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Kiehl's vs Shiseido

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

Kiehl's and Shiseido are heritage skincare houses offering nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, and soothing cleansers. The American brand relies on dependable ingredients like glycerin and squalane to suit mature and sensitive skin, while the Japanese house utilizes nourishing glycerin to serve mature skin and skin with dark spots best. Both labels provide thoughtful formulations for specific concerns, yet differ in their unique botanical extracts and targeted barrier-supporting properties.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Shiseido is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

corp.shiseido.comen.wikipedia.orgmarketscreener.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Shiseido products

People Say

Kiehl'sShiseido
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Immediate sensation of comfort — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels plump, soft and nourished, eliminates dryness, bouncy feel — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Skin feels more hydrated — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “Airy-soft texture — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Skin barrier and texture improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Velvety smooth — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
    • “makes skin baby soft — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched”
    • “smoothes rough skin — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Radiance and relaxing experience Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looks brighter, more radiant, and "glowy." — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “Pleasant floral fragrance, relaxing, luxurious smell. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “spa-like scent, high-quality packaging, little goes a long way — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Luxurious texture and formula Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Velvety, rich cream texture — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Velvety texture — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
  • Plumping and anti-aging Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Smoothed out crow's feet — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “tighter jawline, lifted appearance, improved elasticity, less sagging — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “wrinkles look softer — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched”
    • “Skin looks noticeably more plump — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • High price and cost value Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Expensive, pricey, high cost for the amount. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
  • Unpleasant or strong scent 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”
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Greasy residue and oiliness Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Stays tacky and shiny — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “feels a bit oily — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched”
    • “A little too much (too greasy) — Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Lack of results or effectiveness Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “No change in deep wrinkles — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “No noticeable difference, not moisturizing enough on its own. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “no visible lifting, just a moisturizer, didn't erase deep wrinkles — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”

Kiehl's vs Shiseido routines for dry skin

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Kiehl's vs Shiseido routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs Shiseido routines for combination skin

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Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Shiseido: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido offer a High routine fit across all skin types, so neither brand is universally better than the other. Reviewers note that Kiehl's stands out for lightweight, non-greasy textures, while Shiseido excels in deep hydration and luxurious formulas.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Shiseido?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido offer products on this page that fit all major skin types at a High level, but they differ in formulation and user feedback. Kiehl's is often noted for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and mostly fragrance-free products, whereas Shiseido frequently features luxurious textures and strong fragrances.

Kiehl's or Shiseido for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido offer a High routine fit for dry skin on the products on this page. Shiseido's Essential Energy Hydrating Cream and Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched reach a Superior fit level for dry skin, while Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate reaches a Superior fit level.

Kiehl's or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido offer cleansers with high routine fits for various skin types, but the products on this page show that Kiehl's provides a wider range of top-tier options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash and Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser, which achieve Superior fit levels for oily and oily acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Shiseido?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido are comparable in price, as high price point is often mentioned for the products on this page for both brands.

How do the fragrance options compare between Kiehl's and Shiseido products?

Kiehl's products on this page are mostly fragrance-free, with only 2 out of 28 listing fragrance, whereas Shiseido products frequently include fragrance, as 15 out of 20 contain it.

Which brand performs better for deep hydration and moisturization according to reviewers?

Shiseido performs better for deep hydration and moisturization according to reviewers.

What are the founding years and countries of origin for Kiehl's and Shiseido?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States, and Shiseido was founded in 1872 in Japan.

Kiehl's or Shiseido for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido provide a High routine fit for oily skin. The products on this page for both brands offer specialized options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash from Kiehl's and the Deep Cleansing Foam from Shiseido that help manage excess oil.

Kiehl's or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido offer moisturizers with a High routine fit for dry skin, with Shiseido better known for deep hydration and Kiehl's favored for lightweight, non-greasy formulas.

Kiehl's or Shiseido for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido offer products well-suited for sensitive skin, with each brand achieving a High routine fit level. Kiehl's focuses heavily on fragrance-free formulations, whereas Shiseido provides deep hydration and a more luxurious texture.

Kiehl's or Shiseido: which sunscreen is better?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido offer sunscreens on this page, with Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum achieving a High fit for dry sensitive skin, mature skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, skin with dark spots, and acne-prone skin, while Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Day Cream achieves a Superior fit for mature skin, sensitive skin, and dry sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Shiseido for acne-prone skin?

Both Kiehl's and Shiseido offer high routine fit levels for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Kiehl's is noted for lightweight formulas, while Shiseido provides deep hydration.

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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