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Kiehl's vs Eminence

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

Kiehl's and Eminence are revered skincare lines known for nourishing moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and pure botanical formulas that feature key ingredients like glycerin and squalane. Both brands suit dry, sensitive, and combination skin best thanks to soothing formulations that significantly increase hydration, restore epidermal barrier function, counteract oxidative stress, and stimulate fibroblast migration. While the American heritage line relies on scientific precision for everyday routines, the organic alternative delivers visible renewal through earth-derived potency.

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 Kiehl's and Eminence products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Eminence products

People Say

Kiehl'sEminence
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
    • “Not too thick — Eminence Arctic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream”
    • “hydrates without leaving me shiny — Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “doesn't feel heavy — Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer”
    • “buttery and great — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
  • Skin Barrier and Tone Improvement Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “Skin feels soft — Eminence Arctic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Care Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “calms my irritation — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
  • Cleansing and Oil Control Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “cleared up my acne — Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer”
    • “cooling effect — Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • High Price Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “pricey but worth it — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
    • “spent a lot of money — Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer”
  • Scent Dislikes and Chemical Smells 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”
    • “fragrance is terrible — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “irritated my skin horribly — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
    • “Caused pimples — Eminence Arctic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream”
  • Greasy or Heavy Feel Often MentionedNot noted
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”

Kiehl's vs Eminence moisturizers

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Eminence: which is better?

When it comes to hydration and oil control, Eminence is generally better, whereas Kiehl's does better for skin barrier and tone improvement across the products on this page. Both brands share a high price point, but Kiehl's tends to receive more complaints about scent dislikes.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Eminence?

Kiehl's does better on skin barrier and tone improvement, while Eminence is preferred for hydration, moisture, cleansing, and oil control. For texture, absorption, gentle and sensitive skin care, and high price points, the products on this page perform equally.

Kiehl's or Eminence: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Eminence performs better for hydration and soothing, while the products on this page for Kiehl's fit dry, sensitive, and mature skin best. Reviewers often mention that Eminence offers hydrating and absorbent moisturizers, whereas Kiehl's provides lightweight, non-greasy options.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Eminence?

Both Kiehl's and Eminence share a high price point according to the reviews on the products on this page.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Kiehl's or Eminence?

Both Kiehl's and Eminence perform equally regarding breakouts, as reviewers report that both brands may occasionally cause breakouts and skin irritation. The products on this page for both brands feature lightweight or absorbent options to help manage skin types.

How do Kiehl's and Eminence compare in terms of fragrance-free product options?

Kiehl's offers mostly fragrance-free products on this page, with only 2 out of 28 items listing fragrance, whereas Eminence features no fragrance across all of the products on this page.

Which brand performs better for hydration and moisture according to reviewers?

According to reviewers, Eminence performs better for hydration and moisture.

What are the founding years and company ownership details for Kiehl's and Eminence?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000. Eminence was founded in 1958 and is independently owned.

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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