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Kiehl's vs Simple

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

Kiehl's and Simple are established skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily care. Kiehl's is known for expert moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products featuring glycerin and squalane, suiting combination and mature skin best, whereas Simple is loved for gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners incorporating niacinamide and glycerin, which suit oily and acne-prone skin best. These brands differ primarily in their ingredient profiles and targeted skin types, as the American brand focuses on hydration, barrier restoration, and oxidative defense, while the British brand emphasizes niacinamide for hyperpigmentation and aging signs alongside essential moisture.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Simple products

People Say

Kiehl'sSimple
  • Gentle for sensitive skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose 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”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Non-drying and hydrating formulas Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft, not tight. — Simple Micellar Water”
  • Makeup compatibility Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “makeup lays well — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “works well under foundation — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
  • Affordable value Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Can't beat the price for the quality. — Simple Micellar Water”
  • Cleansing and pore care Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Best morning cleanser — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Skin feels soft not dry — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • High price Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Causes breakouts and acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Gave me tiny bumps on my forehead. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “caused major breakouts — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
  • Insufficient moisture 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”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”

Kiehl's vs Simple routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs Simple routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs Simple routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Simple: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and Simple are solid choices, as Lovi rates their routines as High for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark-spot-prone skin. Simple tends to do better for gentle sensitive skin care and affordable value, while Kiehl's offers lightweight textures and targeted serums.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Simple?

Simple offers more affordable value and does better for sensitive skin and cleansing care, whereas Kiehl's provides a lighter texture across its products on this page. Both brands are owned by large parent companies and feature fragrance-free options, but they differ in their key ingredients such as glycerin and vitamin C for Kiehl's versus niacinamide and glycerin for Simple.

Kiehl's or Simple for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Simple are a High fit for dry skin on this page, offering targeted routines and hydrating products. Reviewers note that Simple provides non-drying and hydrating formulas along with affordable value.

Kiehl's or Simple: which cleanser is better?

Simple offers more affordable cleansers and is noted for being gentle, while Kiehl's provides a wider range of targeted cleansers with High and Superior Lovi fit levels for oily and acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Simple?

Simple offers more affordable value compared to Kiehl's. Reviewers on the page frequently note high prices for Kiehl's products, while Simple is recognized for its affordable value.

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

Simple has more fragrance-free products than Kiehl's on this page, as every product listed for Simple contains no fragrance compared to twenty-six of twenty-eight products for Kiehl's.

How do the founding years and current parent companies of Kiehl's and Simple compare?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000, whereas Simple was founded in 1960 in the United Kingdom and is owned by Unilever PLC.

Which brand performs better when it comes to gentle formulas for sensitive skin?

Simple performs better than Kiehl's for gentle formulas, as reviewers mention it is more gentle for sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Simple for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Simple are a High fit for oily skin. Kiehl's offers lightweight textures, while Simple is noted for being gentle for sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Simple: which moisturizer is better?

Simple offers better value-friendly and gentle moisturizers, while Kiehl's provides lightweight options with higher-level fits for specific skin needs on this page. Reviewers note that Simple moisturizers are lightweight and budget-friendly, whereas Kiehl's offers specialized creams like the Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate with a superior fit for dry skin.

Kiehl's or Simple for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Simple are a High fit for sensitive skin on this page, offering gentle and hydrating daily care. Simple is noted for being especially gentle for sensitive skin, while most of the products on this page from Kiehl's contain no fragrance.

Kiehl's or Simple for acne-prone skin?

Simple fits acne-prone skin with a High routine level, whereas Kiehl's routine fit is Average. Simple does better for acne-prone skin as a review theme, and the products on this page help provide gentle and sensitive-skin-friendly care.

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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