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The Ordinary vs Kiehl's

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

The Ordinary and Kiehl's are distinct skincare brands offering a range of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane. The Canadian brand suits dry and dry sensitive skin best, while the American brand suits mature and combination skin best through moisture-retention and barrier-supporting properties. Both brands utilize glycerin to increase hydration and squalane to support the skin, though The Ordinary focuses on targeted acids for specific concerns, and its counterpart relies on botanical extracts and classic formulations.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Kiehl's products

People Say

The OrdinaryKiehl's
  • Texture and Pores Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “savior for dry patches — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and Pricing Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Dark spots have faded noticeably — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “helped lighten post-acne scars — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “keeps my oils at bay — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • Sticky or Heavy Finish Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Skin Irritation and Stinging Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “burned my face immediately — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “stings my face and feels like burning — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “left my face bright red — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Pilling and Makeup Compatibility Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “rolled off my face — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “pills under my makeup — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”

The Ordinary vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and texture control on the products on this page, while Kiehl's excels in lightweight hydration. Sodium hyaluronate helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Kiehl's?

The Ordinary is a better value and excels at acne and texture, while Kiehl's is known for lightweight hydration. The Ordinary fits dry skin at a Superior level and Kiehl's fits it at a High level.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for dry skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High. The Ordinary products on this page often feature hydrating ingredients like sodium hyaluronate, which helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary offers better cleansers for texture and pores, while Kiehl's cleansers provide strong options for lightweight cleansing. Reviewers note that Kiehl's products may carry a higher price point and cause skin irritation, whereas the products on this page from The Ordinary provide affordable and great value options.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Kiehl's?

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing among the products on this page, whereas reviewers note Kiehl's has a high price point.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for fading dark spots?

Both The Ordinary and Kiehl's are equal for brightening and fading dark spots, but The Ordinary is rated Superior for skin with dark spots and offers better value for money. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Which brand has a better routine fit for dry sensitive skin?

The Ordinary has a better routine fit for dry sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High fit level.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's. The products on this page help control oil while providing affordable skincare options.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary is a better choice for moisturizers due to its superior value and formulation fit across multiple skin types, while Kiehl's is often noted for deep hydration despite a higher price point. The Ordinary moisturizer products on this page help deliver key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane to support skin hydration.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary offers a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, while Kiehl's provides a High routine fit. The products on this page for The Ordinary are fragrance-free, whereas Kiehl's includes fragrance in a couple of items.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for mature skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High level. The products on this page help improve skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of fine lines with ingredients like retinol and peptides.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

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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