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Kiehl's vs Clarins

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

Kiehl's and Clarins are respected skincare labels offering dependable moisturizers, potent serums, soothing eye products, and gentle toners. The American brand incorporates glycerin and squalane to suit mature skin and skin with dark spots best, whereas the French brand relies on shea and squalane to favor sensitive and dry sensitive skin. Both lines feature standout treatments for specific concerns, but they differ in their heritage and precise active formulations.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Clarins products

People Say

Kiehl'sClarins
  • Deep hydration Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
    • “woke up with baby soft skin — Clarins Multi-Active Nuit”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • 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 immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
  • No white cast and glowing skin Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “skin looks brighter immediately — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
    • “Gives off the most stunning natural radiance I've ever come across. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
  • Skin barrier and texture improvement Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “neck feels smoother — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “visibly tighter, lifted skin — Clarins Super Restorative Night Cream”
  • Makeup base and primer compatibility Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “Perfect primer for any foundation, which all glide on smoothly. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
  • Rich and creamy texture Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “melting non-oily texture — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “Creamy texture feels luxurious upon application — Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream”
    • “feels like silk — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “feels luxurious and thick — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
  • High price point and poor value Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “too expensive for results — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Scent and fragrance complaints 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 perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Breakouts and skin irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “caused redness — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “made my face burn — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
    • “burned my face immediately — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • 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”
    • “didn't see a lift — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “no change in circles — Clarins Double Serum Eye”

Kiehl's vs Clarins routines for dry skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · $382.00 · 82% fitBuy Clarins routine · $250.04 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Clarins routines for oily skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · $343.42 · 80% fitBuy Clarins routine · $434.07 · 71% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs Clarins routines for combination skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · $339.90 · 83% fitBuy Clarins routine · $413.07 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Clarins: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and Clarins are good choices, as both offer high routine fit levels for dry skin, sensitive skin, mature skin, skin with dark spots, dry sensitive skin, and oily acne-prone skin. Kiehl's may be a better option for oily and combination skin, whereas Clarins is a better fit for acne-prone skin.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Clarins?

Kiehl's and Clarins both offer effective formulas, but Kiehl's features fragrance-free options across nearly all of its products on this page, whereas almost all Clarins products contain fragrance. Reviewers note that Kiehl's is better for avoiding scent complaints, while Clarins excels in deep hydration and luxurious textures.

Kiehl's or Clarins for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Clarins provide a High routine fit for dry skin on the products on this page. Reviewers report that Kiehl's offers lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers, while Clarins is noted for its hydrating and smoothing moisturizers.

Kiehl's or Clarins: which cleanser is better?

Kiehl's cleanser range offers better fit levels on this page for oily and oily acne-prone skin, with options like Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash reaching a Superior fit.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Clarins?

Both Kiehl's and Clarins share a high price point according to reviewers on the products on this page.

Between Kiehl's and Clarins, which brand has fewer fragrance-free products?

Clarins has fewer fragrance-free products than Kiehl's, as only one product on the Clarins page lists no fragrance compared to twenty-six products on the Kiehl's page.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between Kiehl's and Clarins?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States, whereas Clarins was founded later, in 1954, in France.

Which brand performs better for oily acne-prone skin according to the routine fit ratings?

For oily acne-prone skin, Kiehl's performs better because Lovi's routine fit rating for Kiehl's is High, while Clarins is Average.

Kiehl's or Clarins for oily skin?

For oily skin, Kiehl's is a better choice because Lovi rates its routine fit as High, whereas Clarins is rated Average. The products on this page for Kiehl's include oil-focused options like Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream and Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash.

Kiehl's or Clarins: which moisturizer is better?

Clarins is better for deep hydration and luxurious textures on the products on this page, whereas Kiehl's is better for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers. Clarins products on this page frequently use ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Clarins for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Clarins are a High fit for sensitive skin on Lovi. Kiehl's lists no fragrance in 26 of 28 products on this page, whereas almost all Clarins products contain fragrance.

Kiehl's or Clarins for acne-prone skin?

Clarins fits acne-prone skin better than Kiehl's, as Lovi rates Clarins' routine for acne-prone skin as High while Kiehl's is 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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