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Kiehl's vs Grown Alchemist

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

Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist are established skincare names, with the former known for expertly formulated moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products featuring glycerin and squalane, while the latter is loved for its cleansers and serums. Kiehl's suits combination and mature skin best, whereas the Australian-inspired line, Grown Alchemist, suits sensitive, dry, and combination skin. While both offer targeted solutions for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature concerns, they differ in their foundational heritage and ingredient focus to increase hydration and restore barrier function.

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Grown Alchemist products

People Say

Kiehl'sGrown Alchemist
  • Gentle for sensitive skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Perfect for sensitive skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “calms my skin down — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep hydration Often 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”
    • “Skin version of chugging water — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Lightweight texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “Very light weight — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Non-stripping and gentle cleansing Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Doesn't dry out my skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “doesn't strip at all — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Relaxing and pleasant scent Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Smells amazing — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “smell is divine — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Cleanses and controls oil Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Gets everything nice and clean — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • High price Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for what it is — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “A bit pricey — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Packaging and application issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “tube cracks easily — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Makeup removal and compatibility issues Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Isn't going to be your makeup remover — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist: which is better?

Grown Alchemist is generally better for sensitive skin and gentle cleansing, while Kiehl's offers a wider range of lightweight moisturizers and targeted serums. Lovi rates Grown Alchemist products as Average or High across skin types, and Kiehl's products on this page span from Low to Superior depending on the specific formula and skin type.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist?

Kiehl's offers a much larger range of products on this page with High to Superior Lovi fit levels for combination skin, mature skin, and skin with dark spots, whereas Grown Alchemist features only three cleansers and serums with average to high fits. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides lightweight textures while Grown Alchemist is often considered more gentle for sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist: which cleanser is better?

Grown Alchemist does better for non-stripping and gentle cleansing, while the products on this page for Kiehl's fit oily skin and oily acne-prone skin with a Superior level for cleansers like Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash. Grown Alchemist also provides better results for sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist is more affordable according to the review themes on this page, which note a high price for Grown Alchemist.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist is generally better for gentle and non-stripping cleansing, while reviewers often mention that Kiehl's causes breakouts and skin irritation.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist offers 100 percent fragrance-free products on this page, whereas Kiehl's includes fragrance in 2 of its 28 products.

Which brand offers better results for mature skin and skin with dark spots?

Kiehl's offers better results for mature skin and skin with dark spots, featuring a wider range of targeted serums and moisturizers with High Lovi fit levels for these concerns. Grown Alchemist features very few products on this page and achieves only Average fit levels for both mature skin and skin with dark spots.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist compare?

Kiehl's was founded earlier in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000, whereas Grown Alchemist was founded later in 2008 and is independently owned as of 2024.

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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