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The Ordinary vs Kiehl's

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

The Ordinary and Kiehl's are distinct skincare brands offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more. The Canadian brand centers its formulations around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit dry and sensitive skin best, while the American brand relies on dependable ingredients like glycerin and squalane to suit mature and sensitive skin. Ultimately, the brands differ through their founding histories, parent companies, and specific active ingredients tailored to address varied complexion needs.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Kiehl's products

People Say

The OrdinaryKiehl's
  • Texture and Pores Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • 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”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and Pricing Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Dark spots have faded noticeably — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “helped lighten post-acne scars — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “keeps my oils at bay — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • Sticky or Heavy Finish Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Skin Irritation and Stinging Sometimes NotedRarely 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”
    • “left my face bright red — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Pilling and Makeup Compatibility Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “rolled off my face — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “pills under my makeup — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”

The Ordinary vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

The Ordinary vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value, acne control, and texture smoothing, while Kiehl's is noted for deep hydration and lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers. Lovi gives The Ordinary a Superior routine fit across nearly all skin types, whereas Kiehl's routines generally fit at a High level.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Kiehl's?

The Ordinary provides better value and acne-blemish control with products on this page, whereas Kiehl's specializes in lightweight hydration and moisture. The Ordinary achieves a Superior routine fit across nearly all skin types, while Kiehl's offers a High fit.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Kiehl's fit dry skin well, but The Ordinary has a superior routine fit on this page. Kiehl's offers deep hydration with key ingredients like glycerin and squalane, while the products on this page for The Ordinary are fragrance-free and known for great value.

Drug Delivery, 2017

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Kiehl's offer effective cleansers, with The Ordinary rated as Superior for dry skin, sensitive skin, and oily skin, and Kiehl's offering strong options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash. Reviewers find Kiehl's cleansers lightweight and gentle, while noting that The Ordinary provides great value and affordability.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Kiehl's?

The Ordinary is more affordable, offering affordable and great value serums among the products on this page, whereas reviewers frequently note a high price point for Kiehl's.

Between The Ordinary and Kiehl's, which brand offers better options for addressing dark spots?

Both The Ordinary and Kiehl's offer equal options for brightening and fading dark spots based on the products on this page. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

How do the fragrance ingredients compare across The Ordinary and Kiehl's products?

Every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas two products on the Kiehl's page include fragrance.

Which brand performs better for texture and pore improvement according to reviewer themes?

The Ordinary performs better for texture and pore improvement than Kiehl's according to the reviewer themes on this page.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High routine fit. The Ordinary offers affordable, acne-clearing serums that help manage oil, while Kiehl's products on this page focus more on lightweight hydration.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Kiehl's, which achieves a high fit. Reviewers also note that Kiehl's moisturizers provide deep hydration, while The Ordinary products on this page provide great value.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine compared to Kiehl's High fit level. The Ordinary features gentle and non-irritating serums on this page.

The Ordinary or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High. Reviewers note that the products on this page for The Ordinary excel in acne and blemish control.

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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