🇪🇸Spain

Kiehl's vs SkinCeuticals

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

Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals are respected American skincare brands owned by L'Oréal S.A. The former is beloved for its expertly formulated moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products incorporating nourishing glycerin and squalane that suit combination and mature skin best, while the latter is loved for its targeted serums, nourishing moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and soothing eye products formulated with glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone that suit dry and dry sensitive skin best. Both offer standout solutions for concerns like acne-prone skin, dark spots, and aging, but their key ingredients differ in how they increase hydration, restore barrier function, counteract oxidative stress, and support the complexion.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

SkinCeuticals is an American skincare brand founded in 1994 and owned by L'Oréal since 2005.

loreal.comskinceuticals-za.compitchbook.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs SkinCeuticals products

People Say

Kiehl'sSkinCeuticals
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “silky and non-greasy — SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye”
    • “absorbs quickly — SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly 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”
    • “Hydrated my skin beautifully. — SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2”
    • “Pure hydration in a bottle — SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “definitely gave me a glass skin texture — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
    • “pores appeared less noticeable — SkinCeuticals P-Tiox”
    • “My skin is softer to the touch. — SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Care Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “perfect for retinol newbies — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “Perfect starting strength — SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3”
  • Brightening and Dark Spot Fading Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “I really love this product, as my skin is brighter. — SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF”
    • “Really fades brown spots, perfect for men and a little goes a long way! — SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF”
  • Pore Cleansing and Oil Control Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “keeps my oils at bay — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “gets rid of blackheads — SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel”
    • “reduces oil — SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel”
  • High Price Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Too pricey for the hype — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
  • Lack of 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”
    • “haven't noticed much change on the deeper lines — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
    • “did nothing — SkinCeuticals P-Tiox”
  • Greasiness and Heavy Residue Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “feels tacky — SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier”
    • “sticky residue — SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “skin went through a slight purge — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
    • “made me break out — SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel”
    • “caused cystic acne — SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Serum”
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”

Kiehl's vs SkinCeuticals routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs SkinCeuticals routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs SkinCeuticals routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals: which is better?

SkinCeuticals is better for dry, oily, and mature skin with Superior routine fit levels, while Kiehl's is better for sensitive skin care.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals?

Kiehl's is better for sensitive skin care, whereas SkinCeuticals performs better for skin barrier and texture improvement. Both brands are owned by L'Oréal S.A., but Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States while SkinCeuticals was founded there in 1994.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals for dry skin?

For dry skin, SkinCeuticals offers a Superior routine fit while Kiehl's provides a High fit on this page. SkinCeuticals features key ingredients like hyaluronic acid which helps support skin moisture and wound healing.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals: which cleanser is better?

When it comes to cleansers on this page, both Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals offer strong options, but Kiehl's features a wider variety of top-rated choices like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner and Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash. Reviewers note that Kiehl's is particularly well-suited for gentle and sensitive skin care.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals?

Both Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals are often noted by reviewers for having a high price point.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals: which is better for brightening and dark spot fading?

Both Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals offer products on this page that are effective for brightening and fading dark spots, with both brands rated as High for skin with dark spots.

Which brand has fewer products with added fragrance, Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals?

Kiehl's has fewer products with added fragrance than SkinCeuticals on this page. Kiehl's lists 2 out of 28 products with fragrance, whereas SkinCeuticals lists 3 out of 37.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals: which brand is better suited for mature skin routines?

SkinCeuticals is better suited for mature skin routines, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High fit level. Topical retinol may help stimulate collagen accumulation and improve signs of aging in mature skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals for oily skin?

SkinCeuticals is a superior choice for oily skin compared to Kiehl's. The routine fit for oily skin is Superior for SkinCeuticals and High for Kiehl's.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, SkinCeuticals achieves a superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Kiehl's. Reviewers often mention that SkinCeuticals provides hydrating and plumping moisturizers, while Kiehl's is known for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals offer a High fit for sensitive skin among the products on this page. Kiehl's features more fragrance-free options, as 26 of its 28 products list no fragrance compared to SkinCeuticals' 34 of 37.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals: which sunscreen is better?

SkinCeuticals is better for sun protection because Lovi rates the routine fit of Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50 as Superior for skin with dark spots, whereas Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum has a High fit level for that skin type.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals for acne-prone skin?

SkinCeuticals is a better fit than Kiehl's for acne-prone skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average fit. Reviewers often mention SkinCeuticals for its effective acne and oil-controlling serums.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play