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Kiehl's vs BYOMA

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

Kiehl's and BYOMA are established skincare brands offering thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, serums, toners, cleansers, and eye products. The American apothecary relies on glycerin and squalane, while the British line harnesses tri-ceramide and squalane, with both ranges suiting dry skin and sensitive skin best. Kiehl's features standout options like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner, Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, and Ultra Facial Toner, whereas the newer brand offers the Balancing Face Mist, Brightening Toner, and Melting Balm Cleanser. They differ through their founding eras and distinct proprietary ingredient complexes, as the first leverages heritage formulations and the second focuses on barrier-first science.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

BYOMA is a British skincare brand founded in 2022 and owned by Bansk Group since 2025.

cosmeticsbusiness.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs BYOMA products

People Say

Kiehl'sBYOMA
  • Deep Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels so hydrated — BYOMA Hydrating Milky Toner”
    • “feels refreshing on the skin — BYOMA Balancing Face Mist”
    • “leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated — BYOMA Milky Moisture Cleanser”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Lightweight and Fast-Absorbing Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Absorbs instantly — BYOMA Moisturizing Gel-Cream”
    • “sinks in quickly — BYOMA Brightening Serum”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Friendly Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't strip skin — BYOMA Creamy Jelly Cleanser”
    • “no irritation at all — BYOMA Sensitive Retinol Oil”
    • “great for sensitive skin — BYOMA Balancing Face Mist”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Skin Barrier Support and Improvement Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “helped heal my barrier — BYOMA Hydrating Serum”
    • “healed my skin barrier — BYOMA Hydrating Milky Toner”
    • “calmed my redness — BYOMA Creamy Jelly Cleanser”
    • “reduces tightness — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Beginner-Friendly and Texture Improvements Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Keeps my face soft and not oily — BYOMA Brightening Toner”
    • “skin was soft the next morning — BYOMA Sensitive Retinol Oil”
    • “smoother complexion — BYOMA Brightening Serum”
    • “perfect for retinol newbies — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Affordable Price and Great Value Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “budget-friendly — BYOMA Brightening Serum”
    • “Budget-friendly skincare — BYOMA Brightening Toner”
    • “great value for money — BYOMA Hydrating Serum”
  • High Price and Value Concerns Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Packaging and Dispenser Design Flaws Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Opening is huge — BYOMA Brightening Toner”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “caused cystic acne — BYOMA Hydrating Milky Toner”
    • “caused cystic acne — BYOMA Creamy Jelly Cleanser”
  • Insufficient Hydration or Dryness Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “some extremely dry skin types need a thicker balm or oil on top — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Not moisturizing enough — BYOMA Moisturizing Gel-Cream”

Kiehl's vs BYOMA routines for dry skin

Buy BYOMA routine · A$219.85 · 95% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · A$685.63 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs BYOMA routines for oily skin

Buy BYOMA routine · A$429.99 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · A$767.92 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs BYOMA routines for combination skin

Buy BYOMA routine · A$366.13 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · A$693.88 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or BYOMA: which is better?

BYOMA outperforms Kiehl's across the products on this page, offering superior routines for all skin types and better support for the skin barrier. While Kiehl's features long-standing formulations with key ingredients like vitamin C and squalane, BYOMA is often noted for its ceramide-focused hydration and gentle formulations that help maintain skin health.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and BYOMA?

BYOMA offers better value and superior skin barrier support, whereas Kiehl's features a longer heritage dating back to 1851. Both brands provide lightweight moisturizers and gentle serums, but BYOMA is often noted for its barrier-strengthening ingredients like ceramides.

Kiehl's or BYOMA for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi rates BYOMA as Superior and Kiehl's as High. Reviewers note that BYOMA provides deep hydration and moisture, while the products on this page help strengthen the skin barrier with ceramide-dominant lipids.

Kiehl's or BYOMA: which cleanser is better?

Both Kiehl's and BYOMA offer effective cleansers, but BYOMA is often noted for providing gentle, non-stripping hydration with ingredients like ceramides. Kiehl's features cleansers that are well-suited for specific needs like oily skin, while BYOMA helps support the skin barrier across the products on this page.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or BYOMA?

BYOMA is more affordable and offers great value, whereas reviewers often mention that Kiehl's has a high price point.

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

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States, whereas BYOMA was founded much later in 2022 in the United Kingdom.

Which brand offers better packaging and dispenser design according to reviewers?

According to the review themes on this page, Kiehl's does better regarding packaging and dispenser design flaws, as BYOMA is specifically noted by reviewers for having packaging and pump functionality issues.

Kiehl's or BYOMA for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and BYOMA fit oily skin well, with Lovi giving Kiehl's a High fit and BYOMA a Superior fit for oily skin routines. Reviewers note that BYOMA does better for deep hydration and skin barrier support.

Kiehl's or BYOMA: which moisturizer is better?

BYOMA is often considered better for moisturizers because the products on this page focus heavily on strengthening the skin barrier and providing deep hydration. Reviewers frequently note that BYOMA offers lightweight, fast-absorbing, and instantly hydrating moisturizers that help support sensitive skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or BYOMA for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and BYOMA fit sensitive skin well, but BYOMA is often preferred for its focus on barrier repair and gentle, fragrance-free formulas. Lovi rates the routine fit for sensitive skin as High for Kiehl's and Superior for BYOMA.

Kiehl's or BYOMA for acne-prone skin?

Both Kiehl's and BYOMA help with acne-prone skin, with Lovi rating the routine fit for this skin type as High for Kiehl's and Superior for BYOMA. Reviewers note that both brands can cause breakouts, while BYOMA additionally focuses on barrier-strengthening moisturizers.

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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