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Kiehl's vs SK-II

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

Kiehl's and SK-II are skincare brands rooted in distinct traditions, with the American label founded in 1851 and the Japanese house established in 1980. Kiehl's is beloved for thoughtful moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and more that incorporate nourishing glycerin and squalane, while SK-II is cherished for luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, clarifying toners, and restorative masks anchored by its signature ingredient, pitera. The first brand suits skin with dark spots and combination skin best, owing to targeted formulations that address these specific needs, whereas the second suits dry skin and acne-prone skin best, thanks to formulations designed to address imbalances. Ultimately, they differ through their respective active ingredients and regional origins, offering distinct pathways to skin health.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

SK-II is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.

en.wikipedia.orgdiscoversk-ii.wixsite.comglossy.co

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

Popular Kiehl's vs SK-II products

People Say

Kiehl'sSK-II
  • 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”
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Deep hydration Often MentionedOften 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”
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Radiance and glow Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “gives a glass skin look — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “leaves me with a red carpet glow — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “noticeable skin brightening effect and glow — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Improves skin barrier and texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “Smoother skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Makeup compatibility and primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Removes leftover dirt — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “Dissolves waterproof mascara, melts stubborn makeup, removes sunscreen easily. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
  • Fades dark spots and brightens Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looks brighter — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “My skin is glowing now. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
    • “Reduced sun spots — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • High price and cost Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “overpriced for what it does — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Slow or ineffective results Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “results were subtle — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Unpleasant scent or fragrance Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells clinical — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “faint lab smell — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “smells like dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Causes breakouts and acne Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “caused tiny red bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “Small bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “did break out some while adjusting — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or SK-II: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and SK-II are good options, with SK-II offering a Superior routine fit for dry skin and acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's features a High fit for dry skin and Average for acne-prone skin.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and SK-II?

Kiehl's offers a larger range of products featuring diverse key ingredients like glycerin and Vitamin C, whereas SK-II focuses primarily on its signature Pitera ingredient. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides lightweight textures and deep hydration, while SK-II tends to do better for radiance and improving the skin barrier.

Kiehl's or SK-II for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi finds that Kiehl's has a High routine fit while SK-II offers a Superior routine fit. Kiehl's features key ingredients like glycerin and squalane to help deliver deep hydration, whereas SK-II uses pitera to support skin barrier and texture.

Kiehl's or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

Both Kiehl's and SK-II offer quality moisturizers, with Kiehl's providing lighter textures and SK-II delivering stronger radiance and glow. Lovi rates Kiehl's routine fit for dry skin as High and SK-II's routine fit for dry skin as Superior.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or SK-II?

When it comes to affordability, reviewers often note a high price point as a drawback for Kiehl's, while the products on this page do not highlight cost advantages for either brand.

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

SK-II has more fragrance-free products on this page, as every SK-II product lists no fragrance. In comparison, 26 of the 28 products on the Kiehl's page list no fragrance.

Which brand offers better results for improving skin barrier and texture?

SK-II does better than Kiehl's for improving skin barrier and texture.

Kiehl's or SK-II for oily skin?

For oily skin, both Kiehl's and SK-II achieve a High routine fit level, though they differ in product formulations and ingredient focus. Kiehl's offers products like the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream and Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner, while SK-II features options such as the Facial Treatment Clear Lotion and Genoptics Ultraura Essence.

Kiehl's or SK-II for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both Kiehl's and SK-II achieve a High routine fit level on this page. Kiehl's features mostly fragrance-free products and includes soothing key ingredients like glycerin and squalane, while SK-II lists no fragrance across the products on this page.

Kiehl's or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

SK-II is the better choice for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Kiehl's Average. SK-II features key ingredients like Pitera across the products on this page to help support acne-prone skin.

Kiehl's or SK-II for mature skin?

Both Kiehl's and SK-II offer a High routine fit for mature skin, with the products on this page utilizing key ingredients like retinol to help stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

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

How does it fit your skin?

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