🇨🇦Canada

Kiehl's vs Elemis

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

Kiehl's and Elemis are established skincare brands that offer nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, gentle cleansers, and soothing toners. The American brand relies on glycerin and squalane to suit mature and sensitive skin best, while the British brand uses glycerin and shea to support mature and dry skin. Both labels differ in their heritage and targeted formulations, as one favors barrier-supporting properties with squalane, whereas the other focuses on restoring suppleness through shea.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Elemis products

People Say

Kiehl'sElemis
  • Deep hydration Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Brightening and radiance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “instantly fresh glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
  • Lightweight texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “weightless serum — Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment”
  • Skin barrier and texture improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Relaxing or spa-like scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like a spa — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “smells like a holiday — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “smells like a tropical cocktail — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Gentle for sensitive skin Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “doesn't irritate sensitive eyes — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • High price Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “very expensive — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
  • Burning, stinging, and irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes 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”
    • “blurry vision — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “Developed milia and closed comedones. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Ineffective or slow results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “didn't see a difference — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “didn't see difference — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”

Kiehl's vs Elemis routines for dry skin

Buy Elemis routine · CA$278.47 · 88% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$413.99 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Elemis routines for oily skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · CA$370.40 · 80% fitBuy Elemis routine · CA$411.49 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Elemis routines for combination skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · CA$373.49 · 79% fitBuy Elemis routine · CA$369.58 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Elemis: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis perform well across many skin types, though Kiehl's is often considered more gentle for sensitive skin while Elemis offers a Superior routine fit for mature skin. For products on this page, reviewers note that Kiehl's lists no fragrance in 26 of 28 products, whereas Elemis includes fragrance in 18 of 22 products.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Elemis?

Kiehl's is gentler for sensitive skin and features mostly fragrance-free products on this page, whereas Elemis offers a more relaxing or spa-like scent with stronger fragrance across most of its products.

Kiehl's or Elemis for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis achieve a high routine fit level for dry skin on the products on this page. Reviewers report that both brands provide hydrating moisturizers, and Kiehl's lists no fragrance in 26 of 28 products, which helps sensitive dry skin.

Kiehl's or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis feature popular cleansers on the products on this page, but Kiehl's is noted as being more gentle for sensitive skin. Reviewers find that both brands offer effective cleansing options, though Kiehl's has specialized high-fit formulas for oily and acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Elemis?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis feature a high price point among the products on this page, so neither brand is more affordable.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Kiehl's or Elemis?

Kiehl's has more fragrance-free products than Elemis on this page, with 26 of its 28 products listing no fragrance compared to only 4 of 22 for Elemis.

Kiehl's or Elemis for oily skin?

Kiehl's is better for oily skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Elemis at Average. The products on this page for Kiehl's also tend to be fragrance-free, whereas most Elemis products contain fragrance.

Kiehl's or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis offer excellent moisturizers, with Kiehl's providing high fit levels for dry sensitive skin and Elemis featuring a superior fit level for mature skin with products like Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. Kiehl's formulas on this page are mostly fragrance-free, whereas Elemis includes fragrance in several of its moisturizers, which may affect sensitive skin types.

Kiehl's or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis achieve a High Lovi fit level for sensitive skin, but reviewers find Kiehl's gentler for sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Elemis is a better fit for acne-prone skin on this page, achieving a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average level. Elemis features products like the Papaya Enzyme Peel which is a High fit for acne-prone skin.

Kiehl's or Elemis for mature skin?

Elemis is a better fit for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High fit level. Both brands offer hydrating moisturizers, but Elemis also provides a relaxing, spa-like scent.

Kiehl's or Elemis for skin with dark spots?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis match well for skin with dark spots, with Lovi giving both brands a High routine fit level. Reviewers note that both brands deliver equally well on brightening and radiance.

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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