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Kiehl's vs SK-II

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

Kiehl's and SK-II are distinguished skincare brands that cater to different preferences and complexions. The American brand is loved for its nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and gentle eye products relying on dependable ingredients like glycerin and squalane, which suit mature skin and sensitive skin best. Meanwhile, the Japanese brand is adored for its luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, soothing masks, and refreshing toners anchored by the signature ingredient pitera, making its nourishing formulations ideal for dry skin and combination skin. While both offer targeted solutions for concerns like acne, dark spots, and aging, they differ fundamentally in their heritage, foundational ingredients, and the specific skin types they nurture.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

SK-II is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.

en.wikipedia.orgdiscoversk-ii.wixsite.comglossy.co

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

Popular Kiehl's vs SK-II products

People Say

Kiehl'sSK-II
  • 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”
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • 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”
    • “savior for dry patches — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Radiance and glow Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “gives a glass skin look — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “leaves me with a red carpet glow — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “noticeable skin brightening effect and glow — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Improves skin barrier and texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “Smoother skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Makeup compatibility and primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Removes leftover dirt — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “Dissolves waterproof mascara, melts stubborn makeup, removes sunscreen easily. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
  • Fades dark spots and brightens Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looks brighter — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “My skin is glowing now. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
    • “Reduced sun spots — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • High price and cost Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “overpriced for what it does — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Slow or ineffective results Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “results were subtle — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Unpleasant scent or fragrance 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 dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Causes breakouts and acne Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “caused tiny red bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “Small bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “did break out some while adjusting — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for dry skin

Buy SK-II routine · CA$783.50 · 93% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$413.99 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy SK-II routine · CA$1,101.33 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$370.40 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy SK-II routine · CA$1,065.33 · 93% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · CA$373.49 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or SK-II: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and SK-II are strong options, with Lovi rating Kiehl's routine fit as High for dry skin and SK-II as Superior. Kiehl's features lightweight moisturizers and deep hydration, while SK-II offers fragrance-free products centered around Pitera.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and SK-II?

Kiehl's offers a wide range of lightweight moisturizers and cleansers with fit levels like High for dry skin, whereas SK-II focuses heavily on its signature Pitera ingredient with products like Facial Treatment Essence helping to provide Superior fit levels for dry and acne-prone skin.

Kiehl's or SK-II for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi rates SK-II as Superior and Kiehl's as High. SK-II features a higher routine fit for dry skin compared to the products on this page from Kiehl's.

Kiehl's or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers for different skin types, with Lovi rating Kiehl's routine fit for dry skin as High and SK-II as Superior. Kiehl's features lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers containing key ingredients like glycerin and squalane, while SK-II relies on Pitera.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or SK-II?

Both Kiehl's and SK-II are premium skincare lines, but reviewers frequently note a high price point for the products on this page as a drawback for Kiehl's.

Between Kiehl's and SK-II, which brand is better for improving the skin barrier and texture?

SK-II does better than Kiehl's at improving the skin barrier and texture according to the review themes on this page.

How do Kiehl's and SK-II compare regarding fragrance in their product formulations?

Kiehl's includes fragrance in a small number of the products on this page, whereas every product from SK-II lists no fragrance.

Which brand offers better results for fading dark spots and brightening the skin, Kiehl's or SK-II?

SK-II offers better results for fading dark spots and brightening the skin. Review themes on this page show that SK-II does better at fading dark spots and brightening compared to Kiehl's.

Kiehl's or SK-II for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds that Kiehl's has a High routine fit while SK-II achieves a Superior fit. Reviewers note that Kiehl's offers lightweight texture and deep hydration, whereas SK-II stands out for radiance and glow, improving the skin barrier, and fading dark spots.

Kiehl's or SK-II for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both Kiehl's and SK-II achieve a High routine fit on the products on this page.

Kiehl's or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Lovi finds that SK-II offers a Superior routine fit while Kiehl's provides an Average routine fit. Reviewers note that Kiehl's products on this page may cause breakouts and skin irritation.

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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