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Kiehl's vs Olay

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

Kiehl's and Olay are two trusted skincare lines offering reliable moisturizers, eye products, serums, and cleansers. The former relies on dependable ingredients like glycerin and squalane to suit mature and sensitive skin best, whereas the latter utilizes niacinamide and glycerin to suit sensitive and oily skin best. While both brands share a focus on gentle formulations, they differ through their distinct active ingredients and targeted benefits.

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Olay products

People Say

Kiehl'sOlay
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Skin Smoothing and Barrier Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “Makeup goes on so smooth — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • 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”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Gentle on Skin Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “fragrance-free — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “No irritation at all — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
  • Makeup Compatibility Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “acts as primer — Olay Super Serum”
  • High Price Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Breakouts and Irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “burned my face immediately — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “caused cystic acne — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Caused breakouts — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • Product Ineffectiveness Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “no difference — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Olay Super Serum”
    • “didn't see a difference — Olay Retinol24”
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”

Kiehl's vs Olay routines for dry skin

Buy Olay routine · CA$156.85 · 82% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$413.99 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Olay routines for oily skin

Buy Olay routine · CA$298.41 · 83% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$370.40 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Olay routines for combination skin

Buy Olay routine · CA$250.43 · 82% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$373.49 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Olay: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and Olay offer high routine fit levels across most skin types on this page, while Olay achieves a higher fit for acne-prone skin. Reviewers often mention intense hydration and improved texture for the products on this page from both brands.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Olay?

Olay tends to do better for acne-prone skin with its products on this page, while both brands offer equal routine fit levels for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark-spotted skin types. Kiehl's is owned by L'Oréal S.A. and Olay is owned by The Procter & Gamble Company.

Kiehl's or Olay for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Olay are great options for dry skin, as the products on this page provide a High routine fit for this skin type. Reviewers often mention that both brands deliver intense hydration.

Kiehl's or Olay: which cleanser is better?

Both Kiehl's and Olay offer cleansers that fit most skin types well, though Kiehl's has options with Superior ratings for oily and oily acne-prone skin. Reviewers note that both brands deliver effective cleansing, but Olay does better with skin smoothing and barrier support.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Olay?

Olay is more affordable, as reviewers often note a high price point for Kiehl's while Olay has a review theme mentioning a high price as a negative.

Between Kiehl's and Olay, which brand does better for skin smoothing and barrier repair?

Olay does better for skin smoothing and barrier repair based on the review themes on this page.

Which brand has more fragrance-free options, Kiehl's or Olay?

Both Kiehl's and Olay offer the same number of fragrance-free options among the products on this page, with twenty-six out of twenty-seven or twenty-eight products listing no fragrance.

How do Kiehl's and Olay compare regarding routine fit for acne-prone skin?

Olay achieves a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, whereas Kiehl's reaches an Average fit for the products on this page.

Kiehl's or Olay for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Olay offer a High routine fit for oily skin. Lovi rates the routine fit for oily skin as High for both brands.

Kiehl's or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Both Kiehl's and Olay offer moisturizers that provide deep hydration and smooth texture, but Olay is a better option for skin smoothing and barrier support while typically being more affordable. Kiehl's is known for its lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and fragrance-free options across nearly all products on this page.

Kiehl's or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Olay provide a High routine fit for sensitive skin. Lovi rates Kiehl's best for sensitive skin among its brand-focused routines, while Olay also fits sensitive skin well with options like its Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream, which has a Superior fit level for sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Olay: which sunscreen is better?

Olay offers better sunscreen options on this page, as the Regenerist Whip Face Moisturizer SPF 25 is rated High for all skin types. Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum may also suit many users, but its fit varies by skin type, with oily and dry skin receiving only Average ratings.

Kiehl's or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Olay is a better choice for acne-prone skin because the products on this page achieve a High routine fit, whereas Kiehl's achieves an Average routine fit.

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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