating — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “blends seamlessly — Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50”
  • Improves skin barrier and texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “skin feels smooth as silk — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “Leaves a glistening glow — Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream”
  • Gentle formula for sensitive skin Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “doesn't strip skin — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”
    • “helps calm and nourish my skin — Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream”
  • Brightens skin and fades dark spots Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “immediately brighter looking — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “skin looks amazing — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
  • Oil control and pore reduction Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “keeps my oils at bay — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “keeps my T-zone matte — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Brings out all the gunk — Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask”
    • “doesn't clog pores — Dermalogica Active Moist”
  • High price point Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “hefty price tag — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “Expensive for cleanser — Dermalogica Precleanse”
  • Burning, stinging, and irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “burned my face immediately — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “stings my face and feels like burning — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “Stings eyes — Dermalogica Precleanse”
    • “burns immediately — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
  • Unpleasant or strong scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells clinical — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “faint lab smell — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “smells like puke — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”

Kiehl's vs Dermalogica routines for dry skin

Buy Dermalogica routine · AED 2,091.38 · 85% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · AED 1,652.44 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Dermalogica routines for oily skin

Buy Dermalogica routine · AED 1,772.79 · 92% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · AED 1,609.62 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs Dermalogica routines for combination skin

Buy Dermalogica routine · AED 1,888.85 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · AED 1,639.74 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Dermalogica: which is better?

Dermalogica is better for oily and acne-prone skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High level. Both brands offer a High routine fit for dry, sensitive, mature, and dark-spotted skin types, and both feature lightweight, hydrating options across the products on this page.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Dermalogica?

Dermalogica has a superior routine fit for oily, combination, and oily acne-prone skin, whereas Kiehl's and Dermalogica have equal routine fit levels for dry, sensitive, mature, and dark-spot skin.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica are a good choice for dry skin, as Lovi rates the routine fit for both brands as High. Kiehl's offers lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and deep hydration, while Dermalogica provides intense hydration and soothing moisturizers.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica: which cleanser is better?

Dermalogica provides a Superior routine fit for oily and combination skin cleansers on this page, whereas Kiehl's offers a High fit level for those skin types.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Dermalogica?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica are equally matched on pricing, as reviewers note that both brands share a high price point.

Between Kiehl's and Dermalogica, which brand's products are more frequently reported by reviewers to have an unpleasant or strong scent?

Between Kiehl's and Dermalogica, Kiehl's is more frequently reported by reviewers to have an unpleasant or strong scent.

How do the founding years and current parent companies of Kiehl's and Dermalogica compare?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000, whereas Dermalogica was founded later in 1986 in the United States and is owned by Unilever since 2015.

Which key skincare ingredients are found across products from both Kiehl's and Dermalogica according to the facts?

Glycerin and Vitamin E are found across the products from both Kiehl's and Dermalogica.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica for oily skin?

Dermalogica is the better choice for oily skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior while Kiehl's is High. Both brands provide lightweight moisturizers, but Dermalogica offers a wider range of products tailored to control excess oil.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica: which moisturizer is better?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica offer moisturizers that provide deep hydration and suit various skin types, but Dermalogica achieves a superior routine fit for oily and acne-prone skin. Reviewers frequently note that the products on this page help deliver intense hydration and soothing care for dry skin types.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Dermalogica for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica are a High fit for sensitive skin. The products on this page help deliver soothing hydration and gentle care for easily irritated skin types.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica: which sunscreen is better?

Dermalogica provides a superior routine fit for oil control, while both brands offer products that help protect skin with facts from the page.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica for acne-prone skin?

Dermalogica is the better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as High while Kiehl's is Average. The products on this page help manage breakouts with key ingredients like salicylic acid.

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?

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