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Neutrogena vs Kiehl's

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

Neutrogena and Kiehl's are two American skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily care. Neutrogena is known for its nourishing moisturizers, protective sunscreens, gentle cleansers, and refreshing toners formulated with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone, which suit sensitive and acne-prone skin best. Conversely, Kiehl's is recognized for dependable moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products incorporating glycerin and squalane that suit mature skin and skin with dark spots best. While both brands use glycerin to increase hydration and restore barrier function, they differ through specialized ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane to address unique complexion needs.

Neutrogena is an American skincare brand founded in 1930 and owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026.

investor.kimberly-clark.comen.wikipedia.orginvestors.kenvue.com

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

Popular Neutrogena vs Kiehl's products

People Say

NeutrogenaKiehl's
  • Deep and intense hydration Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “Quenches dry skin instantly — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Acne-safe and gentle formulas Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “leaves skin soft and balanced — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “love that it has no scent — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “calms my acne prone skin — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky residue — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “absorbs instantly — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Makeup base and compatibility Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Foundation glides right over it — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Concealer doesn't cake or get stuck in crevices — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Skin texture improvement and anti-aging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “skin looked & felt smoother — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “Skin is looking smoother — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
  • Radiant glow and brightening Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Gave me a glass-skin glow — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
  • Price and quantity concerns Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Jar is too small for the price — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Runs out quickly — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “Tube is tiny for the cost — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Packaging and design issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Kept sliding off my face — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
  • Eye and skin irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “left my face bright red — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “burns my eyes terribly — Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen”
  • Strong fragrance and scent issues Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “smells clinical — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “faint lab smell — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “smell is overpowering — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “Smell is too overpowering and lingering — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”

Neutrogena vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · $382.00 · 82% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · $121.45 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Neutrogena vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · $343.42 · 80% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · $263.48 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Neutrogena vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · $339.90 · 83% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · $243.38 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Neutrogena or Kiehl's: which is better?

Neutrogena is better for acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's is better for oily skin. Both brands offer an equal routine fit for dry, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark spot skin types.

What is the difference between Neutrogena and Kiehl's?

Neutrogena tends to be better for acne-safe and gentle formulas as well as lightweight textures, whereas Kiehl's performs better for skin texture improvement and brightening dark spots. Both brands offer high routine fit levels for dry, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark spot-prone skin, but Kiehl's is better suited for oily skin while Neutrogena is better for acne-prone skin.

Neutrogena or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both Neutrogena and Kiehl's are a High fit for dry skin on this page. Kiehl's features deeply hydrating formulas like Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate, while Neutrogena relies on options like Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Neutrogena or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Neutrogena is better for acne-safe and gentle cleansers, as the products on this page are rated Superior for acne-prone and sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, Neutrogena or Kiehl's?

Neutrogena is more affordable, whereas Kiehl's has a high price point among the products on this page.

Neutrogena or Kiehl's: which brand is better suited for mature skin?

Both Neutrogena and Kiehl's are well suited for mature skin, as Lovi rates the routine fit for this skin type as High for the products on this page. Neutrogena frequently features retinol, which helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Neutrogena or Kiehl's: which brand offers better results for fading dark spots?

Both brands offer products on this page that are well-suited for skin with dark spots, with Kiehl's performing better for brightening and fading dark spots overall. The products on this page from Kiehl's help improve skin tone, while Neutrogena often features niacinamide, which may reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Neutrogena or Kiehl's: which brand has a higher percentage of fragrance-free products?

Neutrogena has a higher percentage of fragrance-free products, with 35 out of 39 products on this page listing no fragrance compared to 26 out of 28 for Kiehl's.

Neutrogena or Kiehl's for oily skin?

For oily skin, Kiehl's is the better choice because the products on this page achieve a High Lovi fit, whereas Neutrogena only achieves an Average fit. Kiehl's offers targeted options like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner and Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, which reach a Superior fit for oily skin.

Neutrogena or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Neutrogena is better for acne-safe and lightweight moisturizers on this page, while Kiehl's is better for skin texture improvement and anti-aging. Both brands offer deeply hydrating moisturizers, with routine fits for dry skin rated as High for both.

Neutrogena or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both Neutrogena and Kiehl's are a High fit for sensitive skin on their respective pages. Neutrogena is noted for having acne-safe and gentle formulas, while Kiehl's is frequently chosen for its deep hydration.

Neutrogena or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Neutrogena offers more products on this page with Superior Lovi fit levels for sunscreens, such as the Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen and Clear Face Liquid Lotion Sunscreen, making it the better option for broad sun protection. Kiehl's also features effective sun protection on this page, but Neutrogena's specialized sunscreen range provides higher-rated choices for various skin types.

Neutrogena or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Neutrogena is the better choice on this page. Lovi rates the routine fit for Neutrogena as High, while Kiehl's is rated 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

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