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Kiehl's vs Medik8

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

Kiehl's and Medik8 are skincare brands known for their diverse arrays of moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and more. The American brand features key ingredients like glycerin and squalane, while the British brand centers its formulations around hyaluronic acid. Both options suit dry skin best, though the first brand also addresses dark spots while the second brand accommodates dry sensitive skin. Ultimately, the first brand relies on glycerin and squalane to increase hydration, restore epidermal barrier function, counteract oxidative stress, and stimulate fibroblast migration, whereas the second brand utilizes hyaluronic acid to lengthen toxin wrinkle effect duration.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular Kiehl's and Medik8 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Medik8 products

People Say

Kiehl'sMedik8
  • Gentle on Sensitive Skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Best retinol replacement — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “savior for dry patches — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
  • Improves Skin Barrier and Texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
    • “My skin was smoother, my skin texture felt more resurfaced. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • 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”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Fades Dark Spots and Brightens Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “unlocked a serious glow — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pigmentation lightened slightly — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • No White Cast and Glowing Finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “doubles as moisturizer — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “Leaves skin looking glass-like and radiant — Medik8 Press & Glow”
    • “brightens skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
  • High Price Point and Poor Value Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “very expensive for amount — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “hefty price tag — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Ineffective or Slow Results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no difference — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
  • Greasy or Oily Residue Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “too oily for my combination skin — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Oily texture unpleasant — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “too oily — Medik8 Super C Ferulic”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for dry skin

Buy Medik8 routine · AED 1,017.94 · 95% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · AED 1,652.44 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

Buy Medik8 routine · AED 1,453.26 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · AED 1,609.62 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · AED 1,409.08 · 92% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · AED 1,639.74 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Medik8: which is better?

Both brands offer strong options, but Medik8 is better suited for sensitive and acne-prone skin with its superior routine fits, while Kiehl's excels in deep hydration and lightweight textures. The products on this page show that Medik8 achieves higher ratings for skin barrier improvement and fading dark spots.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Medik8?

Medik8 stands out for being exceptionally gentle on sensitive skin and providing superior routines for dry, combination, and acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's is known for deep hydration and lightweight, non-greasy textures. Both brands offer solid options for mature skin and fading dark spots, but Medik8 tends to score higher overall on barrier repair and texture improvement.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for dry skin?

Both brands fit dry skin well, but Medik8 achieves a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High fit level on this page. Medik8 features Hydr8 B5 Intense with hyaluronic acid, which helps deliver deep hydration to dry skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

Medik8 offers a Superior fit for acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots with its Surface Radiance Cleanse, whereas Kiehl's provides a Superior fit for oily skin and oily acne-prone skin with its Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash and Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Medik8?

Both Kiehl's and Medik8 have reviewers frequently mentioning a high price point, so neither brand is clearly more affordable than the other.

Between Kiehl's and Medik8, which brand is better for fading dark spots and brightening?

Medik8 does better for fading dark spots and brightening according to reviewer themes, while the products on this page for both brands show high Lovi fit levels for skin with dark spots. Reviewers note that Medik8 helps provide brightening and a glow, whereas Kiehl's focuses on deep hydration and moisture.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Kiehl's or Medik8?

Kiehl's has more fragrance-free products on the products on this page, with 26 out of 28 products listing no fragrance, compared to 11 out of 12 for Medik8.

How do the founding years and parent companies of Kiehl's and Medik8 compare?

Kiehl's was founded in the United States in 1851 and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000, whereas Medik8 was founded in the United Kingdom in 2009 and is owned by L'Oréal Groupe as of 2025.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Medik8 offer a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides a lightweight and non-greasy texture, while Medik8 is often praised for deep hydration and plumping.

Kiehl's or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers for different skin types, with Kiehl's being particularly known for deep hydration and Medik8 achieving superior dry skin routine fit levels on this page. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers while Medik8 delivers deep hydration and plumping benefits.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

Medik8 is better than Kiehl's for sensitive skin because Lovi rates Medik8 as Superior for this skin type compared to Kiehl's High. Reviewers also mention that Medik8 products are gentle on sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

Medik8 is the better choice for acne-prone skin, offering superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average fit on Lovi. Its products help improve skin texture and reduce blemishes gently.

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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