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Some By Mi vs Kiehl's

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

Some By Mi and Kiehl's are distinct skincare brands established in 2016 and 1851, respectively. The Korean brand is known for serums, cleansers, toners, and moisturizers built around niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid, fitting sensitive skin and skin with dark spots best. Conversely, the American brand is beloved for thoughtful moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products that incorporate nourishing glycerin and squalane, suiting skin with dark spots and combination skin best. While both offer targeted formulations, they differ through their foundational ingredients and regional origins.

Some By Mi is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by JKL Partners since 2021.

kedglobal.compreqin.comtracxn.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 Some By Mi and Kiehl's products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Some By Mi vs Kiehl's products

People Say

Some By MiKiehl's
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture 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”
    • “savior for dry patches — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Lasts 100 hours as claimed — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
  • Brightening and Radiance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Fades dark spots — Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum”
    • “skin looks visibly brighter — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Anti Blemish Serum”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin became smoother — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Surprisingly gentle — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Skin feels baby soft — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Gentle Formula Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Zero irritation or redness — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “doesn't strip dry my skin — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedNot noted
    • “Reduces pimples — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “cleared my cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Acne Clear Foam”
    • “flattened my cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum”
  • Price and Value Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “Too expensive for 50ml — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Scents and Fragrance Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “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”
    • “overwhelming citrus fragrance — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
  • Sticky or Greasy Residue Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves face really greasy — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
    • “leaves sticky film — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”

Some By Mi vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Some By Mi vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Some By Mi vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which is better?

Some By Mi fits sensitive skin, dry sensitive skin, skin with dark spots, and acne-prone skin better, while Kiehl's and Some By Mi match on other skin types. Some By Mi products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, whereas two Kiehl's products contain fragrance.

What is the difference between Some By Mi and Kiehl's?

Some By Mi is better suited for acne-prone skin, dry sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots, while Kiehl's is often preferred for lightweight moisture and fast-absorbing formulas. Some By Mi products on this page list no fragrance, whereas a couple of Kiehl's products contain fragrance.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Some By Mi is better suited for dry skin, as Lovi rates its routine for dry skin as Superior while Kiehl's is rated High. Niacinamide helps improve skin barrier function and hydration.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Some By Mi is better for acne and blemish control cleansers, while Kiehl's is better for lightweight cleansers and deep hydration.

Which is more affordable, Some By Mi or Kiehl's?

Some By Mi is more affordable, as price and value is an area where Some By Mi does better.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which brand is better for acne and blemish control?

Some By Mi is better for acne and blemish control, as the products on this page excel in acne-clearing treatments. Reviewers often note that Some By Mi provides effective acne-clearing treatments and skin-smoothing textures.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Some By Mi and Kiehl's are a High fit for oily skin. The products on this page help provide good options for oily skin from both brands.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, Some By Mi fits dry skin, dry sensitive skin, and mature skin at a Superior level, while Kiehl's fits those same skin types at a High level. Some By Mi moisturizers on this page feature key ingredients like niacinamide and panthenol, which helps hydrate and repair the skin barrier.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Some By Mi is a superior fit for sensitive skin, whereas Kiehl's is a high fit. Every product on the Some By Mi page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, helping shoppers avoid potential irritants.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

When it comes to sunscreens, V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen from Some By Mi is a great option for oily skin, acne-prone skin, sensitive skin, and dry skin. Better Screen UV Serum from Kiehl's is also a solid choice for skin with dark spots, combination skin, sensitive skin, and acne-prone skin.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Some By Mi fits acne-prone skin better, as Lovi rates its routine as High while Kiehl's is Average. The products on this page help clear blemishes with key ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for skin with dark spots?

Some By Mi is the better choice for skin with dark spots, as Lovi rates the brand's fit for this skin type as Superior compared to Kiehl's High. Niacinamide, a key ingredient found across the products on this page, helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for mature skin?

Both Some By Mi and Kiehl's are a High fit for mature skin, while Some By Mi also stands out for skin-smoothing textures and Kiehl's offers lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers. Retinol, which is found in products from both brands, helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human 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

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