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Cetaphil vs Kiehl's

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

Cetaphil and Kiehl's are American skincare brands known for offering nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, and gentle daily essentials formulated with dependable ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, panthenol, and squalane. Cetaphil suits combination skin and acne-prone skin best, while Kiehl's suits mature skin and sensitive skin best. The brands differ primarily in their exact ingredient profiles and targeted benefits, with the first brand relying heavily on niacinamide to decrease hyperpigmentation and the second brand utilizing squalane to counteract oxidative stress.

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

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

Popular Cetaphil vs Kiehl's products

People Say

CetaphilKiehl's
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy feel Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
  • Skin smoothing and texture improvement Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Versatile and effective daily use Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “great for face and body — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “recommended by my derm — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “removes excess oil — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
  • Brightening and complexion enhancement Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin looks more radiant — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
  • Sensory and finish complaints Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
    • “smells like masking fragrance — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Lather, texture, and packaging issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “hate dipping fingers in — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Miss the bubbles, feels like washing with lotion. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's offer equal routine fit across all skin types, but Cetaphil is better for sensitive skin and features a lower price point, while Kiehl's performs better for skin smoothing and brightening.

What is the difference between Cetaphil and Kiehl's?

Cetaphil is generally gentler on sensitive skin and has a lower price point, while Kiehl's does better for skin smoothing and texture improvement as well as brightening and complexion enhancement. Both brands offer products that fit various skin types equally well across their routines.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for dry skin. Reviewers note that Cetaphil excels with gentle, non-stripping cleansers while Kiehl's provides deep hydration.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Cetaphil and Kiehl's both offer high-performing cleansers tailored to different skin needs, with Cetaphil standing out for gentle, non-stripping formulas and Kiehl's excelling in specialized options like pore cleansing. Reviewers mostly mention Cetaphil for gentle, non-stripping cleansers, while both brands provide effective daily options on this page.

Which is more affordable, Cetaphil or Kiehl's?

Cetaphil is more affordable than Kiehl's, as high price points are frequently noted as a drawback for Kiehl's reviewers whereas Cetaphil does better on price.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which brand is better for brightening and fading dark spots?

Kiehl's does better than Cetaphil for brightening and fading dark spots, as reviewed on this page. Niacinamide, featured in the products on this page, helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which is gentler on sensitive skin according to reviewer themes?

Cetaphil is gentler on sensitive skin, as reviewer themes show it does better in this area.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which brand is better for improving skin texture and smoothing?

Kiehl's does better than Cetaphil for skin smoothing and texture improvement. The products on this page help improve skin texture, while reviewers often note that Kiehl's improves skin texture.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for oily skin, but Cetaphil may be better if you want to avoid high price points.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's offer moisturizers that achieve an equal high routine fit for dry skin. Reviewers note that Cetaphil provides hydrating, non-greasy moisturizers while Kiehl's provides lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers, though Kiehl's has a higher price point.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's are a High fit for sensitive skin. Review themes show that Cetaphil does better at being gentle on sensitive skin.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Both brands offer sunscreens on the products on this page with High to Superior Lovi fit levels for most skin types. Cetaphil features popular mineral options like its Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 which achieves a Superior fit for dry, dry sensitive, combination, and sensitive skin, while Kiehl's provides choices such as the Better Screen UV Serum which fits sensitive skin at a High level.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's are a High fit for acne-prone skin, so shoppers can choose either depending on preference. Reviewers mention that Cetaphil offers better pricing and is gentle on sensitive skin, while Kiehl's is known for improving skin smoothing and texture.

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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