🇮🇪Ireland

Kiehl's vs Olay

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

Kiehl's and Olay are respected skincare lines offering thoughtful selections of nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and revitalizing eye products. The American brand, founded in 1851, is known for formulations featuring glycerin and squalane that suit mature skin and combination skin best, while Olay is beloved for gentle treatments utilizing niacinamide and glycerin to support mature skin and acne-prone skin. Both brands differ primarily in their ingredient profiles and specific targeted solutions, with the former relying on squalane to counteract oxidative stress and the latter focusing on niacinamide to improve wrinkles and pigmentation.

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 Olay products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Olay products

People Say

Kiehl'sOlay
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “sinks in quickly — Olay Super Serum”
    • “absorbs quickly — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “Instantly smoother, softer, and more hydrated — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “light and smooth — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Skin Smoothing and Barrier Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Skin feels like silk — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
    • “Makeup goes on so smooth — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Brightening and Radiance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “iridescent glow — Olay Super Serum”
    • “hides dark shadows — Olay Ultimate Eye Cream”
  • Gentle on Skin Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “fragrance-free — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “No irritation at all — Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Moisturizer”
  • Makeup Compatibility Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “absorbs instantly — Olay Eye Lifting Serum”
    • “acts as primer — Olay Super Serum”
  • High Price Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “expensive for drugstore — Olay Super Serum”
    • “expensive — Olay Super Serum Night Repair”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Breakouts and Irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “burned my face immediately — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “caused cystic acne — Olay Retinol24”
    • “Caused breakouts — Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream”
  • Product Ineffectiveness Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “no difference — Olay Vitamin C Serum”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Olay Super Serum”
    • “didn't see a difference — Olay Retinol24”
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”

Kiehl's vs Olay routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs Olay routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Olay routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Olay: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and Olay offer strong options, with Olay achieving a Superior fit for mature skin while Kiehl's provides high routine fits across several types. Olay often delivers better value for a lower price point, whereas Kiehl's features fragrance-free formulations in almost all of the products on this page.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Olay?

Olay is a more budget-friendly brand that reaches a Superior fit level for mature skin with the products on this page. Kiehl's is priced higher and offers a routine fit for acne-prone skin that is Average, compared to Olay's High fit level.

Kiehl's or Olay for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Olay fit dry skin at a High level on the products on this page. Emollients help support the skin barrier for dry skin.

Kiehl's or Olay: which cleanser is better?

When comparing cleansers on these pages, both brands offer options with strong fit levels, but Kiehl's features dedicated products like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash achieving superior fit ratings for oily and oily acne-prone skin types.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Olay?

Olay is more affordable, as high price is often noted as a drawback for Kiehl's while Olay does better on price.

Between Kiehl's and Olay, which brand is better suited for mature skin?

Olay is better suited for mature skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Kiehl's High fit level.

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

Both Kiehl's and Olay offer mostly fragrance-free choices among the products on this page, with nearly all formulas listing no added fragrance. Kiehl's includes fragrance in 2 of 28 items, while Olay features fragrance in just 1 of 27 products.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products on this page, Kiehl's or Olay?

Both Kiehl's and Olay provide the exact same amount of fragrance-free products on this page, with 26 options each. This means that almost all items from both brands are formulated without added fragrance.

Kiehl's or Olay for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Olay offer a High routine fit for oily skin based on the products on this page.

Kiehl's or Olay: which moisturizer is better?

Both Kiehl's and Olay offer exceptional moisturizers, with Olay providing Superior fit levels for mature skin while Kiehl's is known for its lightweight, non-greasy options on this page. Reviewers frequently mention that Olay delivers intense hydration and improved texture, whereas Kiehl's moisturizers help provide deep hydration with mostly fragrance-free formulations.

Kiehl's or Olay for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Olay offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin among the products on this page. Kiehl's features fragrance-free formulas across nearly its entire page, while Olay highlights its fragrance-free options and focus on skin soothing.

Kiehl's or Olay: which sunscreen is better?

For sunscreens on this page, Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum has a High fit level for skin with dark spots, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, mature skin, and combination skin, while Olay Regenerist Whip Face Moisturizer SPF 25 has a High fit level for mature skin, dry sensitive skin, skin with dark spots, dry skin, oily acne-prone skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, and acne-prone skin.

Kiehl's or Olay for acne-prone skin?

Olay is a better fit for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as High compared to an Average fit for Kiehl's.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play