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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 established skincare brands that offer reliable moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and masks for various complexions. The American brand, founded in 1851, incorporates nourishing glycerin and squalane to suit mature skin and skin with dark spots best, while the Japanese brand, founded in 1980, anchors its luxurious formulations in signature pitera to suit dry skin and acne-prone skin best. Although both provide targeted solutions for distinct concerns, they differ fundamentally in their heritage, core ingredients, and ideal skin types.

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 · $591.97 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · $382.00 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy SK-II routine · $713.54 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · $343.42 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy SK-II routine · $714.65 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · $339.90 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

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

Both Kiehl's and SK-II are strong options depending on your skincare focus, with Kiehl's offering a wider variety of targeted products and SK-II achieving superior routine fit for dry and acne-prone skin.

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

Kiehl's offers lightweight textures and deep hydration, while SK-II delivers better results for radiance, glow, and fading dark spots.

Kiehl's or SK-II for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi finds that Kiehl's has a High routine fit and SK-II has a Superior routine fit. Kiehl's offers deep hydration and lightweight moisturizers, while SK-II leans on products like the Facial Treatment Essence.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

For moisturizers, Kiehl's offers lightweight texture and deep hydration, while SK-II provides superior routine fit for dry and acne-prone skin.

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

When looking at the review themes on this page, high price and cost is noted as a negative for Kiehl's, but the page does not provide a direct price comparison to determine which brand is more affordable.

Which brand offers better fragrance-free options, Kiehl's or SK-II?

SK-II offers better fragrance-free options because every product on its page lists no fragrance, whereas Kiehl's includes fragrance in a couple of items.

How do the routines for dry skin compare between Kiehl's and SK-II?

For dry skin, Lovi finds that the routine fit is High for Kiehl's and Superior for SK-II.

Which brand is better for improving skin texture and the skin barrier?

SK-II is better for improving skin texture and the skin barrier. Lovi finds that SK-II delivers better results for improving the skin barrier and texture, while Kiehl's may sometimes cause breakouts and skin irritation.

Kiehl's or SK-II for oily skin?

For oily skin, both Kiehl's and SK-II achieve a High routine fit level on this page. Kiehl's offers several specialized products for oily skin like the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream, while SK-II features options such as the Facial Treatment Clear Lotion.

Kiehl's or SK-II for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both Kiehl's and SK-II achieve a High routine fit level on this page. Kiehl's offers mostly fragrance-free products and gentle serums, while SK-II lists no fragrance across every product on this page.

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

For acne-prone skin, Lovi rates SK-II as Superior and Kiehl's as 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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