🇫🇷France

Kiehl's skincare

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

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Kiehl's is beloved for thoughtful moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and more that incorporate nourishing glycerin and squalane. Its products suit skin with dark spots and combination skin best, owing to targeted formulations that address these specific needs. For acne-prone skin, the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner is a standout, while the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash addresses skin with dark spots, and the Ultra Facial Toner supports mature skin. Together, glycerin significantly increases hydration and restores epidermal barrier function, and squalane counteracts oxidative stress and stimulates fibroblast migration.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2006

This page covers some of the most popular Kiehl's products; for the whole Kiehl's range, with a fit score for every product, use the Lovi app.

Kiehl's moisturizers

Kiehl's serums and treatments

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 59.9k+ reviews

Reviewers most often praise Kiehl's for lightweight texture, deep hydration, and brightening complexion. The most common complaints are breakouts and heavy formulas.

Highlights

  • Lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers Mostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Sinks in instantly — Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Gentle serums Mostly Mentioned
    • “experienced zero irritation — Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “perfect for retinol newbies — Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “No irritation at all — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • Deep hydration Often Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “savior for dry patches — Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
  • Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “skin looked & felt smoother — Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
  • Brightening and fading dark spots Sometimes Noted
    • “Acne marks are gone — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “faded acne scars — Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Makeup compatibility and primer benefits Sometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “sits great under foundation — Better Screen UV Serum”
  • High price point Often Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “overpriced for what it does — Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
  • Causes breakouts and skin irritation Often Mentioned
    • “burned my face immediately — Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “caused cystic acne — Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “stings my face and feels like burning — Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
  • Product not rich or effective enough Often Mentioned
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • Greasy or heavy residue Sometimes Noted
    • “oil slick in summer — Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “didn't absorb well — Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”

Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, sephora.com, ulta.com, kiehls.com, reddit.com, and more

Other Kiehl's products

Questions and answers

Is Kiehl's good for oily skin?

Yes, Kiehl's is good for oily skin, as Lovi rates the Kiehl's-focused routine High for oily skin. Reviewers often mention lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers that help keep oily skin comfortable.

Is Kiehl's worth it?

Kiehl's may be worth it for shoppers seeking lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and gentle serums, as Lovi rates the Kiehl's-focused routines High for dry, oily, sensitive, and combination skin. However, reviewers often mention a high price point and potential breakouts or skin irritation, and 26 of the 28 Kiehl's products on this page list no fragrance.

What are Kiehl's's best products?

Kiehl's features several products that Lovi rates High or Superior for specific skin needs, such as Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner, Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser, and Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate. Reviewers often mention lightweight moisturizers and gentle serums as standout options.

Which Kiehl's moisturizer is best for dry skin?

The Kiehl's moisturizer best for dry skin is Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate, followed by Super Multi-Corrective Cream and Midnight Recovery Omega-Rich Cloud Cream. Lovi rates the Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate Superior for dry skin, while the other two rate High.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Does Kiehl's cause breakouts?

Yes, Kiehl's may cause breakouts and skin irritation, as this is often mentioned by reviewers for the brand. Lovi rates the acne-prone skin fit for individual Kiehl's products between Low and High, and the brand-focused routine for acne-prone skin as Average.

Is Kiehl's fragrance-free?

Yes, the Kiehl's products on this page are mostly fragrance-free as twenty-six of the twenty-eight products list no fragrance.

What are the key ingredients in Kiehl's products?

The key ingredients across the Kiehl's products on this page include glycerin, vitamin C, squalane, shea butter, and vitamin E.

Where can I buy Kiehl's, and how much does it cost?

Kiehl's products on this page are available at stores in France. Prices range from €14.66 to €78.00, with most items costing between €25.00 and €54.95.

What are good alternatives to Kiehl's?

Good alternatives to Kiehl's with pages on Lovi include CeraVe, Cetaphil, Paula's Choice, Neutrogena, Dermalogica, and Good Molecules.

Kiehl's vs CeraVe: which is better?

Lovi rates CeraVe-focused routines as better than Kiehl's-focused routines for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin, while both brands rate High for dry and sensitive skin. Reviewers often mention that Kiehl's products have a high price point and may cause breakouts, whereas the Kiehl's products on this page are mostly fragrance-free.

Who owns Kiehl's, and where is it from?

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Is Kiehl's cruelty-free?

PETA, Leaping Bunny, and Cruelty Free International, the registries Lovi checks, do not list Kiehl's as cruelty-free.

Is Kiehl's good for dry skin?

Lovi rates the Kiehl's-focused routine High for dry skin. For this routine, shoppers use Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, Ultra Facial Toner, Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate, and Better Screen UV Serum in the morning, along with Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil, Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, and Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate at night. Additionally, 26 of 28 of the Kiehl's products on this page list no fragrance, which helps keep dry sensitive skin calm.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which Kiehl's cleanser is best for oily skin?

The Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash is the best option as Lovi rates it Superior for oily skin. The Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser is also rated Superior, and the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser is rated High.

Is Kiehl's good for sensitive skin?

Yes, Kiehl's is good for sensitive skin because Lovi rates the brand-focused routine High for sensitive skin. Additionally, 26 of the 28 Kiehl's products on this page list no fragrance, which helps reduce the likelihood of irritation.

Which Kiehl's sunscreen is best for sensitive skin?

Lovi rates Better Screen UV Serum High for sensitive skin. This sunscreen helps protect sensitive skin while keeping it calm and smooth.

Is Kiehl's good for acne-prone skin?

Lovi rates Kiehl's-focused routines Average for acne-prone skin. The Kiehl's products on this page are mostly fragrance-free, though reviewers often mention that some items may cause breakouts and skin irritation.

Is Kiehl's good for skin with dark spots?

Yes, Kiehl's is good for skin with dark spots because the brand features effective targeted treatments like Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution and Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum. Lovi rates the brand-focused routine for skin with dark spots High. Topical vitamin A helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Is Kiehl's good for mature skin?

Yes, Kiehl's is good for mature skin. Lovi rates mature skin fit as High for the Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum and the Better Screen UV Serum. Topical retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Research behind Kiehl's's key ingredients

Behind these ratings

Lovi rates every product from its 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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