🇩🇪Germany

Kiehl's vs Clinique

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

Kiehl's and Clinique are respected American skincare brands with rich histories, offering thoughtful selections of moisturizers, serums, eye products, and more. Kiehl's incorporates nourishing glycerin and squalane to suit skin with dark spots and combination skin best, while Clinique relies on hydrating hyaluronic acid, nourishing glycerin, and invigorating caffeine to support dry sensitive skin and oily skin. While the first brand excels with targeted formulations featuring standout items like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, the second brand differs by focusing on comforting, balancing solutions such as the Smart Clinical Repair Lifting Face + Neck Cream.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Clinique products

People Say

Kiehl'sClinique
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
  • Gentle for Sensitive Skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No stinging eyes — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “doesn't dry out — Clinique all about clean”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
  • 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”
    • “skin feels silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “leaves face porcelain smooth — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Base Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “foundation glides on — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “holds concealer in place — Clinique All About Eyes”
  • Radiance and Glow Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “doubles as moisturizer — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “gives a very nice radiance — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “wake up glowing — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
  • High Price and Cost Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “quite pricey — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “Expensive for cleanser — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Insufficient Hydration or Dryness Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “some extremely dry skin types need a thicker balm or oil on top — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “skin felt tight — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
  • Causes Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Woke up with whiteheads on my chin — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “gave me tiny bumps — Clinique moisture surge”
  • 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 help dark circles — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “don't expect miracles overnight — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”

Kiehl's vs Clinique routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Clinique routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Clinique routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Clinique: which is better?

Both brands offer solid options, but Kiehl's generally provides better deep hydration and suits dry skin and dark spots, whereas Clinique tends to be gentler for sensitive skin.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Clinique?

Kiehl's and Clinique both offer popular skincare ranges, but Kiehl's generally provides a High routine fit for dry and combination skin types while Clinique has an Average fit for those same types. Reviewers note that Kiehl's does better for radiance and glow, whereas Clinique is noted as better for sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Clinique for dry skin?

For dry skin, Kiehl's is a better match on this page with a High routine fit compared to Clinique's Average fit. Kiehl's offers deep hydration and has products like Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate that show a Superior fit for dry skin.

Kiehl's or Clinique: which cleanser is better?

When comparing cleansers, Kiehl's is a better fit than Clinique for the products on this page, as Kiehl's cleansers feature high to superior Lovi fit levels across most skin types while Clinique's cleansers often lean towards lower fit ratings or warnings for dry and sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Clinique?

Clinique is more affordable, although high price point is noted as a drawback for both brands.

Which brand has more products containing fragrance?

Kiehl's has more products containing fragrance, with two products listing fragrance on this page, while Clinique lists no fragrance in any of its products.

Kiehl's or Clinique for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Clinique are good options for oily skin, as the products on this page for oily skin fit both brands well.

Kiehl's or Clinique: which moisturizer is better?

Kiehl's offers better routine fit levels for dry and combination skin types compared to Clinique. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides deep hydration and moisture.

Kiehl's or Clinique for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Clinique are good options for sensitive skin, as the products on this page show High routine fit for both brands. Clinique also performs better for sensitive skin in review themes.

Kiehl's or Clinique for acne-prone skin?

Both Kiehl's and Clinique are a good match for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates their routines as Average overall. Reviewers note that both brands help clear breakouts and manage oil, though products on this page may occasionally cause irritation.

Kiehl's or Clinique for dry sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Clinique are good options for dry sensitive skin, as the products on this page for both brands achieve a High routine fit level for this skin type. Kiehl's also features targeted moisturizers like Midnight Recovery Omega-Rich Cloud Cream and Calendula Serum-Infused Water Cream, while every product on Clinique's page is fragrance-free.

Kiehl's or Clinique for mature skin?

Both Kiehl's and Clinique are good options for mature skin, as each brand achieves a High routine fit level on this page. Kiehl's features retinol products like the Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum, which helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play