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Cetaphil vs Kiehl's

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

Cetaphil and Kiehl's are two American skincare brands offering thoughtfully formulated cleansers, moisturizers, serums, toners, sunscreens, and more. The former features glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol to suit combination skin and oily acne-prone skin best, while the latter incorporates glycerin and squalane to suit combination skin and mature skin best. Both brands provide standout solutions for specific concerns, such as dark spots, acne, and aging. They differ primarily in their founding years, ownership, and key ingredient profiles, yet both work to increase hydration and restore barrier function.

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

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

Popular Cetaphil vs Kiehl's products

People Say

CetaphilKiehl's
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy feel Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
  • Skin smoothing and texture improvement Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Versatile and effective daily use Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “great for face and body — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “recommended by my derm — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “removes excess oil — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
  • Brightening and complexion enhancement Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin looks more radiant — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
  • Sensory and finish complaints Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
    • “smells like masking fragrance — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Lather, texture, and packaging issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “hate dipping fingers in — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Miss the bubbles, feels like washing with lotion. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's are great choices, as they offer equal routine fit levels across nearly all skin types. Cetaphil is particularly praised for being gentle on sensitive skin and having a lower price point, while Kiehl's performs better for skin smoothing and brightening.

What is the difference between Cetaphil and Kiehl's?

Cetaphil is better for sensitive skin and a lower price point, whereas Kiehl's is better for skin smoothing, texture improvement, brightening, and complexion enhancement. Both brands offer equal hydration and moisture, lightweight and non-greasy feel, and similar routine fit levels for most skin types.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for dry skin. The products on this page for both Cetaphil and Kiehl's help provide hydration and moisture for dry skin.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's offer exceptional cleansers, with Cetaphil being particularly noted for being gentle on sensitive skin and Kiehl's standing out for improving skin texture. Reviewers frequently praise the products on this page for their gentle, non-stripping cleansers.

Which is more affordable, Cetaphil or Kiehl's?

Cetaphil is more affordable than Kiehl's, as high price points are noted as a frequent drawback for Kiehl's while Cetaphil is noted for having a lower price point.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which brand is better for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin, but Cetaphil is noted for being more gentle on sensitive skin. Cetaphil products on this page list no fragrance except for one cleanser.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both brands offer a high routine fit for oily skin. Cetaphil features mostly fragrance-free products on this page and is noted for being gentle on sensitive skin, while Kiehl's is highlighted for improving skin texture.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers on this page that provide good hydration, but Cetaphil is generally better for sensitive skin while Kiehl's performs better for skin smoothing and texture improvement. Reviewers note that Cetaphil has a lower price point, whereas Kiehl's is associated with a higher price point.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both brands are a High fit for sensitive skin on this page, but Cetaphil does better when it comes to being gentle on sensitive skin.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Both brands offer sunscreens on the products on this page with high Lovi fit levels for various skin types. Cetaphil features options like Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, which provides a superior fit for dry and sensitive skin, while Kiehl's offers products like Better Screen UV Serum for targeted protection.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Cetaphil is a better fit for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine High compared to an Average fit for Kiehl's. Reviewers also find that Cetaphil offers more gentle, non-stripping cleansers.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for skin with dark spots?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's achieve a High Lovi fit level for skin with dark spots. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for mature skin?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's are a High fit for mature skin. Cetaphil features more gentle, non-stripping cleansers and lower prices, while Kiehl's excels in brightening and skin smoothing.

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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