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Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's

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

Dr. Althea and Kiehl's are distinct skincare brands that offer a thoughtful array of moisturizers, cleansers, serums, and toners. The first brand relies on soothing formulas to suit dry skin and acne-prone skin best, while the second brand utilizes dependable ingredients like glycerin and squalane to suit mature skin and sensitive skin best. Both makers deliver reliable products, though they differ in their heritage, with one founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd., and the other established in 1851 and owned by L'Oréal S.A.

Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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

Popular Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's products

People Say

Dr. AltheaKiehl's
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “rich but non-greasy — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Soothing and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Tone Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “strengthened my skin barrier — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • 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”
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Removes sunscreen well — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “great for morning routine — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “a bit pricey — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Scent and Irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like plants — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “clinical scent — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “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”
  • Pilling and Application Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “rolled off my face — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Struggles with waterproof mascara — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which is better?

Dr. Althea is better for dry and acne-prone skin, where Lovi fit is Superior, while Kiehl's is better for skin barrier and tone improvement and hydration.

What is the difference between Dr. Althea and Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea provides a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin, whereas Kiehl's offers a High fit. Every product on the Dr. Althea page lists no fragrance, while two Kiehl's products contain fragrance.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for dry skin?

For dry skin, Dr. Althea has a Superior routine fit, while Kiehl's has a High routine fit.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Dr. Althea is better for gentle and soothing cleansing, as Lovi rates its Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser as a Superior fit for acne-prone, oily, combination, and dry skin. Reviewers also mostly mention Dr. Althea for having gentle and soothing cleansers.

Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea has a lower price point compared to Kiehl's, whose high price point is frequently noted by reviewers.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for dark spots?

For skin with dark spots, both brands perform well, but Dr. Althea has a High fit level across its dark spot products while Kiehl's routine fits best for mature skin, sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Dr. Althea or Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea has more fragrance-free products on the products on this page, as every single item lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas Kiehl's includes fragrance in two of its items.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for oily skin?

For oily skin, both brands offer a High routine fit on the products on this page. Dr. Althea features gentle and soothing cleansers, while Kiehl's provides options like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner which is rated Superior for oily skin.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

For moisturizers, Dr. Althea achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Kiehl's achieves a High routine fit. The products on this page for Dr. Althea feature soothing and hydrating moisturizers, while Kiehl's is known for deep hydration and lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both brands offer a High Lovi routine fit. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea provides soothing and gentle formulas, while every product on its page lists no fragrance.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Dr. Althea has a Superior routine fit, while Kiehl's has a High fit. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea offers soothing and gentle cleansers and moisturizers, whereas Kiehl's is frequently associated with breakouts and skin irritation.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for mature skin?

For mature skin, Lovi fit is High for both Dr. Althea and Kiehl's. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea provides soothing and gentle formulas, while Kiehl's is known for skin barrier and tone improvement.

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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