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Kiehl's vs Dermalogica

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

Kiehl's and Dermalogica are American skincare brands that offer thoughtful moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, cleansers, and masks. The former incorporates nourishing glycerin and squalane to suit skin with dark spots and combination skin best, while the latter utilizes hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and salicylic acid to suit oily skin and combination skin best. Both brands differ primarily in their founding heritage and targeted active formulations, with the first brand addressing specific concerns through ingredients that counteract oxidative stress, and the second brand balancing excess oil and moisture through active components that reduce acne lesion counts.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Dermalogica is an American skincare brand founded in 1986 and owned by Unilever since 2015.

en.wikipedia.orgcosmeticsbusiness.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Dermalogica products

People Say

Kiehl'sDermalogica
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “Saved my dry skin — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “super hydrating — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
  • 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”
    • “blends seamlessly — Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50”
  • Improves skin barrier and texture 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 smooth as silk — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “Leaves a glistening glow — Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream”
  • Gentle formula for sensitive skin Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “doesn't strip skin — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”
    • “helps calm and nourish my skin — Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream”
  • Brightens skin and fades dark spots Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “immediately brighter looking — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “skin looks amazing — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
  • Oil control and pore reduction Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “keeps my oils at bay — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “keeps my T-zone matte — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Brings out all the gunk — Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask”
    • “doesn't clog pores — Dermalogica Active Moist”
  • High price point Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “hefty price tag — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “Expensive for cleanser — Dermalogica Precleanse”
  • Burning, stinging, and irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes 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”
    • “Stings eyes — Dermalogica Precleanse”
    • “burns immediately — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
  • Unpleasant or strong scent 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 hot dog water — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “smells like puke — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”

Kiehl's vs Dermalogica routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Dermalogica routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Dermalogica routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Dermalogica: which is better?

Dermalogica is better for oily and combination skin, reaching a Superior Lovi fit level, whereas both brands are a High fit for dry, sensitive, mature, and dark-spot-prone skin. Reviewers often mention that Kiehl's offers lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers, while Dermalogica is frequently noted for intense hydration and gentle, non-stripping cleansers.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Dermalogica?

Dermalogica achieves a Superior Lovi routine fit for oily and combination skin, while Kiehl's reaches a High fit for those skin types. Dermalogica also achieves a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, whereas Kiehl's provides an Average fit. Both brands share High routine fit levels for dry, sensitive, mature, and dark-spot skin.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica are a High Lovi fit for dry skin. Reviewers note that both brands offer deep hydration and moisturization.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica: which cleanser is better?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica offer cleansers with a Superior Lovi fit level for specific skin types on the products on this page. Kiehl's Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash is a Superior fit for oily skin and oily acne-prone skin, while Dermalogica Daily Glycolic Cleanser is a Superior fit for oily acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Dermalogica?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica are similar in pricing, as high price points are often mentioned as a downside for the products on this page.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica: which brand has better options for oily acne-prone skin?

Dermalogica has better options for oily acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as Superior while Kiehl's is High.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica for oily skin?

Dermalogica is a better fit for oily skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for Kiehl's. Reviewers often mention that both brands help with oil control and pore reduction, but Dermalogica offers a wider range of products tailored for this skin type.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica: which moisturizer is better?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica offer high-performing moisturizers, with Kiehl's providing particularly lightweight and non-greasy options while Dermalogica focuses on intense hydration and soothing formulas. The products on this page help maintain moisture levels, though individual skin responses may vary.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica are a High fit for sensitive skin based on the products on this page. Reviewers note that both brands offer gentle, soothing formulas that help minimize irritation.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica: which sunscreen is better?

For sunscreens, Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum has a High Lovi fit level for skin with dark spots, combination skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and mature skin, while Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50 has a Superior fit level for mature skin and High fit levels for all other listed skin types.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica for acne-prone skin?

Dermalogica is the better choice for acne-prone skin because Lovi rates its routine fit as High, whereas Kiehl's routine fit is Average.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica for mature skin?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica are a High Lovi fit for mature skin. Reviewers for both brands note benefits like intense hydration and smoothing serums, though both options come with a high price point.

Kiehl's or Dermalogica for skin with dark spots?

Both Kiehl's and Dermalogica are a High fit for skin with dark spots. Reviewers note that both brands excel at brightening skin and fading dark spots.

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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