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Medicube vs Kiehl's

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

Medicube and Kiehl's are two respected skincare brands founded respectively in South Korea in 2016 and America in 1851. The Korean brand is known for moisturizers, serums, toners, and masks featuring niacinamide, collagen, and hyaluronic acid, suiting oily acne-prone and oily skin best. Meanwhile, the American brand is cherished for moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and more anchored by glycerin and squalane, which suit skin with dark spots and mature skin best. Ultimately, they differ through their distinct heritage, standout formulations, and targeted approaches to balancing sebum, hydration, and visible aging signs.

Medicube is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by APR Corp..

medicubereviews.co.ukglossy.co

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

Popular Medicube vs Kiehl's products

People Say

MedicubeKiehl's
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels bouncier and hydrated — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “glass skin — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Miscellaneous Positive Attributes Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “dries super fast — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “active breakouts look less inflamed — Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad”
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “perfect for retinol newbies — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Smooth Skin Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “gives my skin a smooth, glass-like finish — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
    • “skin feels smoother — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Formula Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “Did not cause any irritation — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
  • Lightweight Texture Not 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”
  • Glow and Radiance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “gave me instant glass skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “woke up with glowing skin — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “healthy, dewy glow — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • High Price and Value Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “tube is tiny for the price — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “price is steep — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “price is a bit steep — Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Sticky or Greasy Residue Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “leaves a tacky film — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “hair sticks to my face — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
  • Packaging and Application Issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “messy — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “lifted around the nose/eyes — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused redness and sensitivity — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
    • “woke up with whiteheads — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”

Medicube vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Medicube vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Medicube vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Medicube or Kiehl's: which is better?

Medicube and Kiehl's are both effective, as they offer an equal fit level for most skin types, though Medicube works better for acne-prone skin. Medicube provides superior glow and radiance among the products on this page, whereas Kiehl's is noted for its lightweight texture and gentle, sensitive formulas.

What is the difference between Medicube and Kiehl's?

Medicube and Kiehl's are both well-rounded skincare brands that achieve equal high fit levels across nearly all skin types on this page, though Medicube has a slight edge for acne-prone skin. Both brands offer targeted routines with key ingredients, but Medicube focuses on benefits like hydration and glowing skin, while Kiehl's leans into gentle, lightweight formulas for mature skin and dark spots.

Medicube or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for dry skin, with Medicube featuring deep hydration moisturizers and Kiehl's offering lightweight non-greasy options.

Medicube or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Both Medicube and Kiehl's offer cleansers with a high fit level for oily and acne-prone skin, such as the Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser and Kiehl's Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash. Medicube fits best for oily and acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's is noted as being more gentle for sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, Medicube or Kiehl's?

Medicube is more affordable than Kiehl's, as Medicube has small quantity and pricing issues while Kiehl's has a high price point.

Medicube or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Medicube and Kiehl's are a High fit for oily skin. The products on this page for both brands offer targeted options, such as Medicube's Zero Pore Pad and Kiehl's Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner, which help manage oil and refine skin texture.

Medicube or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both Medicube and Kiehl's offer moisturizers that fit dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, dark spot-prone, and oily acne-prone skin at a High level. Medicube's moisturizers help deliver deep hydration and a radiant glow, while Kiehl's moisturizers are frequently noted by shoppers for their lightweight and non-greasy texture.

Medicube or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both Medicube and Kiehl's achieve a High fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Kiehl's is better for gentle and sensitive formulas.

Medicube or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Medicube fits acne-prone skin better than Kiehl's, offering a High routine fit compared to an Average fit for the products on this page. Reviewers report that Medicube helps provide soothing and gentle care as well as a radiant glow.

Medicube or Kiehl's for mature skin?

Both Medicube and Kiehl's are a High fit for mature skin. Medicube helps provide deep hydration and a radiant glow, while Kiehl's is noted for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and gentle serums.

Medicube or Kiehl's for skin with dark spots?

Both Medicube and Kiehl's are a High fit for skin with dark spots. Medicube features key ingredients like niacinamide, which helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation, while Kiehl's relies on ingredients such as vitamin C.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Medicube or Kiehl's for dry sensitive skin?

Medicube and Kiehl's both offer a High routine fit for dry sensitive skin. On this page, Medicube products feature key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, while Kiehl's formulations help soothe dry skin using emollients.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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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