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Kiehl's vs Biore

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

Kiehl's and Biore are two distinct skincare lines offering targeted solutions for diverse complexions. Kiehl's is an American heritage brand known for moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products featuring glycerin and squalane, which suit skin with dark spots and combination skin best. Conversely, the Japanese brand Biore is celebrated for sunscreens, cleansers, masks, and makeup removers that cater primarily to sensitive skin and oily skin. While both houses provide effective formulations, they differ fundamentally through their heritage, signature ingredients, and ideal skin matches.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Biore is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by Kao Corporation.

biore.comkao.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Biore products

People Say

Kiehl'sBiore
  • Pores and Oil Control Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Gets the gunk out — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
    • “Keeps shine away — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
    • “Removes waterproof mascara, eyeliner, foundation. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “feels like a moisturizer — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “melts into skin — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Relaxing and Refreshing Scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Love the tingle — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
    • “Fruity fragrance, smells like apple/grape, refreshing. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “skin looked & felt smoother — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “Leaves skin feeling clean — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
  • Makeup Compatibility Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “primer-like — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Stinging and Skin Irritation Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “left my face bright red — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “stings eyes — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • High Price and Value Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Product Ineffectiveness Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Doesn't get all blackheads — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
    • “Doesn't shrink pores — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
  • Unpleasant Scents and Fragrance Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells clinical — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “faint lab smell — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “smell is overpowering — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “smells like alcohol — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Packaging and Application Issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Stains the sink — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”

Kiehl's vs Biore routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs Biore routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs Biore routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Biore: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and Biore are great, but they shine for different needs since Kiehl's is better for hydration and texture while Biore offers better value and oil control. For sensitive skin, Lovi rates Biore as Superior and Kiehl's as High.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Biore?

Kiehl's focuses on skin barrier and texture improvement and hydration and moisture, while Biore specializes in pores and oil control and relaxing and refreshing scent. Reviewers note that Kiehl's has a higher price point and causes stinging and skin irritation.

Kiehl's or Biore for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Biore fit dry skin at a High level. Lovi rates the routine fit for dry skin equally for both brands.

Kiehl's or Biore: which cleanser is better?

Both Kiehl's and Biore offer strong options for cleansing, with Kiehl's providing a wider variety of specialized face washes like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash and Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser that achieve superior or high fit levels across multiple skin types. Biore also features effective daily options such as the Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Biore?

Biore does better for price and value, while reviewers often mention Kiehl's for its high price point.

Between Kiehl's and Biore, which brand offers better results for pores and oil control?

Biore does better for pores and oil control. The products on this page for Kiehl's and Biore provide routines that help manage oil and pores.

How do the founding years and corporate owners of Kiehl's and Biore compare?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000, whereas Biore was founded in 1980 in Japan and is owned by Kao Corporation.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Kiehl's or Biore?

Kiehl's features 26 fragrance-free products on this page, while Biore offers every product on this page without fragrance. Biore does better for pleasant and refreshing scent, whereas Kiehl's has more products on this page with unpleasant scents and fragrance.

Kiehl's or Biore for oily skin?

For oily skin, Kiehl's is a strong choice, as Lovi rates its routines as High and its products feature options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash with a Superior fit. Biore also offers a High routine fit for oily skin and outperforms Kiehl's specifically on pores and oil control.

Kiehl's or Biore: which sunscreen is better?

Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum may be a better choice for skin with dark spots, combination skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and mature skin, where Lovi rates it as High. Biore UV Aqua Rich is rated as Average for most of those same skin types and Low for dry sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Biore for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Lovi rates Biore as Superior and Kiehl's as High. The products on this page for both brands feature fragrance-free options, though shoppers note that Kiehl's may sometimes cause stinging and skin irritation.

Kiehl's or Biore for acne-prone skin?

Biore fits acne-prone skin better than Kiehl's, as Biore achieves a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average fit for this skin type. Biore also outperforms Kiehl's specifically for pores and oil control.

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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