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Some By Mi vs Kiehl's

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

Some By Mi and Kiehl's are distinct skincare brands founded in South Korea in 2016 and America in 1851, respectively. Some By Mi offers serums, cleansers, toners, and moisturizers built around niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid, while Kiehl's is beloved for its expertly formulated moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products that incorporate nourishing glycerin and squalane. The Korean brand fits dry sensitive skin and dry skin best, whereas the American brand suits combination skin and mature skin best. They differ primarily in their heritage, ownership, and core ingredient philosophies for addressing target skin concerns.

Some By Mi is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by JKL Partners since 2021.

kedglobal.compreqin.comtracxn.com

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

Popular Some By Mi vs Kiehl's products

People Say

Some By MiKiehl's
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “Lasts 100 hours as claimed — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
  • Brightening and Radiance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Fades dark spots — Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum”
    • “skin looks visibly brighter — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Anti Blemish Serum”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin became smoother — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Surprisingly gentle — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Skin feels baby soft — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Gentle Formula Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Zero irritation or redness — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “doesn't strip dry my skin — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedNot noted
    • “Reduces pimples — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “cleared my cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Acne Clear Foam”
    • “flattened my cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum”
  • Price and Value Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “Too expensive for 50ml — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Scents and Fragrance Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “smells clinical — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “faint lab smell — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “overwhelming citrus fragrance — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
  • Sticky or Greasy Residue Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves face really greasy — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
    • “leaves sticky film — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”

Some By Mi vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Some By Mi vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Some By Mi vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which is better?

Some By Mi is better for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and dry sensitive skin, while Kiehl's is better for price and lightweight hydration. Niacinamide helps reduce skin pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between Some By Mi and Kiehl's?

Some By Mi fits dry sensitive skin at a Superior level, whereas Kiehl's fits it at a High level. Some By Mi products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, while two Kiehl's products contain fragrance.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Some By Mi fits dry skin better than Kiehl's, offering a Superior routine fit compared to a High fit for Kiehl's.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Some By Mi is better for acne-prone skin, as its cleansers achieve High fit levels for acne-prone skin compared to Kiehl's Average fit levels. Additionally, Some By Mi products on this page feature no fragrance across all items, whereas Kiehl's includes fragrance in select formulas.

Which is more affordable, Some By Mi or Kiehl's?

Some By Mi is more affordable than Kiehl's, as price and value is an area where Some By Mi performs better. Kiehl's is frequently noted by reviewers for having a high price point.

Between Some By Mi and Kiehl's, which brand is better for managing skin with dark spots?

Some By Mi is better for managing skin with dark spots because the products on this page achieve a superior fit level for this skin type compared to Kiehl's. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand has a better routine fit for dry sensitive skin: Some By Mi or Kiehl's?

Some By Mi has a superior routine fit for dry sensitive skin, whereas Kiehl's routine fit is high. Reviewers frequently note that Some By Mi products are especially well-suited for these dry, sensitive skin types.

How do Some By Mi and Kiehl's compare when it comes to acne and blemish control?

Some By Mi does better than Kiehl's for acne and blemish control. The products on this page feature key ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid, which help reduce cutaneous pigmentation and target breakouts effectively.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Some By Mi and Kiehl's are a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides lightweight and fast-absorbing products, while Some By Mi excels in acne and blemish control.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Some By Mi is better for moisturizers on this page because its routines fit dry skin at a Superior level, whereas Kiehl's routine fit for dry skin is High. Reviewers note that Some By Mi moisturizers offer excellent textures while avoiding the heavy residue sometimes seen with Kiehl's.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Some By Mi fits sensitive skin better than Kiehl's, offering a Superior routine fit compared to a High fit for Kiehl's. Reviewers often mention Some By Mi for providing gentle formulas and fragrance-free options across all its products on this page.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Some By Mi is better for acne-prone, sensitive, and dry sensitive skin, offering a High fit level with its V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen, while Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum has an Average fit for those skin types. Both brands provide a High fit for combination and mature skin.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Some By Mi is better suited for acne-prone skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average fit. The products on this page help with acne-clearing treatments and feature key ingredients like salicylic acid and niacinamide.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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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