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Kiehl's Age Defender Power Serum for sensitive skin

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes

Kiehl's Age Defender Power Serum

Average

  • HighNormal Skin Fit
  • AverageEffectiveness
  • Low RiskSafety

Works for sensitive skin; other serums fit it better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.

Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works

Lovi Assistant explains

  • Highly suitable for normal skin due to the presence of Glycerin and Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, which offer humectant action and barrier repair respectively, this product provides moderate anti-aging effects for smoothing texture with adenosine and hydrolyzed soy protein.
  • While it offers general skincare benefits like hydration and soothing, these are not directly relevant to your primary concerns of redness and irritation.

How to apply

  • Use your serum in the PM routine, starting 3 times a week before building up to daily use if your skin is happy.
  • Apply the serum after cleansing and toning, but before putting on your moisturizer for the best results.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin and wait a minute ⏱ for it to soak in.
  • Since your skin is sensitive and easily irritated, apply the serum on completely dry skin to help keep it calm.
  • Always do a patch test before your first use and avoid getting the serum too close to your eyes .

People Say

★4.4Overall rating based on 600+ reviews

This serum is highly regarded for its lightweight, fast-absorbing formula that effectively hydrates and firms men's skin. Users frequently report visible improvements in skin texture and a reduction in the appearance of forehead lines and wrinkles with consistent daily use.

Highlights

  • Fast absorption Mostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs instantly”
    • “Sinks in fast”
    • “No sticky feeling”
  • Non-greasy feel Often Mentioned
    • “Doesn't feel greasy”
    • “No residue”
    • “Lightweight gel”
  • Improves firmness Sometimes Noted
    • “Skin feels tighter”
    • “Visibly firmer”
    • “More resilient”
  • Reduces lines Sometimes Noted
    • “Forehead creases shallower”
    • “Helped with lines”
    • “Smoothed texture”
  • High price point Sometimes Noted
    • “It's pricey”
    • “Expensive for size”
    • “Costly for daily use”
  • Caused dryness Rarely Noted
    • “Skin still dry”
    • “Caused some irritation”
    • “Not hydrating enough”
  • Packaging issues Rarely Noted
    • “Pump not functioning”
    • “Bottle issues”
    • “Dispenser problems”
  • Subtle results Rarely Noted
    • “No apparent tightening”
    • “Hard to notice”
    • “Slow to see change”

Sources: lovi.care, kiehls.com, macys.com, ulta.com, bloomingdales.com, spacenk.com, and more

Questions and answers

How well does Age Defender Power Serum work for sensitive skin?

Kiehl's Age Defender Power Serum works okay for sensitive skin, though other treatments fit it better. A product of this type needs soothing ingredients and calming antioxidants to handle redness and irritation without causing issues.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018

Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin?

Glycerin and Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine make this serum a fit for sensitive skin by adding moisture and helping repair the skin barrier. Because it lacks specific ingredients to calm redness and irritation, a treatment for sensitive skin needs soothing components like niacinamide and snail secretion filtrate.

What does Cypress Extract do for sensitive skin?

Cypress extract is unlikely to irritate sensitive skin and may help calm redness and soothe dry areas. A product for this skin needs gentle, calming ingredients that protect the skin barrier without causing stinging.

What does Glycerin do for sensitive skin?

Glycerin helps keep sensitive skin soft and deeply hydrated while supporting the skin barrier. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may protect against dryness and roughness.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Acta Dermato-venereologica, 1999

Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?

This serum goes in the evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Sensitive skin needs treatments that focus on calming redness and soothing irritation.

Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum before your retinol product at night. Using a gentle, soothing routine alongside them helps calm sensitive skin and keeps redness and irritation less likely.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024

How often should I use this serum?

You can use this treatment in the evening as part of your routine. Sensitive skin needs products with calming plant extracts and barrier-repairing ingredients to soothe redness and irritation.

Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?

This serum is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for sensitive skin, though it may not help with your redness and irritation. Sensitive skin needs gentle ingredients that calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier without causing dryness.

Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

It contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, linalool, and citral) and drying alcohol (alcohol denat).

What the research says

  • Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches showed similar or better efficacy on skin wrinkles, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration compared to adenosine cream in 22 female subjects.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2018

  • Horse oil-spread and adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches significantly improved skin elasticity, hydration, dermal density, and wrinkles compared with adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches in 20 women without causing adverse events.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2019

  • A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.

    Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

  • The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020

  • Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001

  • Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012

  • Wearing an N95 mask alone compared to using dimethicone cream or hydrocolloid dressing caused more adverse skin reactions among 73 military health care workers, with no significant differences in fit test failure rates between groups.

    Military Medicine, 2024

  • A dimethicone skin protectant lotion significantly decreased visual scoring and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control and SLS-only treated sites in 12 healthy humans exposed to sodium lauryl sulfate.

    Skin Research and Technology, 2000

  • Treatment with a moisturizer containing dimethicone and glycerine increased epidermal thickness by 0.019 mm, improved barrier function by decreasing transepidermal water loss by 13%, decreased melanin intensity, and induced keratins 6 and 16 in fifteen women with moderately photoaged forearms.

    Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2007

  • A topical cosmetic slimming product containing tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, caffeine, carnitine, forskolin and retinol significantly reduced body circumferences and improved skin aspect compared with placebo in 78 women over 12 weeks.

    International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011

  • Topical sunscreen formulations containing caffeine combined with UV filters increased in vivo anti-UVB protection by approximately 25% and showed higher SPF values compared to caffeine-free sunscreen, while being well tolerated by the skin of healthy subjects.

    Frontiers in Physiology, 2019

  • Caffeine gel combined with choline geranate showed high skin permeation capacity and superior clinical results in cellulite treatment compared to caffeine gel without ionic liquid.

    AAPS PharmSciTech, 2021

Why other serums fit sensitive skin better

Ingredients

Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Parfum, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Propylene Glycol, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Soybean Oil, Caffeine, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Limonene, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Disodium Edta, Adenosine, T-Butyl Alcohol, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Cryptomeria Japonica Bud Extract, Linalool, Citral

Behind this fit score

Lovi calculates every fit score 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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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