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Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's

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

Dr. Althea and Kiehl's are skincare brands celebrated for their nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, and gentle cleansers. The Korean brand features formulas suited for dry and mature skin, while the American brand relies on glycerin and squalane to support sensitive and mature skin. These houses differ in their founding origins and specific ingredient philosophies, offering thoughtful solutions for balanced, healthy complexions.

Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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

Popular Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's products

People Say

Dr. AltheaKiehl's
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “rich but non-greasy — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Soothing and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Tone Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “strengthened my skin barrier — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • 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”
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Removes sunscreen well — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “great for morning routine — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “a bit pricey — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Scent and Irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like plants — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “clinical scent — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “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”
  • Pilling and Application Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “rolled off my face — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Struggles with waterproof mascara — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · CA$202.71 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$413.99 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · CA$333.68 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$370.40 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · CA$276.78 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$373.49 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both brands perform well, but Dr. Althea provides superior soothing formulas and better fits for dry and mature skin, while Kiehl's excels in hydration and skin barrier and tone improvement. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea features gentle cleansers and soothing moisturizers, whereas Kiehl's offers deep hydration alongside a higher price point and frequent reports of breakouts and skin irritation.

What is the difference between Dr. Althea and Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea and Kiehl's differ mainly in their focus, as Dr. Althea excels in soothing and gentle formulas with fragrance-free products on the page, while Kiehl's is known for deep hydration and skin barrier and tone improvement.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Dr. Althea is a better fit for dry skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High level. The products on this page for Dr. Althea also feature fragrance-free formulations, whereas Kiehl's includes a higher price point and occasional irritation issues noted by reviewers.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Dr. Althea is better for soothing cleansers, as the products on this page offer gentle formulas with fragrance-free options. Reviewers mostly mention that Dr. Althea provides gentle and soothing cleansers.

Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea is more affordable, whereas reviewers often note Kiehl's for its high price point.

Do Dr. Althea or Kiehl's products contain fragrance?

Every product from Dr. Althea on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas Kiehl's includes fragrance in only two of its 28 products.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Dr. Althea and Kiehl's are a High fit for oily skin, offering targeted cleansers and treatments like the Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser and Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner. Reviewers mention that the products on this page help provide lightweight hydration without a heavy residue.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer popular moisturizers, but Dr. Althea tends to excel for dry and acne-prone skin while Kiehl's is frequently chosen for deep hydration and barrier care. Reviewers often mention that Dr. Althea provides soothing moisturizers, whereas Kiehl's delivers lightweight, non-greasy hydration.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both brands are a High fit for sensitive skin, offering gentle options with no fragrance listed across any products on the Dr. Althea page and nearly all Kiehl's products.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Dr. Althea is a better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as High compared to Kiehl's Average level. Reviewers mention that the products on this page help provide gentle and soothing cleansers and moisturizers.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for mature skin?

For mature skin, Dr. Althea fits better because Lovi rates its routine as Superior while Kiehl's is High.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for skin with dark spots?

Both brands fit skin with dark spots well, with Lovi rating Dr. Althea High and Kiehl's High. Reviewers note that Kiehl's brings brightening and fading dark spots, while every Dr. Althea product on this page lists no fragrance.

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

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