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Cetaphil vs Kiehl's

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

Cetaphil and Kiehl's are American skincare brands known for their thoughtful cleansers, moisturizers, serums, toners, sunscreens, and more. Cetaphil features glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol to suit oily skin and combination skin best, while Kiehl's incorporates glycerin and squalane to suit skin with dark spots and combination skin best. Both brands differ in their specific formulations and ownership, as the former is owned by Galderma Group AG and the latter by L'Oreal S.A.

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

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

Popular Cetaphil vs Kiehl's products

People Say

CetaphilKiehl's
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy feel Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
  • Skin smoothing and texture improvement Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Versatile and effective daily use Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “great for face and body — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “recommended by my derm — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “removes excess oil — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
  • Brightening and complexion enhancement Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin looks more radiant — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
  • Sensory and finish complaints Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
    • “smells like masking fragrance — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Lather, texture, and packaging issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “hate dipping fingers in — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Miss the bubbles, feels like washing with lotion. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's are great choices, as they offer an equal fit level across almost all skin types, though Cetaphil is generally better for sensitive skin and acne-prone skin.

What is the difference between Cetaphil and Kiehl's?

Cetaphil is better for sensitive skin and acne-prone routines, while Kiehl's performs better for skin smoothing and brightening. Both brands offer high routine fit levels for most skin types, but Cetaphil is less likely to have high price point complaints.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for dry skin, making them equally suitable for your needs. Cetaphil features gentle, non-stripping cleansers and hydrating moisturizers, while Kiehl's delivers deep hydration through products like its Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's offer highly rated cleansers on this page, but Cetaphil is generally gentler on sensitive skin while Kiehl's excels in skin smoothing and texture improvement. The products on this page help maintain effective cleansing routines for various skin types.

Which is more affordable, Cetaphil or Kiehl's?

Cetaphil is more affordable, as reviewers often note high price points as a drawback for Kiehl's while Cetaphil does better on price.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for dark spots?

Both brands offer products on this page that fit skin with dark spots at a High level. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for texture improvement?

Kiehl's does better than Cetaphil for skin smoothing and texture improvement. Kiehl's features products like Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion which helps refine the skin, and retinol which stimulates collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's offer a High routine fit for oily skin. The products on this page help provide gentle cleansing and lightweight hydration without feeling overly heavy.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's offer effective moisturizers on this page with an equal fit level for most skin types, while Cetaphil is better for acne-prone skin and avoids the high price point reported as an issue for Kiehl's.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin, but Cetaphil is generally better recognized for being gentle on sensitive skin. The products on this page for both brands are mostly fragrance-free, which helps minimize skin irritation.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Cetaphil is better for sunscreen as the products on this page offer superior to high Lovi fit levels across nearly all skin types, with options like Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 achieving a Superior fit for dry, dry sensitive, combination, and sensitive skin. Kiehl's also provides effective sunscreens like Better Screen UV Serum, but Cetaphil consistently delivers higher fit levels for sensitive and dry skin types.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Cetaphil is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average level. The products on this page help provide gentle daily care without stripping the skin barrier.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for mature skin?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's offer a High routine fit for mature skin. Cetaphil features key ingredients like niacinamide and panthenol, which help support aging skin.

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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