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Kiehl's vs Medik8

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

Kiehl's and Medik8 are heritage and contemporary skincare lines celebrated for targeted formulations. Kiehl's offers dependable moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and more featuring nourishing glycerin and squalane to suit mature skin and skin with dark spots best, whereas the British brand provides serums, moisturizers, eye products, toners, and more built around hyaluronic acid for dry skin and dry sensitive skin. They differ primarily in their active ingredients and founding eras, with both utilizing distinct solutions like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner, Surface Radiance Cleanse, Oxy-R Peptides, and Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream to address specific concerns.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular Kiehl's and Medik8 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Medik8 products

People Say

Kiehl'sMedik8
  • Gentle on Sensitive Skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Best retinol replacement — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep Hydration and Moisture Mostly 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”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
  • Improves Skin Barrier and Texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
    • “My skin was smoother, my skin texture felt more resurfaced. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • 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 quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Fades Dark Spots and Brightens Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “unlocked a serious glow — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pigmentation lightened slightly — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • No White Cast and Glowing Finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “doubles as moisturizer — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “Leaves skin looking glass-like and radiant — Medik8 Press & Glow”
    • “brightens skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
  • High Price Point and Poor Value Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “very expensive for amount — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “hefty price tag — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • 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”
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no difference — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
  • Greasy or Oily Residue Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “too oily for my combination skin — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Oily texture unpleasant — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “too oily — Medik8 Super C Ferulic”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for dry skin

Buy Medik8 routine · $235.67 · 96% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · $382.00 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

Buy Medik8 routine · $418.54 · 90% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · $343.42 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · $419.65 · 93% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · $339.90 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Medik8: which is better?

Medik8 is often rated as superior for sensitive and acne-prone skin on the products on this page, while Kiehl's is frequently noted for deep hydration and lightweight textures. Both brands share high routines for mature skin and dark spots, though Medik8 may be better for a gentle, non-irritating experience.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Medik8?

Medik8 is founded in the UK and owned by L'Oréal Groupe, while Kiehl's is founded in the US and owned by L'Oréal S.A. Reviewers note that Medik8 does better on sensitive skin and fading dark spots, whereas Kiehl's is better known for deep hydration and lightweight textures.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for dry skin?

Medik8 is a superior fit for dry skin on this page, offering targeted products like Hydr8 B5 Intense and Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream. Hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration and moisture.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

Both Kiehl's and Medik8 offer top-tier cleansers, as Lovi rates the routine fit for the products on this page as Superior for oily skin, oily acne-prone skin, and acne-prone skin for both brands. Medik8 stands out for being more gentle on sensitive skin, while Kiehl's provides a lighter, non-greasy texture.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Medik8?

Medik8 is noted for having a high price point and poor value compared to Kiehl's.

Between Kiehl's and Medik8, which brand is better for fading dark spots and brightening?

Medik8 does better for fading dark spots and brightening than Kiehl's according to the review themes on this page. Medik8 helps fade dark spots and brighten the skin effectively while remaining gentle.

How do the fragrance-free options compare between Kiehl's and Medik8 products?

Kiehl's offers 26 fragrance-free products on this page, while Medik8 has 11 fragrance-free options. Both brands provide a wide selection of products that list no fragrance.

Which brand performs better for improving skin texture according to review themes?

Medik8 performs better for improving skin texture according to review themes. Reviewers mention that Medik8 helps improve skin texture and supports the skin barrier.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for oily skin?

Medik8 is superior for oily skin, offering better routine fit than Kiehl's. The products on this page help deliver deep hydration while maintaining a lightweight feel.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Medik8 helps provide superior dry skin and dry sensitive skin hydration on this page, while Kiehl's offers a high fit for dry skin alongside lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers. Hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration and plumping for skin quality.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

Medik8 provides a superior routine fit for sensitive skin compared to Kiehl's, and reviewers note that Medik8 does better at being gentle on sensitive skin. Medik8's Hydr8 B5 Intense helps provide deep hydration and plumping using hyaluronic acid.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

Medik8 is a better fit for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to an Average fit for Kiehl's. Reviewers on this page note that Medik8 offers gentle serums that may help improve skin texture without causing 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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