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The Ordinary vs Kiehl's

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

The Ordinary and Kiehl's are two prominent skincare lines that offer serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more. The Canadian brand centers its formulations on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry skin and dry sensitive skin best, while the American brand relies on glycerin and squalane to nourish dry skin and sensitive skin. For specific concerns, both brands provide targeted options featuring ingredients that increase hydration, improve barrier function, and support collagen.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Kiehl's products

People Say

The OrdinaryKiehl's
  • Texture and Pores Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly 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”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and Pricing Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Dark spots have faded noticeably — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “helped lighten post-acne scars — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “keeps my oils at bay — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • Sticky or Heavy Finish Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Skin Irritation and Stinging Sometimes NotedRarely 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”
    • “left my face bright red — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Pilling and Makeup Compatibility Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “rolled off my face — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “pills under my makeup — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”

The Ordinary vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$192.91 · 96% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · A$685.63 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$285.78 · 92% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · A$767.92 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$219.69 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · A$693.88 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both brands offer great options, but The Ordinary is better for value, acne, and texture, while Kiehl's is often praised for hydration and lightweight feel. Lovi rates routine fit as Superior for The Ordinary across most skin types, compared to High for Kiehl's.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Kiehl's?

Both brands offer targeted skincare, but The Ordinary is known for affordable, high-value serums and better acne and texture control, whereas Kiehl's is recognized for lightweight moisturizers and deep hydration. Lovi routine fit shows that The Ordinary has a Superior fit for dry skin, while Kiehl's has a High fit.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for dry skin?

The Ordinary fits dry skin best, with a Lovi fit level of Superior compared to Kiehl's High. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers great value and effective hydration with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Kiehl's offer effective cleansers on this page, but they cater to different needs and skin types. For instance, the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser from The Ordinary is rated High for dry and sensitive skin, while Kiehl's Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash is rated Superior for oily and oily acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Kiehl's?

The Ordinary provides better value and pricing among the products on this page, whereas reviewers frequently note that Kiehl's has a high price point.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which brand is better for brightening and dark spots?

Both The Ordinary and Kiehl's are equal for brightening and dark spots. Lovi fit for skin with dark spots is Superior for The Ordinary and High for Kiehl's.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which is better for texture and pores?

The Ordinary does better for texture and pores based on the products on this page. Reviewers often mention its texture-smoothing serums and acne-clearing serums.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which brand has fewer fragrance ingredients?

The Ordinary has fewer fragrance ingredients because every product on the products on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas Kiehl's has two products containing fragrance.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds The Ordinary to have a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High fit. The products on this page help with acne-clearing and texture-smoothing, though users sometimes note sticky or tacky finishes.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers better value, while Kiehl's provides deeply hydrating options like Midnight Recovery Omega-Rich Cloud Cream and Super Multi-Corrective Cream. The Ordinary has a Lovi fit level of Superior for dry skin routines, compared to High for Kiehl's.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary offers a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, while Kiehl's provides a High routine fit. Hyaluronic acid helps maintain skin hydration and skin quality.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Kiehl's are a good choice for acne-prone skin, as the routine fit for the products on this page is High for both brands.

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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