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Kiehl's vs Bioderma

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

Kiehl's and Bioderma are well-regarded skincare brands that offer nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, gentle eye products, makeup removers, and cleansers. The American brand is loved for relying on dependable ingredients like glycerin and squalane, while the French brand anchors its thoughtful assortment with nourishing glycerin. Both brands suit sensitive skin best because of their gentle formulations and barrier-supporting properties, though the former also suits mature skin and the latter also suits dry skin. Ultimately, they differ in their specific standout products and secondary ingredients, as the former utilizes squalane to counteract oxidative stress and stimulate fibroblast migration, whereas both utilize glycerin to significantly increase hydration and restore epidermal barrier function.

Kiehl's is an American skincare brand founded in 1851 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000.

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Bioderma is a French skincare brand founded in 1977 and owned by Jean-Noël Thorel Foundation since 2018.

bioderma.usnaos.com

This page compares some of the most popular Kiehl's and Bioderma products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Bioderma products

People Say

Kiehl'sBioderma
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't sting my eyes — Bioderma Sensibio H2O”
    • “doesn't cause any irritation — Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Cleansing Oil”
    • “mildest face wash I've tried — Bioderma Sensibio Gel Moussant”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “healed my dry skin — Bioderma Sébium Hydra”
    • “skin feels plump — Bioderma Atoderm Crème Ultra”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “absorbs instantly — Bioderma Hydrabio Serum”
  • Excellent makeup base Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Foundation didn't settle into pores — Bioderma Sébium Pore Refiner”
    • “foundation sits perfectly — Bioderma Hydrabio Serum”
  • Deep cleansing and pore care Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Probably the first cleanser that actually took all of my makeup off my face!!! — Bioderma Sébium Gel moussant”
    • “melts makeup away — Bioderma Sensibio H2O”
    • “Noticeable difference in size of pores — Bioderma Sébium Pore Refiner”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • Improves skin barrier and texture Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “skin looked & felt smoother — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “healed my skin barrier in two weeks — Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Baume”
  • High price point and poor value Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “pricier than other brands — Bioderma Sensibio Gel Moussant”
    • “finished too quickly — Bioderma Hydrabio Serum”
    • “pricey for water — Bioderma Sensibio H2O”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Greasy residue and shine Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “requires a thorough follow-up — Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Cleansing Oil”
    • “leaves a shine — Bioderma Sébium Hydra”
    • “leaves an oily film — Bioderma Sensibio AR”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Dryness and lack of moisture Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “some extremely dry skin types need a thicker balm or oil on top — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Skin looks like sandpaper — Bioderma Sébium Pore Refiner”
  • Causes breakouts and acne Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “broke me out — Bioderma Atoderm Intensive Baume”
    • “clogged my pores — Bioderma Sensibio AR”
    • “clogged my pores — Bioderma Atoderm Crème Ultra”
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”

Kiehl's vs Bioderma routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Bioderma routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs Bioderma routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Bioderma: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and Bioderma are a High fit across all skin types on this page, with Kiehl's standing out for improving the skin barrier and texture while Bioderma does better for being gentle on sensitive skin and deep cleansing.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Bioderma?

Bioderma tends to be gentler on sensitive skin and better for deep cleansing, while Kiehl's is often preferred for its lightweight textures and improvements to the skin barrier. Both brands offer high routine fit levels across major skin types on this page.

Kiehl's or Bioderma for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Bioderma offer a High routine fit for dry skin on the products on this page. Kiehl's focuses on lightweight hydration, whereas Bioderma leans toward barrier-repairing moisture.

Kiehl's or Bioderma: which cleanser is better?

Bioderma does better for deep cleansing and pore care among the products on this page, while Kiehl's is often noted for causing breakouts and irritation. Bioderma also has more fragrance-free options in its cleanser range.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Bioderma?

Both brands are sometimes noted by reviewers for having a high price point, so neither stands out as more affordable based on the products on this page.

Kiehl's or Bioderma: which brand offers more fragrance-free products?

Kiehl's offers more fragrance-free products, as 26 of its 28 products on this page list no fragrance compared to only 9 of Bioderma's 20 products.

Kiehl's or Bioderma: which is better for deep cleansing and pore care?

Bioderma does better for deep cleansing and pore care, according to the review themes on this page.

Kiehl's or Bioderma: which brand has better options for improving skin texture and the skin barrier?

Kiehl's has better options for improving skin texture and the skin barrier, as review themes on this page show the brand does better in this area.

Kiehl's or Bioderma for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Bioderma are a High fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides a lightweight and non-greasy texture, while Bioderma offers deep cleansing and pore care.

Kiehl's or Bioderma: which moisturizer is better?

Bioderma does better for barrier-repairing and soothing moisturizers on the products on this page, whereas Kiehl's is noted for lightweight and non-greasy ones. Both brands achieve a High routine fit for dry skin, though Kiehl's offers a Superior option in its Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate.

Kiehl's or Bioderma for sensitive skin?

Bioderma does better for sensitive skin on this page, and Lovi rates both brands as a High fit for this skin type. Bioderma features soothing and barrier-repairing moisturizers alongside gentle cleansers and makeup removers.

Kiehl's or Bioderma for acne-prone skin?

Both Kiehl's and Bioderma fit acne-prone skin at a High level on this page. Kiehl's is often noted for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and gentle serums, while Bioderma is widely recognized for gentle, effective cleansers and soothing, barrier-repairing moisturizers.

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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