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Anua vs Kiehl's

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

Anua and Kiehl's are two prominent skincare labels that offer targeted moisturizers, toners, serums, and cleansers. The Korean brand features soothing formulas built around hyaluronic acid, heartleaf, and niacinamide that suit dry and oily acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the American label incorporates nourishing glycerin and squalane to best support combination and mature skin. While both lines address complex concerns from dark spots to aging, they differ in their origin, founding eras, and signature botanical blends.

Anua is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by The Founders Inc..

prnewswire.comkedglobal.comtracxn.comv.daum.net

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

Popular Anua vs Kiehl's products

People Say

AnuaKiehl's
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “complexion feels so plump — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “leaves skin plump — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Texture and Lightweight Feel Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “melts into skin — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “Feels like water, not heavy oil — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Significant reduction in hyperpigmentation from acne scarring. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “Gives a nice healthy glow — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Sensitive Skin Care Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Calms my redness instantly — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
    • “calmed my red spots — Anua Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin feels super smooth — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “skin feels so smooth — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Glow and Radiance Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “glass-like glow — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “glassy skin look — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “beautiful glow — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “Skin looks noticeably more plump — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Price and Value Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “price feels way too high — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “small size, the price is expensive — Anua Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder”
    • “bottle too small — Anua NANO RETINOL™ 0.3% + NIACIN RENEWING SERUM”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Breakouts and Acne Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “developed tiny white bumps — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Wrecked my skin barrier — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
  • Sticky or Greasy Finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Left such a gross tacky finish that refused to dry. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “leaves a tacky finish — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”

Anua vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Anua vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Anua vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Anua or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both Anua and Kiehl's are great choices, as they offer an equal fit across most skin types on the products on this page, though Anua provides better glow and radiance while Kiehl's struggles more with breakouts and acne according to review themes. Both brands feature high routine fits for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark spot-prone skin, with Anua specifically achieving a high routine fit for acne-prone skin compared to Kiehl's average fit.

What is the difference between Anua and Kiehl's?

Anua fits acne-prone skin better than Kiehl's, while both brands offer equal routine fit levels for dry, oily, and sensitive skin types. Anua is also noted by reviewers for delivering a glow and radiance benefit, whereas Kiehl's products frequently draw mentions for a higher price point and causing breakouts and skin irritation.

Anua or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both Anua and Kiehl's are great options for dry skin, offering an equal level of routine fit across the products on this page. Reviewers note that Anua provides soothing and barrier support in its moisturizers, while Kiehl's delivers deep hydration.

Anua or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Both Anua and Kiehl's offer effective cleansers, with Anua achieving a High Lovi fit for acne-prone skin and Kiehl's cleansers like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash reaching a Superior fit for oily skin.

Which is more affordable, Anua or Kiehl's?

Anua is more affordable, as reviewers often note a high price point for Kiehl's and award Anua better value.

Anua or Kiehl's: which brand is better for reducing dark spots?

Both Anua and Kiehl's are equal for brightening and dark spots. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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

Both Anua and Kiehl's are a High fit for mature skin. Review themes show that Anua does better for glow and radiance, while Kiehl's may have a higher price point.

Do any products from Anua or Kiehl's contain fragrance?

Every product on the Anua page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, while on the Kiehl's page, 26 of 28 products are fragrance-free. The two Kiehl's items containing fragrance are the Age Defender Moisturizer and the Facial Fuel Energizing Moisture Treatment for Men.

Anua or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Anua and Kiehl's offer a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that Anua is better for glow and radiance, while Kiehl's has more concerns with breakouts and acne.

Anua or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Anua and Kiehl's are both a good choice for sun protection, as the products on this page offer reliable daily formulas. Kiehl's offers a sunscreen with high fit levels for skin with dark spots, combination skin, and sensitive skin, while Anua features a soothing sunscreen option.

Anua or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both Anua and Kiehl's offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin among the products on this page. Reviewers note that Anua focuses on gentle, non-irritating toners, while Kiehl's provides gentle serums.

Anua or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Anua is a better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as High compared to an Average fit for Kiehl's.

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?

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