🇮🇹Italy

Kiehl's vs ISDIN

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

Kiehl's and ISDIN are established skincare houses that offer thoughtful daily support for a balanced complexion. The American brand is loved for its nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and gentle eye products relying on dependable ingredients like glycerin and squalane, while the Spanish brand is known for elegant moisturizers, advanced sunscreens, restorative serums, and targeted eye products united by balanced formulas. Products from the former suit mature skin and sensitive skin best because of their gentle formulations and barrier-supporting properties, whereas offerings from the latter suit dry skin and sensitive skin best by providing gentle daily comfort and dependable protection. Ultimately, both differ primarily in their heritage and specific ingredient profiles, with the first utilizing glycerin and squalane to increase hydration and counteract oxidative stress.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

ISDIN is a Spanish skincare brand founded in 1975 and owned by Puig.

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

Popular Kiehl's vs ISDIN products

People Say

Kiehl'sISDIN
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “ultra-light fluid product, which makes it super easy to apply — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “Lightweight formula absorbs fast — ISDIN Hyaluronic Concentrate”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Friendly Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Sensitive/reactive skin tolerates — ISDIN Hyaluronic Moisture”
    • “no excessive exfoliation — ISDIN Retinal Intense Serum”
    • “doesn't sting eyes — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep and Intense Hydration Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Improved moisture and texture — ISDIN Hyaluronic Moisture”
  • Makeup Compatibility Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “acts like a primer — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “My skin felt sooo hydrated and looks so plump and dewey. — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “Great under makeup — ISDIN Hyaluronic Concentrate”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement 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”
    • “skin was much smoother — ISDIN Retinal Intense Serum”
  • Brightening and Dark Spot Fading Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “faded acne scars — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “My hyperpigmentation has lightened and skin looks more even, even shines more. — ISDIN Flavo-C Serum”
  • High Price and Value Issues Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “very expensive — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
    • “My only wish is that ISDIN would make this product in a bigger size bottle. — ISDIN Fusion Water”
  • Unpleasant Scent and Fragrance Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells clinical — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “faint lab smell — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “smell is overpowering — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “smell is overpowering — ISDIN Eryfotona Actinica”
  • Ineffective or Slow Results Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “don't see result — ISDIN K-Ox Eyes”
    • “no noticeable changes yet — ISDIN Retinal Intense Serum”
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • Burning, Stinging, and Irritation Rarely 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”
    • “this did make my eyes water water in the sun. — ISDIN Fusion Water”
    • “mild redness or irritation — ISDIN K-Ox Eyes”

Kiehl's vs ISDIN routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs ISDIN routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs ISDIN routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or ISDIN: which is better?

Both brands offer strong options, but ISDIN is rated as a Superior routine fit across all skin types on this page compared to Kiehl's High fit. Kiehl's may do better for deep hydration and dark spot fading, while ISDIN is often noted for ultralight, make-up friendly sunscreens.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and ISDIN?

Kiehl's and ISDIN are both well-regarded skincare brands, but they cater to different preferences, with Kiehl's offering deeper hydration and brightening benefits while ISDIN stands out for its ultralight, makeup-friendly sunscreens and gentle formulas.

Kiehl's or ISDIN for dry skin?

Both brands offer solid routines for dry skin, with Lovi rating Kiehl's fit as High and ISDIN as Superior. Kiehl's products on this page often provide deep hydration, while ISDIN is mostly noted for its ultralight sunscreens and lightweight moisturizers.

Kiehl's or ISDIN: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Kiehl's offers better options for deep and intense hydration and skin barrier and texture improvement, whereas ISDIN is noted for having lighter, more makeup-friendly moisturizer formulas. Reviewers frequently mention high prices for both brands, but Kiehl's products on this page are mostly fragrance-free compared to ISDIN.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or ISDIN?

Both Kiehl's and ISDIN are often mentioned by reviewers as having a high price point.

Which brand has better options for dark spots and brightening, Kiehl's or ISDIN?

Kiehl's does better with brightening and fading dark spots, featuring targeted options like Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution and Daily Refining Milk-Peel Toner that have high fit ratings for skin with dark spots.

Do Kiehl's or ISDIN products contain more added fragrance?

Kiehl's products on this page list less added fragrance, with only 2 out of 28 products containing fragrance, whereas ISDIN lists 5 out of 8 products with fragrance.

Which brand performs better for makeup compatibility according to reviewers?

ISDIN performs better for makeup compatibility according to reviewers.

Kiehl's or ISDIN for oily skin?

For oily skin, both Kiehl's and ISDIN achieve a High fit on Lovi, with ISDIN further recognized as doing better for a lightweight and non-greasy texture. Kiehl's offers the products on this page with many fragrance-free options, while ISDIN features sunscreens and moisturizers known for being ultralight.

Kiehl's or ISDIN: which sunscreen is better?

ISDIN offers superior sunscreens on this page, notably Eryfotona Actinica, which provides a Superior Lovi fit for mature skin, sensitive skin, skin with dark spots, and dry sensitive skin, alongside high fits for other skin types.

Kiehl's or ISDIN for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and ISDIN are a High fit for sensitive skin on Lovi. ISDIN may do better for lightweight texture and sun protection, whereas Kiehl's is often noted for deep hydration and brightening.

Kiehl's or ISDIN for acne-prone skin?

Both Kiehl's and ISDIN are well-suited for acne-prone skin, with Lovi rating Kiehl's routines as High and ISDIN routines as Superior for this skin type.

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

How does it fit your skin?

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