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Kiehl's vs Medik8

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

Kiehl's and Medik8 are established skincare brands offering nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, gentle eye products, and more. The American brand relies on dependable ingredients like glycerin and squalane, while the British brand is built around hyaluronic acid. Both suit dry skin, dry sensitive skin, mature skin, and sensitive skin best because of their gentle formulations and barrier-supporting properties. They differ primarily in their core active ingredients and heritage, with glycerin and squalane increasing hydration and counteracting oxidative stress, whereas hyaluronic acid lengthens toxin wrinkle effect duration.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular Kiehl's and Medik8 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Medik8 products

People Say

Kiehl'sMedik8
  • Gentle on Sensitive Skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Best retinol replacement — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep Hydration and Moisture Mostly 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”
    • “savior for dry patches — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
  • Improves Skin Barrier and Texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
    • “My skin was smoother, my skin texture felt more resurfaced. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy 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”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Fades Dark Spots and Brightens Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “unlocked a serious glow — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pigmentation lightened slightly — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • No White Cast and Glowing Finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “doubles as moisturizer — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “Leaves skin looking glass-like and radiant — Medik8 Press & Glow”
    • “brightens skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
  • High Price Point and Poor Value Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “very expensive for amount — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “hefty price tag — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial 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”
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no difference — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
  • Greasy or Oily Residue Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “too oily for my combination skin — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Oily texture unpleasant — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “too oily — Medik8 Super C Ferulic”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for dry skin

Buy Medik8 routine · CA$134.16 · 97% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$413.99 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

Buy Medik8 routine · CA$386.00 · 88% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$370.40 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · CA$350.00 · 93% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$373.49 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Medik8: which is better?

Medik8 is better for dry, sensitive, and mature skin types with its superior routine fits, while Kiehl's stands out for deep hydration and lightweight textures among the products on this page.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Medik8?

Medik8 is better for sensitive skin, barrier repair, fading dark spots, and dry skin routines, while Kiehl's is better for deep hydration and lightweight textures. Both brands feature high price points, but the products on this page show that Medik8 leans toward hyaluronic acid key ingredients while Kiehl's relies more on glycerin, vitamin C, squalane, shea butter, and vitamin E.

Drug Delivery, 2017

Kiehl's or Medik8 for dry skin?

Medik8 is a better fit for dry skin, offering a superior routine compared to Kiehl's high fit. Topical hyaluronic acid, a key ingredient across Medik8 products on this page, helps provide deep hydration and improve skin quality.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

Kiehl's or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

Medik8 stands out for surface-cleansing performance on this page, as its Surface Radiance Cleanse achieves a superior fit for acne-prone skin, skin with dark spots, and oily acne-prone skin. Meanwhile, Kiehl's offers specialized options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, which also achieves a superior fit for oily and oily acne-prone skin types.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Medik8?

Medik8 and Kiehl's are both noted by reviewers for having a high price point, so neither brand is more affordable on this page.

Kiehl's or Medik8: which brand is better for fading dark spots and brightening?

Medik8 is better for fading dark spots and brightening, as it outperforms Kiehl's in that review theme. Both brands feature products on this page with High fit levels for skin with dark spots.

Kiehl's or Medik8: how do their product fragrance options compare?

Medik8 offers fragrance options across more of the products on this page than Kiehl's does. Specifically, Medik8 lists fragrance in one of its twelve products, while Kiehl's lists fragrance in only two of its twenty-eight products.

Kiehl's or Medik8: which brand performs better for mature skin routines?

Medik8 performs better for mature skin routines, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High level. Medik8 helps deliver targeted anti-aging and plumping benefits through ingredients like hyaluronic acid and retinol alternatives.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Drug Delivery, 2017

Kiehl's or Medik8 for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Medik8 offer a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that Kiehl's is particularly known for lightweight and non-greasy textures.

Kiehl's or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Medik8 offers a superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Kiehl's, and the products on this page help deliver deep hydration with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid. Reviewers note that Medik8 provides deep hydration and plumping, whereas Kiehl's is known for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

Kiehl's or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

Both brands are great for sensitive skin, but Lovi rates Medik8 as Superior and Kiehl's as High. Reviewers note that Medik8 is especially gentle and non-irritating.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

Medik8 is a better fit for acne-prone skin, achieving a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average level.

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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