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Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's

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

Dr. Althea and Kiehl's are distinct skincare lines that invite careful comparison. Dr. Althea offers thoughtful moisturizers, gentle cleansers, effective makeup removers, and nourishing serums with soothing formulas that suit dry skin and acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the American brand provides dependable moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products featuring glycerin and squalane that suit mature skin and skin with dark spots best. While both brands present targeted solutions for various needs, they differ through their foundational ingredients and regional origins.

Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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 Dr. Althea and Kiehl's products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's products

People Say

Dr. AltheaKiehl's
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “rich but non-greasy — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Soothing and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Tone Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “strengthened my skin barrier — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly 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”
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Removes sunscreen well — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “great for morning routine — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “a bit pricey — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Scent and Irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like plants — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “clinical scent — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “burned my face immediately — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “stings my face and feels like burning — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
  • Pilling and Application Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “rolled off my face — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Struggles with waterproof mascara — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · $144.68 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · $382.00 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · $296.69 · 90% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · $343.42 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · $276.17 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · $339.90 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both brands perform well, but Dr. Althea achieves a superior routine fit for acne-prone skin and mature skin on the products on this page. Kiehl's brings strengths in skin barrier and tone improvement as well as hydration and moisture, while Dr. Althea is noted for soothing and gentle formulas.

What is the difference between Dr. Althea and Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea and Kiehl's differ mainly in their formulation focus and skin type performance, with Dr. Althea achieving a Superior routine fit for acne-prone, mature, and oily skin types, while Kiehl's fits best for mature skin, skin with dark spots, and combination skin.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for dry skin?

For dry skin, Dr. Althea achieves a Superior routine fit while Kiehl's reaches a High fit on this page. Reviewers report that Dr. Althea provides soothing and hydrating moisturizers, whereas Kiehl's is often noted for deep hydration. Emollients help support the skin barrier in dry skin types.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Dr. Althea provides a better cleanser experience with options like the Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser, which has a Superior Lovi fit for oily, combination, acne-prone, and dry skin. Reviewers often mention its gentle and soothing formulas without fragrance, whereas Kiehl's cleansers sometimes cause breakouts and skin irritation.

Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea is more affordable, as Kiehl's is noted by reviewers for its high price point. Review themes on the page also indicate that a high price point is a negative point specifically associated with Dr. Althea less often.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which brand has better fragrance options?

Both brands offer fragrance options, as every product on the Dr. Althea page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, while only two products on the Kiehl's page include fragrance. Reviewers sometimes note scent and irritation issues for Dr. Althea, whereas Kiehl's reviewers mention causes breakouts and skin irritation.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for oily skin?

For oily skin, Dr. Althea has a Superior routine fit while Kiehl's has a High routine fit on the products on this page.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both Dr. Althea and Kiehl's offer popular moisturizers, but Dr. Althea achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin while Kiehl's routine fit is High. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea moisturizers are mostly described as soothing and hydrating, whereas Kiehl's moisturizers are frequently praised for deep hydration.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both Dr. Althea and Kiehl's offer a high routine fit for sensitive skin, but reviewers note that Dr. Althea delivers soothing and gentle formulas more reliably. Every Dr. Althea product on this page lists no fragrance, while two Kiehl's products contain fragrance.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Dr. Althea is the better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior while Kiehl's is rated as Average. Reviewers frequently mention that Dr. Althea offers gentle cleansers and soothing moisturizers, though some note occasional breakouts.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for mature skin?

For mature skin, Dr. Althea has a Superior routine fit, while Kiehl's has a High routine fit. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea provides soothing and gentle formulas, whereas Kiehl's excels in skin barrier and tone improvement.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for skin with dark spots?

Both Dr. Althea and Kiehl's are a High fit for skin with dark spots. Reviewers note that Kiehl's is sometimes helpful for brightening and fading dark spots.

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

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