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Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's

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

Dr. Althea and Kiehl's are two distinct skincare brands with dedicated followers around the world. The Korean brand is known for soothing moisturizers, gentle cleansers, makeup removers, and nourishing serums that suit dry and acne-prone skin best, while the American brand is appreciated for moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products incorporating glycerin and squalane that favor skin with dark spots and combination skin. While both offer thoughtful formulations, they differ in their heritage, founding eras, and foundational ingredients.

Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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

Popular Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's products

People Say

Dr. AltheaKiehl's
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “rich but non-greasy — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Soothing and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Tone Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “strengthened my skin barrier — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly 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”
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Removes sunscreen well — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “great for morning routine — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “a bit pricey — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Scent and Irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like plants — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “clinical scent — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “burned my face immediately — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “stings my face and feels like burning — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
  • Pilling and Application Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “rolled off my face — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Struggles with waterproof mascara — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which is better?

Dr. Althea is better for soothing formulas and acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's is better for hydration and skin barrier and tone improvement.

What is the difference between Dr. Althea and Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea offers a Superior fit for acne-prone skin and mature skin, while Kiehl's best fits skin with dark spots, combination skin, and mature skin. Reviewers find that Dr. Althea provides soothing and gentle formulas, whereas Kiehl's excels in hydration and skin barrier improvement.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Dr. Althea fits dry skin better, as Lovi rates its routine for dry skin as Superior compared to High for Kiehl's. The products on this page for Dr. Althea also feature fragrance-free formulas that help soothe and hydrate dry skin.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Dr. Althea is better for gentle and soothing cleansing as its cleansers fit acne-prone, oily, and dry skin at a Superior level and every product on this page lists no fragrance. Kiehl's also offers high-performing cleansers like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner and Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, though reviewers note that Kiehl's can sometimes cause breakouts and skin irritation.

Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea is more affordable, as a high price point is a noted drawback for Kiehl's while it is not for Dr. Althea.

Which brand has a better routine fit for dry sensitive skin?

Both Dr. Althea and Kiehl's achieve a High routine fit for dry sensitive skin. Review themes show that Dr. Althea tends to do better for soothing and gentle formulas, while Kiehl's is noted for hydration and moisture.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Dr. Althea and Kiehl's are a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea helps provide soothing cleansers, while Kiehl's helps deliver lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

When choosing a moisturizer, Dr. Althea achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Kiehl's achieves a High routine fit for dry skin.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both Dr. Althea and Kiehl's offer a High fit for sensitive skin on this page. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea provides soothing and gentle formulas, while every product on its page lists no fragrance.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Dr. Althea provides a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's offers an Average routine fit. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea features soothing cleansers, though the products on this page sometimes cause breakouts.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for mature skin?

For mature skin, Dr. Althea provides a Superior routine fit, while Kiehl's offers a High fit.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for skin with dark spots?

For skin with dark spots, both Dr. Althea and Kiehl's offer products on this page that achieve a High fit level. Lovi rates Dr. Althea as High overall for this skin concern, while Kiehl's is best fitted by its routines for skin with dark spots.

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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