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Kiehl's vs NIVEA

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

Kiehl's and NIVEA are established skincare brands that offer reliable moisturizers, serums, and toners formulated with nourishing ingredients like glycerin and squalane. The American house is cherished for targeted relief suited best for dark spots and mature skin, while the German brand is deeply loved for soothing and balancing elements suited best for sensitive skin and dark spots. Both lines differ primarily in their heritage, ownership, and specific formulation approaches, though they share a commitment to enhancing skin hydration and 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

NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.

beiersdorf.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular Kiehl's vs NIVEA products

People Say

Kiehl'sNIVEA
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly 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”
    • “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
    • “skin feels moisturized — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “skin feels squeaky clean and soft — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
    • “skin feels smooth — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly 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”
    • “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
  • Relaxing and Classic Scents Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like holiday — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
    • “Smell brings me back to childhood — NIVEA Creme”
    • “smells really nice — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Gentleness and Sensitivity 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”
    • “doesn't dry out skin — NIVEA Derma Skin Clear Anti-Blemish Scrub”
  • Value for Money Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Works better than expensive luxury creams — NIVEA Creme”
    • “Best affordable vegan moisturizer. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “absolute steal for the price — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Greasiness and Heavy Residue Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “didn't absorb well — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”
    • “I noticed some acne breakouts on my chin after using this crème for a while. — NIVEA Soft”

Kiehl's vs NIVEA routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs NIVEA routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs NIVEA routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or NIVEA: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer high routine fit across almost all skin types on this page, while NIVEA rates higher specifically for acne-prone skin. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides better texture and absorption along with gentleness for sensitive skin, whereas NIVEA offers better value for money and skin barrier improvement.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and NIVEA?

Kiehl's offers lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and gentle serums, while NIVEA provides versatile multi-use moisturizers and blemish-clearing serums. Kiehl's features fragrance-free formulas in most of the products on this page, whereas NIVEA includes fragrance in the majority of its items.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer a High Lovi routine fit for dry skin, though they differ in formulations. Kiehl's features a range with largely fragrance-free products and hero ingredients like squalane and glycerin, whereas NIVEA provides versatile multi-use moisturizers like Creme. Emollients help support the skin barrier for dry skin.

Kiehl's or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer effective options with an equal routine fit for dry, oily, combination, and sensitive skin on the products on this page. Shoppers often mention Kiehl's for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers, while NIVEA is frequently praised for versatile multi-use options.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or NIVEA?

NIVEA is more affordable, as high price points are frequently noted for Kiehl's while NIVEA offers better value for money among the products on this page.

Which brand has better texture and absorption, Kiehl's or NIVEA?

Kiehl's does better for texture and absorption, as shown in the review themes on this page.

Do Kiehl's or NIVEA products contain more fragrance options?

Kiehl's products on this page list far more fragrance-free options than NIVEA. While 26 out of 28 Kiehl's products list no fragrance, only 3 of the 9 NIVEA products on the page are fragrance-free.

How do the key ingredients differ between Kiehl's and NIVEA skincare products?

Kiehl's products on this page feature a wider variety of key ingredients, including Glycerin, Vitamin C, Squalane, Shea butter, and Vitamin E. In contrast, NIVEA relies primarily on Glycerin across its products on this page.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer a High routine fit for oily skin. The products on this page help provide good hydration without being too heavy.

Kiehl's or NIVEA: which sunscreen is better?

When comparing sunscreens on the products on this page, NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+ fits combination, sensitive, skin with dark spots, mature, oily, and oily acne-prone skin at a High level, while Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum achieves High fits for skin with dark spots, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, and mature skin.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and NIVEA offer a High Lovi fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page. Reviewers report that Kiehl's is better for gentleness and sensitivity.

Kiehl's or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, NIVEA offers a High routine fit on the products on this page, while Kiehl's provides an Average fit level. Reviewers mention that NIVEA features blemish-clearing serums.

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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