🇩🇪Germany

Kiehl's vs NIVEA

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

Kiehl's and NIVEA are enduring skincare brands offering nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, and various other essentials. Kiehl's incorporates glycerin and squalane to suit dark spots and combination skin best, whereas the brand relies on targeted formulations. Conversely, NIVEA uses glycerin to suit sensitive skin and oily skin best, since the brand balances gentle care with lightweight hydration. Ultimately, both differ primarily in their specific ingredient profiles 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

NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.

beiersdorf.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular Kiehl's vs NIVEA products

People Say

Kiehl'sNIVEA
  • 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”
    • “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
    • “skin feels moisturized — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “skin feels squeaky clean and soft — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
    • “skin feels smooth — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
  • Relaxing and Classic Scents Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like holiday — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
    • “Smell brings me back to childhood — NIVEA Creme”
    • “smells really nice — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Gentleness and Sensitivity Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “doesn't irritate sensitive eyes — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “doesn't dry out skin — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Value for Money Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Works better than expensive luxury creams — NIVEA Creme”
    • “Best affordable vegan moisturizer. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “absolute steal for the price — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Greasiness and Heavy Residue Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “didn't absorb well — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”
    • “I noticed some acne breakouts on my chin after using this crème for a while. — NIVEA Soft”

Kiehl's vs NIVEA routines for dry skin

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Kiehl's vs NIVEA routines for oily skin

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Kiehl's vs NIVEA routines for combination skin

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Questions and answers

Kiehl's or NIVEA: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer high routine fit levels across most skin types on this page, while performing differently on specific review themes. Kiehl's is noted for texture and absorption and gentleness, whereas NIVEA does better for value for money and skin barrier and texture improvement.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and NIVEA?

Kiehl's offers a higher proportion of fragrance-free options and is often noted for texture and absorption, whereas NIVEA provides more value-for-money products with classic scents and stronger skin barrier and texture improvement. Both brands achieve equal routine fit levels for most skin types, though NIVEA rates higher for acne-prone skin on the products on this page.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer a High Lovi routine fit for dry skin, though they differ in product feel and formulation. Kiehl's is often noted for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and deep hydration, while NIVEA provides versatile multi-use options with intense deep hydration.

Kiehl's or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer moisturizers with a High routine fit for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark-spot-prone skin types. Kiehl's is often noted for lightweight, non-greasy formulas, whereas NIVEA provides versatile multi-use options.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or NIVEA?

NIVEA is more affordable than Kiehl's, as NIVEA offers better value for money and a lower price point across the products on this page, while reviewers often note Kiehl's for its high price point.

Which brand has better fragrance-free options between Kiehl's and NIVEA?

Kiehl's provides better fragrance-free options because the products on this page overwhelmingly feature fragrance-free formulas, whereas most of NIVEA's options contain fragrance.

How do Kiehl's and NIVEA compare when it comes to skin barrier and texture improvement?

When it comes to skin barrier and texture improvement, NIVEA does better than Kiehl's according to the reviewer themes on this page.

Which brand is better suited for acne-prone skin according to the routine fit levels?

NIVEA is better suited for acne-prone skin, offering a High routine fit compared to the Average fit of Kiehl's.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that Kiehl's excels in texture and absorption, while NIVEA provides better value for money.

Kiehl's or NIVEA: which sunscreen is better?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer sunscreens on this page that provide high Lovi fit levels for several skin types. Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum has high fit levels for skin with dark spots, combination skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and mature skin, while NIVEA's Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+ and UV Deep Protect & Care Gel also achieve high fit levels for multiple skin types.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin, with Kiehl's favored for its gentleness and sensitivity. Most products on this page for Kiehl's list no fragrance, helping to reduce the risk of irritation.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?

NIVEA provides a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, whereas Kiehl's is Average. Reviewers for NIVEA note blemish-clearing serums and smoother skin texture serums among the products on this page.

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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