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Kiehl's vs SkinCeuticals

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

Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals are heritage American skincare brands offering thoughtful moisturizers, targeted serums, and soothing eye products. Kiehl's is known for nourishing glycerin and squalane suited best to skin with dark spots and combination skin, featuring standouts like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner, Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, and Ultra Facial Toner. Conversely, SkinCeuticals is loved for restorative glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone ideal for dry skin and dry sensitive skin, highlighted by standouts such as C E Ferulic, Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50, and A.G.E. Advanced Eye. Ultimately, both brands differ through their distinct formulations and key ingredients that address specific skin concerns and types.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

SkinCeuticals is an American skincare brand founded in 1994 and owned by L'Oréal since 2005.

loreal.comskinceuticals-za.compitchbook.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs SkinCeuticals products

People Say

Kiehl'sSkinCeuticals
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “silky and non-greasy — SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye”
    • “absorbs quickly — SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly 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”
    • “Hydrated my skin beautifully. — SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2”
    • “Pure hydration in a bottle — SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “definitely gave me a glass skin texture — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
    • “pores appeared less noticeable — SkinCeuticals P-Tiox”
    • “My skin is softer to the touch. — SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Care Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “perfect for retinol newbies — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “Perfect starting strength — SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3”
  • Brightening and Dark Spot Fading Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “I really love this product, as my skin is brighter. — SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF”
    • “Really fades brown spots, perfect for men and a little goes a long way! — SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF”
  • Pore Cleansing and Oil Control Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “keeps my oils at bay — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “gets rid of blackheads — SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel”
    • “reduces oil — SkinCeuticals LHA Cleanser Gel”
  • High Price Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Too pricey for the hype — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
  • Lack of Results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “haven't noticed much change on the deeper lines — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
    • “did nothing — SkinCeuticals P-Tiox”
  • Greasiness and Heavy Residue Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “feels tacky — SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier”
    • “sticky residue — SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “skin went through a slight purge — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
    • “made me break out — SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel”
    • “caused cystic acne — SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Serum”
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”

Kiehl's vs SkinCeuticals routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs SkinCeuticals routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs SkinCeuticals routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals: which is better?

SkinCeuticals is generally better for dry, oily, and mature skin types, whereas Kiehl's is often preferred for gentle, sensitive skin care.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals?

SkinCeuticals achieves a superior routine fit for dry skin, mature skin, and dark spots, whereas Kiehl's is noted by reviewers for being gentler on sensitive skin. Both brands are owned by L'Oréal and offer hydrating and texture-improving products.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals for dry skin?

For dry skin, both brands offer good options, though Lovi rates SkinCeuticals as Superior and Kiehl's as High. Products like SkinCeuticals' Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2 and Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate help deliver deep hydration and moisture.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals: which cleanser is better?

When comparing cleansers, Kiehl's is better for gentle and sensitive skin care while SkinCeuticals offers superior options for acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals?

Both Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals are noted on this page for a high price point, so neither brand is more affordable.

Between Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals, which brand is better for addressing mature skin?

SkinCeuticals is better for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High fit level. SkinCeuticals offers anti-aging and line-reducing serums that are often mentioned by reviewers.

How do Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals compare regarding skin barrier and texture improvement?

SkinCeuticals does better than Kiehl's regarding skin barrier and texture improvement. Review themes note that SkinCeuticals provides stronger support for skin barrier and texture, while ingredient studies show that topical treatments like hyaluronic acid help support skin hydration and quality.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

SkinCeuticals has more fragrance-free products on the page than Kiehl's, with thirty-four compared to twenty-six. Both brands maintain a high percentage of fragrance-free formulas across their ranges.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals for oily skin?

SkinCeuticals is a superior choice for oily skin, offering a superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High level. Both brands provide oil-controlling products on this page, but SkinCeuticals includes highly rated options like Silymarin CF and Blemish + Age Defense.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, SkinCeuticals achieves a superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Kiehl's. The products on this page help deliver deep hydration, while hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate may improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and SkinCeuticals offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin. Kiehl's is noted by reviewers for being gentle and sensitive skin care, while the products on this page for both brands mostly list no fragrance.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals: which sunscreen is better?

For sunscreens on this page, SkinCeuticals offers Sheer Physical UV Defense SPF 50, which Lovi rates as Superior for skin with dark spots, while Kiehl's offers Better Screen UV Serum, which Lovi rates as High for skin with dark spots.

Kiehl's or SkinCeuticals for acne-prone skin?

SkinCeuticals is a better match for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as High compared to Kiehl's Average. SkinCeuticals offers several targeted blemish products like Blemish + Age Defense, whereas Kiehl's reviewers more frequently note 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

How does it fit your skin?

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