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Kiehl's vs Minimalist

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

Kiehl's and Minimalist are two distinct skincare brands with dedicated followings across the globe. Kiehl's is known for its nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and gentle eye products featuring dependable ingredients like glycerin and squalane, whereas the brand from India focuses on sunscreens, moisturizers, and cleansers. The American brand suits mature skin and sensitive skin best, while the newer brand fits oily skin and combination skin best. They differ primarily in their heritage, foundational ingredients, and the skin types they target, allowing both to serve different beauty routines.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Minimalist is an Indian skincare brand founded in 2020 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2025.

m.economictimes.comunilever.combeminimalist.copersonalcareinsights.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Minimalist products

People Say

Kiehl'sMinimalist
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “leaves absolutely no white cast — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “absorbs quickly and doesn't feel greasy — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture 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”
    • “very moisturizing — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “calmed it when my skin was super irritated — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
  • Oil Control Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “acne cleared up in a week — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “perfect moisturizer for oily skin — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “keeps skin oil-free for hours — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “keeps my T-zone matte — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Consistency and Scent Notes Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “zero smell — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Gentle on Skin Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “doesn't make skin feel tight — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedNot noted
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “skin looked & felt smoother — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
  • Greasy or Oily Finish Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “didn't absorb well — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “makes face very oily — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
  • Texture and Drying Issues Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “consistency is like water — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • High Price and Poor Value Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Unpleasant Scent and Chemical Smell Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells clinical — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “faint lab smell — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “smells like chemicals — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Packaging and Application Issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “cap leaks during travel — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”

Kiehl's vs Minimalist routines for dry skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · CA$413.99 · 80% fitBuy Minimalist routine · CA$139.30 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Minimalist routines for oily skin

Buy Minimalist routine · CA$276.27 · 93% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$370.40 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Minimalist routines for combination skin

Buy Minimalist routine · CA$219.37 · 93% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$373.49 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Minimalist: which is better?

Both brands perform well, but Minimalist is superior for oily, combination, acne-prone, and mature skin, while Kiehl's is better for skin barrier and texture improvement. Reviewers note that Kiehl's has a higher price point and can cause breakouts and irritation, whereas Minimalist offers better oil control and a lighter texture.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Minimalist?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States and is owned by L'Oréal S.A., whereas Minimalist was founded in 2020 in India and is owned by Unilever PLC. For skin routines, Kiehl's fits best for mature skin, sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots, while Minimalist fits best for oily skin, combination skin, and oily acne-prone skin.

Kiehl's or Minimalist for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Minimalist are a High fit for dry skin. The products on this page for both brands offer good options for dry skin types.

Kiehl's or Minimalist: which cleanser is better?

Minimalist offers better cleansers for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin with Superior fit levels, whereas the products on this page from Kiehl's also provide Superior fit levels for oily and oily acne-prone skin types.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Minimalist?

Minimalist offers more affordable pricing compared to Kiehl's. Reviewers on this page often mention high price points as a negative for Kiehl's.

Between Kiehl's and Minimalist, which brand is better suited for mature skin?

Minimalist is better suited for mature skin because Lovi rates its routine as Superior, whereas Kiehl's is rated High. Additionally, Minimalist does better on review themes like texture and consistency.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Kiehl's and Minimalist compare?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000, whereas Minimalist was founded in 2020 in India and is owned by Unilever PLC since 2025.

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

Minimalist has more fragrance-free products because every product on its page lists no fragrance, whereas Kiehl's has 26 of 28 products on this page that list no fragrance.

Kiehl's or Minimalist for oily skin?

Minimalist is the better choice for oily skin, where Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Kiehl's High level. Reviewers on the page indicate that Minimalist does better for oil control and texture.

Kiehl's or Minimalist: which sunscreen is better?

Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen offers High Lovi fit for dry sensitive skin, while Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum offers Average Lovi fit for dry sensitive skin. Reviewers indicate that Minimalist does better on oil control and texture.

Kiehl's or Minimalist for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both Kiehl's and Minimalist achieve a High routine fit level on this page. Kiehl's products on this page list no fragrance in 26 of 28 items, while every Minimalist product on this page lists no fragrance.

Kiehl's or Minimalist for acne-prone skin?

Minimalist fits acne-prone skin better, as Lovi rates Minimalist as Superior for acne-prone skin while Kiehl's is rated as Average.

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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