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Kiehl's vs Shiseido

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

Kiehl's and Shiseido are heritage beauty houses founded in America and Japan, respectively, that offer beloved lines of moisturizers, serums, toners, and cleansers. The former utilizes glycerin and squalane to best suit dry and sensitive skin, while the latter features balanced formulations with glycerin that cater best to sensitive and oily skin. Both present standout products for particular concerns, such as targeted toners and creams for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin. They differ fundamentally through their specific ingredient profiles and regional philosophies, yet both work to significantly increase hydration.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Shiseido is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

corp.shiseido.comen.wikipedia.orgmarketscreener.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Shiseido products

People Say

Kiehl'sShiseido
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Immediate sensation of comfort — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels plump, soft and nourished, eliminates dryness, bouncy feel — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Skin feels more hydrated — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Mostly 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”
    • “Airy-soft texture — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Skin barrier and texture improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Velvety smooth — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
    • “makes skin baby soft — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched”
    • “smoothes rough skin — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Radiance and relaxing experience Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looks brighter, more radiant, and "glowy." — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “Pleasant floral fragrance, relaxing, luxurious smell. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “spa-like scent, high-quality packaging, little goes a long way — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Luxurious texture and formula Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Velvety, rich cream texture — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Velvety texture — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
  • Plumping and anti-aging Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Smoothed out crow's feet — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “tighter jawline, lifted appearance, improved elasticity, less sagging — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “wrinkles look softer — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched”
    • “Skin looks noticeably more plump — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • High price and cost value Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Expensive, pricey, high cost for the amount. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
  • 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”
    • “smell is overpowering — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Greasy residue and oiliness Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Stays tacky and shiny — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “feels a bit oily — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched”
    • “A little too much (too greasy) — Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Lack of results or effectiveness Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “No change in deep wrinkles — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “No noticeable difference, not moisturizing enough on its own. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “no visible lifting, just a moisturizer, didn't erase deep wrinkles — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”

Kiehl's vs Shiseido routines for dry skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · A$685.63 · 86% fitBuy Shiseido routine · A$515.52 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs Shiseido routines for oily skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · A$767.92 · 85% fitBuy Shiseido routine · A$737.92 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Shiseido routines for combination skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · A$693.88 · 83% fitBuy Shiseido routine · A$614.44 · 81% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Shiseido: which is better?

Both brands offer solid options, but Kiehl's may fit dry skin better with a High routine fit compared to Shiseido's Average fit. Reviewers note that Kiehl's products on this page often provide lightweight hydration, while Shiseido frequently features luxurious textures and deep moisturization.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Shiseido?

Kiehl's offers mostly fragrance-free products with lightweight textures, whereas Shiseido features luxurious formulas that frequently include fragrance and provide deep hydration. For dry skin, the products on this page have a High routine fit for Kiehl's and an Average fit for Shiseido.

Kiehl's or Shiseido for dry skin?

For dry skin, Kiehl's is the better choice on this page, offering a High routine fit compared to Shiseido's Average fit level. Kiehl's features fragrance-free hydrating options like the Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate, which may help improve dry skin.

Kiehl's or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

Shiseido is often noted for its deep-cleansing and efficient cleansers, while Kiehl's also offers highly rated cleansers such as the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash. Shiseido's products on this page frequently provide deep hydration and luxurious textures.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Shiseido?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido are similar in that the products on this page have a high price point.

How do the fragrance levels compare between Kiehl's and Shiseido products?

Kiehl's products on this page generally have less added scent, with 26 out of 28 items listing no fragrance. In contrast, most Shiseido products on the page include fragrance.

Which brand performs better for deep hydration and moisturization according to reviewers?

Shiseido performs better for deep hydration and moisturization according to reviewers.

What are the foundational founding years and parent companies of Kiehl's and Shiseido?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000. Shiseido was founded in 1872 in Japan and is owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

Kiehl's or Shiseido for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido offer products on this page that have a High Lovi fit for oily skin. Reviewers often mention that Kiehl's provides lightweight and non-greasy moisturizers, while Shiseido is praised for deep hydration and efficient cleansers.

Kiehl's or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

Shiseido is better for deep hydration and moisturization among the products on this page, while Kiehl's is noted for lightweight and non-greasy moisturizers. Lovi rates the routine fit for dry skin as High for Kiehl's and Average for Shiseido.

Kiehl's or Shiseido for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin. The products on this page help provide deep hydration and soothing care, though Shiseido frequently uses fragrance.

Kiehl's or Shiseido: which sunscreen is better?

When comparing sunscreens on this page, both Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum and Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Day Cream achieve a High fit level for acne-prone, combination, and sensitive skin. For dry sensitive skin and dry skin, the products on this page show Kiehl's with an Average fit level and Shiseido reaching High or Superior levels.

Kiehl's or Shiseido for acne-prone skin?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido achieve a High routine fit for acne-prone skin on this page, but Kiehl's stands out for its lighter textures and fragrance-free options. Reviewers note that Kiehl's offers lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and gentle serums, whereas Shiseido frequently features strong fragrances and luxurious textures.

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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