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Kiehl's vs Grown Alchemist

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

Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist are respected skincare brands offering distinctive approaches to daily regimens, with the American heritage label known for nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and revitalizing eye products formulated with glycerin and squalane, while the latter is loved for cleansers and serums, as well as its specialized formulas. The former suits mature skin and combination skin best owing to moisture-retention and barrier-supporting properties, whereas both brands accommodate combination skin alongside the latter's focus on sensitive and dry skin types. These options differ in their specific offerings and targeted concerns, such as the former featuring the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner for acne-prone skin, the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash for dark spots, and the Ultra Facial Toner for mature skin, while the latter provides the Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser, the Instant Smoothing Serum, and the Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser for those same respective needs. Ultimately, both brands rely on effective components, with glycerin significantly increasing hydration and restoring epidermal barrier function, and squalane counteracting oxidative stress and stimulating fibroblast migration.

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 Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Grown Alchemist products

People Say

Kiehl'sGrown Alchemist
  • Gentle for sensitive skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Perfect for sensitive skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “calms my skin down — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • 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”
    • “Skin version of chugging water — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing 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”
    • “Very light weight — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Non-stripping and gentle cleansing Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Doesn't dry out my skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “doesn't strip at all — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Relaxing and pleasant scent Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Smells amazing — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “smell is divine — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Cleanses and controls oil Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Gets everything nice and clean — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • High price Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for what it is — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “A bit pricey — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Packaging and application issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “tube cracks easily — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Makeup removal and compatibility issues Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Isn't going to be your makeup remover — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist: which is better?

Grown Alchemist is generally better for sensitive skin and gentle cleansing, while Kiehl's offers a wider range of lightweight moisturizers and targeted serums. Reviewers note that Grown Alchemist provides reliable hydration, though Kiehl's is better suited for achieving lightweight textures across the products on this page.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist?

Kiehl's offers a much larger range with specialized serums and moisturizers, while Grown Alchemist focuses on gentle, hydrating cleansers. Lovi rates Grown Alchemist as having high fit levels for sensitive skin types, whereas Kiehl's products on this page often achieve higher ratings for oily and mature skin.

Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist: which cleanser is better?

Grown Alchemist provides gentler, more non-stripping cleansing that is better for sensitive skin, while Kiehl's cleansers perform well at cleansing and controlling oil for oily and acne-prone skin types on this page.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist does better on price, while the products on this page from Kiehl's are often noted for a high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist is generally better for sensitive skin, whereas reviewers of the products on this page often note that Kiehl's causes breakouts and skin irritation.

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

Kiehl's has more products containing fragrance, as 2 of its 26 products list fragrance on this page, whereas Grown Alchemist lists no fragrance in any of its products.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership compare between Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist?

Kiehl's was founded earlier in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000, whereas Grown Alchemist was founded later in 2008 and has been independently owned since 2024.

Which brand offers better results for deep hydration according to the review themes?

Both Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist offer equal results for deep hydration, as they perform the same on this review theme.

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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