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Kiehl's skincare

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

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Kiehl's is loved for its nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and revitalizing eye products, all formulated with nourishing glycerin and squalane. Its products suit mature skin and combination skin best, owing to their moisture-retention and barrier-supporting properties. For specific concerns, the brand offers the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner for acne-prone skin, the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash for skin with dark spots, and the Ultra Facial Toner for mature skin. Ultimately, its key ingredients work effectively, as glycerin significantly increases hydration and restores epidermal barrier function, while squalane counteracts oxidative stress and stimulates fibroblast migration.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2006

This page covers some of the most popular Kiehl's products; for the whole Kiehl's range, with a fit score for every product, use the Lovi app.

Kiehl's moisturizers

Kiehl's serums and treatments

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 59.9k+ reviews

Reviewers most often praise Kiehl's for lightweight texture, deep hydration, and brightening complexion. The most common complaints are breakouts and heavy formulas.

Highlights

  • Lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers Mostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Sinks in instantly — Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Gentle serums Mostly Mentioned
    • “experienced zero irritation — Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “perfect for retinol newbies — Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “No irritation at all — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • Deep hydration Often Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “savior for dry patches — Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
  • Improves skin texture Sometimes Noted
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “skin looked & felt smoother — Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
  • Brightening and fading dark spots Sometimes Noted
    • “Acne marks are gone — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “faded acne scars — Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Makeup compatibility and primer benefits Sometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “sits great under foundation — Better Screen UV Serum”
  • High price point Often Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “overpriced for what it does — Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
  • Causes breakouts and skin irritation Often Mentioned
    • “burned my face immediately — Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “caused cystic acne — Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “stings my face and feels like burning — Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
  • Product not rich or effective enough Often Mentioned
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • Greasy or heavy residue Sometimes Noted
    • “oil slick in summer — Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “didn't absorb well — Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”

Sources: lovi.care, amazon.com, sephora.com, ulta.com, kiehls.com, reddit.com, and more

Other Kiehl's products

Questions and answers

Is Kiehl's good for oily skin?

Yes, Kiehl's is good for oily skin, as Lovi rates the Kiehl's-focused routine High for oily skin. Reviewers often mention lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers that help oily skin feel comfortable. Additionally, 26 of the 28 Kiehl's products on this page list no fragrance.

Is Kiehl's worth it?

Lovi rates Kiehl's High for dry skin, and 26 of the Kiehl's products on this page list no fragrance. However, reviewers often mention a high price point and that the products can cause breakouts and skin irritation.

What are Kiehl's's best products?

Kiehl's features several products that Lovi rates High across specific skin types, such as Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner for oily skin, Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate for dry skin, and Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution for skin with dark spots.

Which Kiehl's moisturizer is best for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi rates Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate Superior as the best moisturizer, followed by Super Multi-Corrective Cream and Midnight Recovery Omega-Rich Cloud Cream, which both rate High. These options help deliver deep hydration to dry skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Does Kiehl's cause breakouts?

Yes, Kiehl's may cause breakouts and skin irritation, as reviewers often mention this effect. Lovi rates the brand-focused routine for acne-prone skin as Average.

Is Kiehl's fragrance-free?

Yes, the Kiehl's products on this page are generally fragrance-free, as 26 of the 28 items list no fragrance.

What are the key ingredients in Kiehl's products?

The key ingredients across the Kiehl's products on this page include glycerin, vitamin C, squalane, shea butter, and vitamin E. Reviewers often mention that these formulations provide deep hydration.

How do I build a Kiehl's skincare routine?

To build a morning routine with Kiehl's for dry skin, apply the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, follow with Ultra Facial Toner, hydrate with Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate, and finish with Better Screen UV Serum. For the evening, use Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil as a pre-cleanse, wash with the foaming face wash, apply Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate, and moisturize with the serum concentrate. Once a week, add a nourishing mask between cleansing and treatment steps.

Where can I buy Kiehl's, and how much does it cost?

Kiehl's products are available on this page with prices ranging from €13.00 to €97.70, and most items falling between €27.60 and €63.90.

What are good alternatives to Kiehl's?

Good alternatives to Kiehl's include brands with pages on Lovi such as CeraVe, Cetaphil, Paula's Choice, Neutrogena, Dermalogica, and Good Molecules. Lovi rates CeraVe-focused routines Superior for oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin, and High for dry skin.

Kiehl's vs CeraVe: which is better?

Lovi rates CeraVe as superior for oily, sensitive, combination, and acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's and CeraVe both rate High for dry skin. Reviewers often mention that Kiehl's features lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and gentle serums, but also note a high price point.

Who owns Kiehl's, and where is it from?

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Is Kiehl's cruelty-free?

PETA, Leaping Bunny, and Cruelty Free International, the registries Lovi checks, do not list Kiehl's as cruelty-free.

Is Kiehl's good for dry skin?

Yes, Kiehl's is good for dry skin, and Lovi rates the Kiehl's-focused routine High for dry skin. For this routine, Kiehl's offers products such as Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate, which receives a Superior fit for dry skin. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which Kiehl's cleanser is best for oily skin?

The Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash is the best option as Lovi rates it Superior for oily skin. The Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser also rates Superior, and the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser rates High.

Is Kiehl's good for sensitive skin?

Lovi rates the Kiehl's-focused routine High for sensitive skin. The Kiehl's products on this page list no fragrance, which helps keep them gentle. Reviewers frequently mention that the brand offers gentle serums.

Which Kiehl's sunscreen is best for sensitive skin?

Lovi rates Better Screen UV Serum High for sensitive skin.

Is Kiehl's good for acne-prone skin?

Lovi rates the Kiehl's-focused routine Average for acne-prone skin. While certain items like Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution and Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque rate High for this skin type, reviewers sometimes note that some products may cause breakouts and skin irritation.

Is Kiehl's good for skin with dark spots?

Yes, Kiehl's is good for skin with dark spots, as Lovi rates mature skin, combination skin, and skin with dark spots as the skin types the brand fits best. Reviewers mention that brightening and fading dark spots is sometimes noted, and 26 of the 28 Kiehl's products on this page list no fragrance.

Is Kiehl's good for mature skin?

Yes, Kiehl's is good for mature skin, as Lovi rates the brand-focused routine High for this skin type and features many dedicated products like Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Research behind Kiehl's's key ingredients

Behind these ratings

Lovi rates every product from its 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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