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Kiehl's vs Simple

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

Kiehl's and Simple are heritage skincare brands that respectively offer targeted, ingredient-driven formulations and gentle daily essentials. Kiehl's is celebrated for moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products featuring glycerin and squalane, which suit combination skin and dark spots best. Conversely, Simple is beloved for gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners crafted with niacinamide and glycerin that primarily cater to acne-prone skin and dark spots. While both incorporate hydrating glycerin, they differ through the American brand's focus on antioxidant-rich squalane for mature and combination concerns versus the British brand's emphasis on soothing niacinamide for sensitive and blemish-prone complexions.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Simple products

People Say

Kiehl'sSimple
  • Gentle for sensitive skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Lightweight texture 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”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Non-drying and hydrating formulas Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft, not tight. — Simple Micellar Water”
  • Makeup compatibility Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “makeup lays well — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “works well under foundation — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
  • Affordable value Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Can't beat the price for the quality. — Simple Micellar Water”
  • Cleansing and pore care Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Best morning cleanser — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “Skin feels soft not dry — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • High price Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Causes breakouts and acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Gave me tiny bumps on my forehead. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “caused major breakouts — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
  • Insufficient moisture Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “some extremely dry skin types need a thicker balm or oil on top — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”

Kiehl's vs Simple routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs Simple routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs Simple routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Simple: which is better?

Simple tends to be better for sensitive and acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's may be better for lightweight textures and advanced serums. Both brands offer high routine fit levels across most skin types on this page.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Simple?

Simple offers better results for acne-prone skin with High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average fit, while Simple is also noted for being more affordable and providing non-drying, hydrating formulas. Kiehl's products on this page frequently feature ingredients like Glycerin, Vitamin C, and Squalane, whereas Simple products on this page prominently feature Niacinamide and Glycerin.

Kiehl's or Simple for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Simple are a High fit for dry skin on this page, as both brands offer effective hydration routines. Reviewers note that Simple provides non-drying and hydrating formulas with a more affordable value, while Kiehl's is often mentioned for its deep hydration.

Kiehl's or Simple: which cleanser is better?

Simple is better for cleansing due to its focus on gentle, sensitive-skin-friendly makeup removers and effective daily cleansers. Lovi rates Simple as having a high routine fit for acne-prone skin, whereas Kiehl's routine fit is average for that skin type.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Simple?

Simple is more affordable, as reviewers often mention its high price point as a negative for Kiehl's and value-friendly moisturizers as a positive for Simple.

Kiehl's or Simple: which brand offers better options for mature skin?

Both Kiehl's and Simple offer equal fit levels for mature skin, as the products on this page achieve a High Lovi fit for this skin type.

Which brand has more products containing fragrance, Kiehl's or Simple?

Kiehl's has more products containing fragrance than Simple, as 26 of 28 Kiehl's products on this page list no fragrance while 2 products do, whereas every product on the Simple page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Kiehl's or Simple: which is better for treating skin with dark spots?

Both Kiehl's and Simple are a High fit for skin with dark spots. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Kiehl's or Simple for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Simple offer a High routine fit for oily skin on this page, but they differ in pricing and key ingredients like Glycerin and Niacinamide.

Kiehl's or Simple: which moisturizer is better?

Simple products on this page often provide more non-drying and hydrating formulas than Kiehl's, while Lovi rates both brands as High for dry skin routines. Kiehl's moisturizers are mostly mentioned as lightweight and non-greasy, whereas Simple products on this page are mostly noted as lightweight and value-friendly.

Kiehl's or Simple for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Simple are a High fit for sensitive skin on this page, offering gentle and well-tolerated formulas.

Kiehl's or Simple for acne-prone skin?

Simple is the better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as High compared to Kiehl's Average. Simple helps provide gentle care with fragrance-free formulations, while the products on this page from Kiehl's may sometimes cause breakouts and skin irritation.

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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