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Kiehl's vs Clinique

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

Kiehl's and Clinique are American skincare brands known for thoughtful assortments of moisturizers, serums, eye products, and more. Kiehl's incorporates nourishing glycerin and squalane to suit combination and mature skin best, whereas Clinique includes hydrating hyaluronic acid, nourishing glycerin, and invigorating caffeine to suit dry sensitive and oily skin best. While both offer targeted solutions for acne, dark spots, and aging, the former relies on apothecary-rooted formulations to increase hydration and restore the epidermal barrier, and the latter utilizes allergy-tested, fragrance-free compounds to lengthen wrinkle reduction and protect against UV radiation.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Clinique products

People Say

Kiehl'sClinique
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
  • Gentle for Sensitive Skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No stinging eyes — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “doesn't dry out — Clinique all about clean”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement 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 silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “leaves face porcelain smooth — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Base Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “foundation glides on — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “holds concealer in place — Clinique All About Eyes”
  • Radiance and Glow Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “doubles as moisturizer — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “gives a very nice radiance — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “wake up glowing — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
  • High Price and Cost Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “quite pricey — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “Expensive for cleanser — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Insufficient Hydration or Dryness Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “some extremely dry skin types need a thicker balm or oil on top — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “skin felt tight — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
  • Causes Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Woke up with whiteheads on my chin — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “gave me tiny bumps — Clinique moisture surge”
  • Ineffective or Slow Results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “didn't help dark circles — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “don't expect miracles overnight — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”

Kiehl's vs Clinique routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs Clinique routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs Clinique routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Clinique: which is better?

Kiehl's and Clinique are both effective, but Kiehl's is a better fit for dry skin, combination skin, and skin with dark spots. Clinique is often preferred for sensitive skin due to its completely fragrance-free product range.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Clinique?

Kiehl's and Clinique are both US-based skincare brands owned by major corporations, but they differ in formulation styles and specific skin benefits. Kiehl's features a large selection of fragrance-free products alongside a few fragranced options, whereas every product on the Clinique page lists no fragrance. For dry skin routines, Kiehl's has a High fit level while Clinique offers an Average fit level.

Kiehl's or Clinique for dry skin?

Kiehl's is a better fit than Clinique for dry skin. The products on this page provide Lovi routine fit for dry skin at a High level for Kiehl's, compared to an Average level for Clinique.

Kiehl's or Clinique: which cleanser is better?

Both Kiehl's and Clinique offer effective cleansers, but Kiehl's products on this page achieve higher average Lovi fit levels for cleansing across multiple skin types such as oily and acne-prone skin. Clinique cleansers may be preferred by those seeking fragrance-free formulations, as every product on their page lists no fragrance.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Clinique?

Clinique does better on price because a high price point is noted as a negative review theme for Kiehl's, whereas Clinique is noted as doing better on price in the review themes.

Which brand has more products with added fragrance, Kiehl's or Clinique?

Kiehl's has more products with added fragrance, as 26 of its 28 products on this page list no fragrance while two contain it, whereas every product on Clinique's page lists no fragrance.

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

Both Kiehl's and Clinique fit mature skin with a High level. Reviewers report that Kiehl's provides deep hydration and radiance, while Clinique offers gentle, lightweight moisturizers.

How do the key ingredients differ between Kiehl's and Clinique skincare products?

Kiehl's features key ingredients like Glycerin, Vitamin C, Squalane, Shea butter, and Vitamin E across its products, while Clinique relies on Hyaluronic acid, Glycerin, Caffeine, and Salicylic acid. Hyaluronic acid in particular helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Clinique for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Clinique are good options for oily skin, as the products on this page achieve high routine fit levels for this skin type.

Kiehl's or Clinique: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Kiehl's offers a higher routine fit for dry skin, achieving a High rating compared to Clinique's Average. Kiehl's products on this page provide deep hydration, while Clinique is often noted for lightweight and fast-absorbing moisturizers.

Kiehl's or Clinique for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Clinique fit sensitive skin well, as Lovi rates both brands as High for this skin type. Clinique may be preferred by some shoppers because every product on its page lists no fragrance, whereas a couple of Kiehl's products contain fragrance.

Kiehl's or Clinique for acne-prone skin?

Both Kiehl's and Clinique are a High fit for acne-prone skin with certain products on this page, such as Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream and Clinique's for Men Oil-Free Moisturizer. However, reviewer feedback indicates that both brands may sometimes cause breakouts and skin irritation.

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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