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Kiehl's vs RoC

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

Kiehl's and RoC are established skincare lines featuring thoughtful moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and cleansers. The American heritage brand is known for glycerin and squalane, suiting mature skin and dark spots best, whereas the French creator relies on glycerin and retinol to care for dry skin and dark spots. Both lines offer targeted relief through dependable formulations, though they differ in their foundational ingredients and specific skin type strengths.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

RoC is a French skincare brand founded in 1957 and owned by Bridgepoint Group plc since 2024.

en.wikipedia.orgprnewswire.combeautymatter.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs RoC products

People Say

Kiehl'sRoC
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “face looked smoother — RoC Daily Resurfacing Disks”
    • “absorbs nicely — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “skin is no longer dry — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream”
    • “instant luminosity — RoC Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Daily Serum”
  • Fine Lines and Wrinkle Reduction Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “wrinkles look less deep — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “Fine lines definitely softer — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “diminished my forehead lines — RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum”
    • “plumped my smile lines — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Skin Barrier and Tone Improvement Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin feels silky smooth — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
  • Skin Sensitivity and Gentleness Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “doesn't leave my skin feeling tight — RoC BARRIER RENEW® GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER”
    • “No irritation for me — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “removing all dirts and even waterproof make up — RoC BARRIER RENEW® GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER”
  • Price and Value Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “small bottle — RoC Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Daily Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Ineffectiveness and 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”
    • “results were subtle — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “took 4 weeks to see change — RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum”
  • Stinging and Irritation Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “burned my cheeks — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “caused redness and stinging — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”

Kiehl's vs RoC routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs RoC routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs RoC routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or RoC: which is better?

RoC outperforms Kiehl's for fine lines, wrinkles, and value, while Kiehl's is better for makeup compatibility and skin barrier improvement. For dry skin routines, Lovi rates RoC as Superior and Kiehl's as High.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and RoC?

Kiehl's and RoC both offer strong routines for most skin types, but RoC is better for fine lines and value, whereas Kiehl's does better with skin barrier and tone improvement and makeup compatibility.

Kiehl's or RoC for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi rates RoC as Superior and Kiehl's as High. Both brands feature dry-skin routines, but RoC helps with fine lines and wrinkle reduction.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Kiehl's or RoC: which cleanser is better?

When comparing cleansers on the products on this page, Kiehl's may fit oily skin and oily acne-prone skin with a Superior level, while RoC offers the BARRIER RENEW GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER fitting dry sensitive skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, oily acne-prone skin, combination skin, acne-prone skin, skin with dark spots, and mature skin at a High level.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or RoC?

RoC is more affordable than Kiehl's, as high price point is a frequently mentioned drawback for the products on this page from Kiehl's, whereas RoC is noted for good value and has a better review theme for price and value.

Which brand has more products containing fragrance, Kiehl's or RoC?

Kiehl's has more products containing fragrance than RoC, with 2 fragranced products out of 28 on this page compared to RoC's 10 out of 12.

Kiehl's or RoC for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and RoC achieve a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that both brands offer lightweight, non-greasy serums.

Kiehl's or RoC: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer well-liked moisturizers, but RoC achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Kiehl's High fit level. Reviewers note that RoC provides good value, whereas Kiehl's features lightweight, non-greasy options with deep hydration.

Kiehl's or RoC for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both Kiehl's and RoC achieve a High routine fit level on the products on this page. Reviewers report that both brands offer gentle serums and non-greasy options, though RoC is sometimes noted for strong fragrances.

Kiehl's or RoC: which sunscreen is better?

Both brands offer solid options, but Kiehl's may be better for those seeking specific skin benefits alongside sun protection, given that its Better Screen UV Serum has a High Lovi fit for skin with dark spots, combination skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and mature skin. RoC also provides reliable protection with its BARRIER RENEW AM MOISTURIZER SPF 30, which shares a High Lovi fit for many of those same skin types.

Kiehl's or RoC for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, RoC has a Superior routine fit level, whereas Kiehl's routine fit level is Average.

Kiehl's or RoC for mature skin?

RoC has a Superior fit for mature skin among the products on this page, while Kiehl's has a High fit. RoC is often noted for wrinkle and fine line reduction, whereas Kiehl's is known for deep hydration.

Kiehl's or RoC for skin with dark spots?

For skin with dark spots, RoC is a Superior fit among the products on this page, while Kiehl's has a High fit level.

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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