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Kiehl's vs The INKEY List

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

Kiehl's and The INKEY List are distinct skincare brands that offer moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and more. Kiehl's is cherished for its nourishing ingredients like glycerin and squalane, while both brands feature glycerin to significantly increase hydration and restore epidermal barrier function. The American brand suits skin with dark spots and mature skin best, whereas the British brand fits sensitive skin and combination skin best. They differ primarily in their founding heritage, targeted skin concerns, and overall ingredient combinations.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

The INKEY List is a British skincare brand founded in 2018 and owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs The INKEY List products

People Say

Kiehl'sThe INKEY List
  • Lightweight Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • 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”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
  • Gentle on Skin Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Makeup Compatibility Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Melts away makeup and impurities without drying — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “no pilling under makeup — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Often MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “calmed my menopausal redness — The INKEY List ECTOIN HYDRO-BARRIER SERUM”
  • Affordable Price Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Good for the price — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “One of the best balms for quality and also price — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “unbeatable value — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
  • High Price Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Packaging Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • Efficacy and 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”
    • “didn't do anything for circles — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “did cause major breakouts — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
    • “New formula breaks me out — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”

Kiehl's vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Kiehl's vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Kiehl's vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or The INKEY List: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and The INKEY List provide high routine fit for most skin types, while The INKEY List is noted for affordable price and Kiehl's for skin barrier and texture benefits. Lovi rates Kiehl's as High and The INKEY List as High for dry skin routines.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and The INKEY List?

Kiehl's and The INKEY List both offer high routine fit for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark spot skin types, but The INKEY List is noted for its affordable price while Kiehl's is frequently cited for its high price point. The products on this page from Kiehl's are best for skin with dark spots, mature skin, and dry skin, whereas The INKEY List focuses best on sensitive skin, combination skin, and acne-prone skin.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List for dry skin?

For dry skin, both Kiehl's and The INKEY List achieve a High routine fit level on the products on this page. Kiehl's is noted for strong skin barrier and texture benefits, while The INKEY List is frequently praised for its more affordable price point.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?

When comparing cleansers, Kiehl's offers options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash, which Lovi rates as having a Superior fit for oily and oily acne-prone skin, while The INKEY List features products like the Salicylic Acid Cleanser, which Lovi rates as having a High fit for acne-prone, combination, and oily skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List is more affordable, as reviewers often note its low price point while mentioning high prices for Kiehl's.

Which brand has more products containing fragrance, Kiehl's or The INKEY List?

Kiehl's has more products containing fragrance, as 2 of the products on this page list fragrance in their ingredients. In contrast, every product on The INKEY List page lists no fragrance.

Which brand fits acne-prone skin better, Kiehl's or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List fits acne-prone skin better, achieving a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average level.

Which brand is better for skin barrier and texture according to review themes?

According to the review themes on this page, Kiehl's does better than The INKEY List for skin barrier and texture.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and The INKEY List fit oily skin at a High level on this page. Reviewers note that both brands offer lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?

Both Kiehl's and The INKEY List offer well-reviewed hydrating moisturizers on the products on this page. Kiehl's specializes in rich, specialized formulas, whereas The INKEY List focuses on budget-friendly options.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and The INKEY List achieve a High routine fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that both brands offer gentle options, while The INKEY List lists no fragrance across its products.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Lovi finds that The INKEY List has a High routine fit, while Kiehl's has an Average routine fit.

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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