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Anua vs Kiehl's

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

Anua and Kiehl's are two distinct skincare lines offering moisturizers, toners, serums, and cleansers. The Korean brand Anua focuses on hyaluronic acid, heartleaf, and niacinamide to suit dry and oily acne-prone skin, while the American brand Kiehl's relies on glycerin and squalane to nourish mature and combination skin. They differ in their founding years, ownership, and regional approaches, with the former emphasizing hydration and blemish care and the latter prioritizing moisture retention and barrier support.

Anua is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by The Founders Inc..

prnewswire.comkedglobal.comtracxn.comv.daum.net

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular Anua vs Kiehl's products

People Say

AnuaKiehl's
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “complexion feels so plump — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “leaves skin plump — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Texture and Lightweight Feel Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “melts into skin — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “Feels like water, not heavy oil — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Significant reduction in hyperpigmentation from acne scarring. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “Gives a nice healthy glow — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Sensitive Skin Care Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Calms my redness instantly — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
    • “calmed my red spots — Anua Heartleaf 77% Clear Pad”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin feels super smooth — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “skin feels so smooth — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Glow and Radiance Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “glass-like glow — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “glassy skin look — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “beautiful glow — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “Skin looks noticeably more plump — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Price and Value Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “price feels way too high — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “small size, the price is expensive — Anua Rice Enzyme Brightening Cleansing Powder”
    • “bottle too small — Anua NANO RETINOL™ 0.3% + NIACIN RENEWING SERUM”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Breakouts and Acne Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “developed tiny white bumps — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Wrecked my skin barrier — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
  • Sticky or Greasy Finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Left such a gross tacky finish that refused to dry. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “leaves a tacky finish — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”

Anua vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Anua vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Anua vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Anua or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both brands offer solid routines, but Anua is better suited for acne-prone skin with a High fit compared to Kiehl's Average fit, while reviewers note Anua provides better glow and value. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer, a key active in both lines.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between Anua and Kiehl's?

Anua focuses on ingredients like heartleaf and niacinamide with routines tailored for dry skin, oily skin, and oily acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's emphasizes classic formulations featuring squalane and glycerin tailored for mature skin, combination skin, and skin with dark spots. Reviewers note that Anua does better for glow and radiance and price and value, whereas Kiehl's experiences more feedback about breakouts and acne.

Anua or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both Anua and Kiehl's are a High fit for dry skin based on the products on this page. Anua is founded in South Korea and owned by The Founders Inc., while Kiehl's is founded in the United States and owned by L'Oréal S.A.

Anua or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Anua and Kiehl's offer equal fit levels across multiple skin types for their cleansers on this page. Reviewers note that Anua is better for value while Kiehl's has more concerns regarding breakouts.

Which is more affordable, Anua or Kiehl's?

Anua is more affordable, as reviewers frequently note a high price point for Kiehl's while highlighting Anua for better price and value.

Anua or Kiehl's: which is better for glow and radiance?

Anua does better for glow and radiance compared to Kiehl's. Niacinamide helps reduce pigmentation and brightens the skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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

Anua has more fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas two products on the Kiehl's page contain fragrance.

Anua or Kiehl's: which is better for mature skin?

Both Anua and Kiehl's are a High fit for mature skin on the products on this page, offering targeted serums and creams with key ingredients like retinol to help combat signs of aging. However, reviewers note that Kiehl's often comes with a higher price point.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Anua or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Anua and Kiehl's are a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers mention that the products on this page for Anua and Kiehl's both offer lightweight, non-greasy hydration.

Anua or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Both Anua and Kiehl's offer sunscreens on this page with High fit levels for sensitive skin, but Anua is better for value since Kiehl's has a higher price point. Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum and Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream both help protect the skin with gentle formulations.

Anua or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both Anua and Kiehl's fit sensitive skin at a high level. Lovi shows that every Anua product on this page lists no fragrance, while two Kiehl's products contain fragrance.

Anua or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Anua is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average level. Reviewers note that niacinamide, which is featured across the products on this page, helps reduce pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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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