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Kiehl's vs Grown Alchemist

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

Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist are trusted skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily wellness. Kiehl's is known for its nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and gentle eye products featuring dependable ingredients like glycerin and squalane, which suit mature and sensitive skin best by supporting the epidermal barrier. Meanwhile, Grown Alchemist is loved for its cleansers and serums, offering formulas that suit sensitive, dry, and combination skin. While both share a commitment to gentle care, they differ in their specific botanical and scientific foundations as well as their targeted skin type preferences.

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 Grown Alchemist products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Grown Alchemist products

People Say

Kiehl'sGrown Alchemist
  • Gentle for sensitive skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Perfect for sensitive skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “calms my skin down — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • 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”
    • “Skin version of chugging water — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Lightweight texture Often 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”
    • “Very light weight — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Non-stripping and gentle cleansing Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Doesn't dry out my skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “doesn't strip at all — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Relaxing and pleasant scent Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Smells amazing — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “smell is divine — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Cleanses and controls oil Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Gets everything nice and clean — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • High price Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for what it is — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “A bit pricey — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Packaging and application issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “tube cracks easily — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Makeup removal and compatibility issues Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Isn't going to be your makeup remover — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist: which is better?

Grown Alchemist provides gentler cleansing for sensitive skin, whereas Kiehl's is better for lightweight textures and offers a much wider range of products. Lovi fit ratings show that Grown Alchemist has High fit levels for sensitive skin with its cleansers, while Kiehl's fits mature skin, sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots best across its routines.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist is better for gentle, non-stripping cleansing and sensitive skin, while Kiehl's offers lighter textures, though Grown Alchemist has a higher price point. Lovi fit for sensitive skin is High with Grown Alchemist's Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser.

Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist: which cleanser is better?

Grown Alchemist does better for non-stripping and gentle cleansing, while the products on this page for Kiehl's offer superior Lovi fit levels for oily and acne-prone skin such as the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash. Emollients help support the skin barrier during cleansing.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist is noted for a high price, while the products on this page for Kiehl's also receive frequent mentions of a high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist is generally considered gentler and better suited for sensitive skin, whereas reviewers frequently mention that Kiehl's products can cause breakouts and skin irritation.

How do the founding years and current ownership compare between Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist?

Kiehl's was founded earlier in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000, whereas Grown Alchemist was founded later in 2008 and is independently owned as of 2024.

Which brand has more fragrance-free options among its product lineup?

Grown Alchemist has more fragrance-free options among its product lineup, as every product on this page lists no fragrance. In comparison, Kiehl's features fragrance in a few of the products on this page.

How do the Lovi fit levels for dry sensitive skin differ between Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist cleansers?

For dry sensitive skin, Kiehl's cleansers feature Lovi fit levels ranging from Low to Superior, whereas Grown Alchemist cleansers achieve High and Average levels. The products on this page for Grown Alchemist help provide gentle and non-stripping cleansing.

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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