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Kiehl's vs Elemis

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

Kiehl's and Elemis are established skincare brands known for nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and gentle eye products that rely on dependable ingredients like glycerin, squalane, and shea. The American line suits mature skin and sensitive skin best, while the British brand suits dry skin and mature skin best. Both brands differ in their founding origins, parent companies, and specific active ingredients, yet each offers tailored solutions for concerns ranging from acne and dark spots to aging.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Elemis products

People Say

Kiehl'sElemis
  • Deep hydration 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”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Brightening and radiance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “instantly fresh glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
  • Lightweight texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “weightless serum — Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment”
  • Skin barrier and texture improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Relaxing or spa-like scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like a spa — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “smells like a holiday — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “smells like a tropical cocktail — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Gentle for sensitive skin Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “doesn't irritate sensitive eyes — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • High price Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “very expensive — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
  • Burning, stinging, and irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes 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”
    • “blurry vision — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “Developed milia and closed comedones. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Ineffective or slow results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “didn't see a difference — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “didn't see difference — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”

Kiehl's vs Elemis routines for dry skin

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Kiehl's vs Elemis routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs Elemis routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Elemis: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis offer high routine fit levels across all skin types on this page. Reviewers note that Kiehl's is gentler for sensitive skin, while Elemis provides a more relaxing or spa-like scent.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Elemis?

Kiehl's products on this page list far less added fragrance than Elemis, with only two fragranced formulas compared to Elemis's eighteen. Reviewers note that Kiehl's tends to be more gentle for sensitive skin, while Elemis offers a more relaxing, spa-like scent.

Kiehl's or Elemis for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis offer a High routine fit for dry skin among the products on this page. Kiehl's focuses best on dry skin with products like Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate reaching a Superior fit level, while Elemis features options like Pro-Collagen Night Cream with a Superior fit level for dry sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

When comparing cleansers, Kiehl's is often considered gentler for sensitive skin, while Elemis offers luxurious, spa-like scents. Both brands provide effective cleansing options, but the products on this page show that Kiehl's features a wider variety tailored specifically for oily and acne-prone skin types.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Elemis?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis share a high price point according to reviewers on the products on this page. High price is often mentioned for Kiehl's and mostly mentioned for Elemis.

Which brand has more products without fragrance, Kiehl's or Elemis?

Kiehl's has more products without fragrance, as 26 of the 28 products on this page list no fragrance compared to only 4 of the 22 products for Elemis.

Kiehl's or Elemis for dark spots?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis achieve a High routine fit level for skin with dark spots on the products on this page. Kiehl's is generally noted as more gentle for sensitive skin, whereas Elemis is often favored for its relaxing, spa-like scent.

Kiehl's or Elemis for oily skin?

Kiehl's provides a High routine fit for oily skin, whereas Elemis offers an Average fit. The products on this page from Kiehl's include dedicated items like the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream and Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash that help manage excess oil.

Kiehl's or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Kiehl's is often preferred for offering lightweight, non-greasy options, whereas Elemis is noted for its luxurious textures and providing a radiant glow. Both brands feature high fit levels for dry skin.

Kiehl's or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin, but Kiehl's does better for gentle care and has far fewer products with added fragrance. Kiehl's is particularly well-suited for sensitive skin, and almost all of the products on this page list no fragrance.

Kiehl's or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis achieve a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, meaning the products on this page are well suited for this skin type. Kiehl's tends to be gentler for sensitive skin, while Elemis offers a spa-like scent.

Kiehl's or Elemis for mature skin?

Both Kiehl's and Elemis offer high routine fit levels for mature skin on the products on this page. Retinol is also shown to help stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

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

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