🇪🇸Spain

Kiehl's vs ISDIN

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

Kiehl's and ISDIN are established skincare houses that offer thoughtful moisturizers, targeted serums, and soothing eye products. The American brand, founded in 1851, incorporates nourishing glycerin and squalane to suit combination and mature skin best through formulas like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner and Ultra Facial Toner. Meanwhile, the Spanish brand, founded in 1975, provides advanced sunscreens and gentle care that suit sensitive and mature skin best through options such as Fusion Water and K-Ox Eyes. While both houses deliver reliable daily support and increase hydration, the first relies on expertly formulated remedies to counteract oxidative stress, whereas the second maintains skin health with quiet elegance.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

ISDIN is a Spanish skincare brand founded in 1975 and owned by Puig.

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

Popular Kiehl's vs ISDIN products

People Say

Kiehl'sISDIN
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “ultra-light fluid product, which makes it super easy to apply — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “Lightweight formula absorbs fast — ISDIN Hyaluronic Concentrate”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Friendly Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Sensitive/reactive skin tolerates — ISDIN Hyaluronic Moisture”
    • “no excessive exfoliation — ISDIN Retinal Intense Serum”
    • “doesn't sting eyes — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep and Intense Hydration 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”
    • “Improved moisture and texture — ISDIN Hyaluronic Moisture”
  • Makeup Compatibility Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “acts like a primer — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “My skin felt sooo hydrated and looks so plump and dewey. — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “Great under makeup — ISDIN Hyaluronic Concentrate”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedRarely 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 looked & felt smoother — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “skin was much smoother — ISDIN Retinal Intense Serum”
  • Brightening and Dark Spot Fading Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “faded acne scars — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “My hyperpigmentation has lightened and skin looks more even, even shines more. — ISDIN Flavo-C Serum”
  • High Price and Value Issues Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “very expensive — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “My only wish is that ISDIN would make this product in a bigger size bottle. — ISDIN Fusion Water”
  • Unpleasant Scent and Fragrance Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells clinical — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “faint lab smell — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “smell is overpowering — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “smell is overpowering — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
  • Ineffective or Slow Results Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “don't see result — ISDIN K-Ox Eyes”
    • “no noticeable changes yet — ISDIN Retinal Intense Serum”
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • Burning, Stinging, and Irritation Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “burned my face immediately — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “stings my face and feels like burning — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “this did make my eyes water water in the sun. — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “mild redness or irritation — ISDIN K-Ox Eyes”

Kiehl's vs ISDIN routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs ISDIN routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs ISDIN routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or ISDIN: which is better?

ISDIN does better than Kiehl's for sensitive skin and lightweight sunscreens, while Kiehl's is noted for deep hydration and fading dark spots.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and ISDIN?

Kiehl's focuses on deep hydration and dark spot fading with a mostly fragrance-free range, whereas ISDIN is known for ultralight sunscreens and gentle formulations that offer superior routine fit across skin types.

Kiehl's or ISDIN for dry skin?

Both brands offer products for dry skin, with Lovi fit levels ranging up to Superior for ISDIN and High for Kiehl's. ISDIN is noted for its ultralight sunscreens and lightweight moisturizers, while Kiehl's provides deep and intense hydration with ingredients like glycerin and squalane.

Kiehl's or ISDIN: which moisturizer is better?

ISDIN offers a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Kiehl's routine fit is High. ISDIN's moisturizers are often noted for a lightweight texture, while Kiehl's is known for deep hydration.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or ISDIN?

Both Kiehl's and ISDIN face frequent customer feedback regarding their high price points. Reviewers note that products from the products on this page often come with a steep cost, making them roughly equal when it comes to value and pricing issues.

Between Kiehl's and ISDIN, which brand does better at brightening and dark spot fading?

Kiehl's does better than ISDIN at brightening and fading dark spots. Reviewers sometimes note that Kiehl's helps with brightening and fading dark spots, and the products on this page include targeted options like Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution.

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

Kiehl's has more fragrance-free products on this page, with 26 out of 28 products listing no fragrance compared to only 3 of 8 for ISDIN.

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

Kiehl's was founded in the United States in 1851 and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000, whereas ISDIN was founded in Spain in 1975 and is owned by Puig.

Kiehl's or ISDIN for oily skin?

ISDIN does better than Kiehl's for oily skin, with Lovi fit levels reaching Superior compared to Kiehl's High.

Kiehl's or ISDIN: which sunscreen is better?

ISDIN offers sunscreens with higher Lovi fit levels across skin types, with options like Eryfotona Actinica rated as Superior for sensitive skin and dark spots, compared to Kiehl's sunscreens which typically achieve High or Average ratings. Reviewers also frequently mention ISDIN sunscreens as being ultralight and makeup-friendly.

Kiehl's or ISDIN for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer products for sensitive skin, but Lovi rates ISDIN as Superior and Kiehl's as High for this skin type.

Kiehl's or ISDIN for acne-prone skin?

ISDIN is a better fit for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior 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

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