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Kiehl's vs NIVEA

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

Kiehl's and NIVEA are enduring skincare brands founded in 1851 and 1911, respectively. Kiehl's is loved for its nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and revitalizing eye products formulated with glycerin and squalane, while NIVEA is known for reliable sunscreens, targeted serums, and nourishing moisturizers formulated with glycerin. Both brands suit mature skin best, though the American brand also suits combination skin and the German brand suits sensitive skin. They differ primarily in their specific targeted concerns and proprietary botanical blends, such as the former brand using Calendula and squalane for barrier support and oxidative stress, and the latter relying on glycerin to improve stratum corneum hydration.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.

beiersdorf.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular Kiehl's vs NIVEA products

People Say

Kiehl'sNIVEA
  • 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”
    • “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
    • “skin feels moisturized — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “skin feels squeaky clean and soft — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
    • “skin feels smooth — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
  • Relaxing and Classic Scents Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like holiday — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
    • “Smell brings me back to childhood — NIVEA Creme”
    • “smells really nice — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Gentleness and Sensitivity Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “doesn't irritate sensitive eyes — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “doesn't dry out skin — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Value for Money Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Works better than expensive luxury creams — NIVEA Creme”
    • “Best affordable vegan moisturizer. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “absolute steal for the price — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Greasiness and Heavy Residue Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “didn't absorb well — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”
    • “I noticed some acne breakouts on my chin after using this crème for a while. — NIVEA Soft”

Kiehl's vs NIVEA routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs NIVEA routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs NIVEA routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or NIVEA: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA are good choices, as both brands match all skin types at High levels on this page. Kiehl's is often preferred for gentleness and absorption, whereas NIVEA generally offers better value and texture improvement.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and NIVEA?

Kiehl's and NIVEA both offer high routine fit across most skin types, but Kiehl's features mostly fragrance-free products on the page while NIVEA includes fragrance in the majority of its items.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer a High routine fit for dry skin, though Kiehl's is noted for its texture and absorption while NIVEA provides better value for money. Emollients help support the skin barrier, which is beneficial for dry skin types.

Kiehl's or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer moisturizers with a High routine fit for dry skin, with Kiehl's providing lighter textures and NIVEA offering classic options like Creme. Reviewers note that Kiehl's moisturizers are mostly lightweight and non-greasy, whereas NIVEA is often praised for intense deep hydration and versatile multi-use formulas.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or NIVEA?

NIVEA is more affordable, as the products on this page often feature value for money whereas Kiehl's has a high price point.

Between Kiehl's and NIVEA, which brand is better for improving skin texture and supporting the skin barrier?

NIVEA performs better for skin barrier and texture improvement. Lovi notes that NIVEA offers smoother skin texture serums and blemish-clearing serums.

How do the fragrance options compare between Kiehl's and NIVEA products?

Kiehl's offers significantly more fragrance-free choices, as 26 of the products on this page list no fragrance, whereas only 3 of NIVEA's 9 products are fragrance-free.

Which brand has a routine that fits acne-prone skin better, Kiehl's or NIVEA?

NIVEA fits acne-prone skin better, as Lovi rates its routine as High compared to Kiehl's Average. NIVEA's products on this page include specialized blemish-clearing serums that help manage acne-prone skin.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer a High routine fit for oily skin, with Kiehl's featuring products like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash and NIVEA offering options such as the UV Deep Protect & Care Gel. Reviewers note that NIVEA excels in skin barrier and texture improvement, while Kiehl's provides better texture and absorption.

Kiehl's or NIVEA: which sunscreen is better?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer sunscreens with High Lovi fit levels for several skin types on the products on this page, such as Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum and NIVEA's Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+. Kiehl's sunscreen is fragrance-free across its options, whereas NIVEA's sunscreens often include added fragrance.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer High routine fit for sensitive skin, but Kiehl's is noted for better gentleness and sensitivity. Lovi rates Kiehl's Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner as Superior for sensitive skin, and 26 of 28 products on this page list no fragrance.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, NIVEA has a High routine fit while Kiehl's has an Average routine fit, making NIVEA the better choice.

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

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