🇸🇦Saudi Arabia

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's

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

Cetaphil and Kiehl's are heritage American skincare brands that offer thoughtful ranges of cleansers, moisturizers, serums, and more, formulated with nourishing ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, panthenol, and squalane. The former suits combination and acne-prone skin best with balances of glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol, while the latter suits dry skin and skin with dark spots best through moisture-retaining properties. Ultimately, both brands deliver proven benefits like increased hydration and restored barrier function, though Cetaphil leans toward addressing hyperpigmentation and aging signs with niacinamide, and Kiehl's leans toward counteracting oxidative stress with squalane.

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

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

Popular Cetaphil vs Kiehl's products

People Say

CetaphilKiehl's
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy feel Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
  • Skin smoothing and texture improvement Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Versatile and effective daily use Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “great for face and body — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “recommended by my derm — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “removes excess oil — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
  • Brightening and complexion enhancement Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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 looks more radiant — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
  • Sensory and finish complaints Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
    • “smells like masking fragrance — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Lather, texture, and packaging issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “hate dipping fingers in — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Miss the bubbles, feels like washing with lotion. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · SAR 1,005.89 · 84% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,309.98 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · SAR 1,557.81 · 85% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,172.23 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Cetaphil vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · SAR 1,277.09 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,149.18 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both brands are great choices depending on your specific skin needs and budget. Cetaphil is better for sensitive skin and offers a lower price point, while Kiehl's excels at smoothing texture and brightening complexions.

What is the difference between Cetaphil and Kiehl's?

Cetaphil is generally gentler on sensitive skin and has a lower price point, while Kiehl's is better known for skin smoothing and texture improvement as well as brightening and fading dark spots. Both brands offer products that fit various skin types well, though Cetaphil features more fragrance-free options across the products on this page.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for dry skin, with Cetaphil being gentler on sensitive skin and Kiehl's focusing more on skin smoothing and texture improvement.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's offer effective cleansers, but Cetaphil is generally gentler on sensitive skin while Kiehl's excels in texture improvement and brightening. Reviewers note that Cetaphil features gentle, non-stripping cleansers, whereas Kiehl's provides options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash.

Which is more affordable, Cetaphil or Kiehl's?

Cetaphil is more affordable than Kiehl's, as Kiehl's is often noted by reviewers for its high price point.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which brand is better for brightening and fading dark spots?

Kiehl's does better for brightening and fading dark spots. Niacinamide helps reduce pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Cetaphil or Kiehl's?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's have a high number of fragrance-free options on this page, with twenty-six products listing no fragrance in each brand's range.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which is better for skin smoothing and texture improvement?

Kiehl's does better than Cetaphil for skin smoothing and texture improvement. Reviewers often mention that Kiehl's improves skin texture, and its range includes targeted products like the Daily Refining Milk-Peel Toner and Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's offer products on this page that have a high routine fit for oily skin. Review themes indicate that Cetaphil is generally gentler on sensitive skin and has a lower price point, while Kiehl's provides better skin smoothing and texture improvement.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers on this page that provide good hydration, but Cetaphil is generally better for sensitive skin while Kiehl's is frequently noted for targeted anti-aging and brightening benefits. Reviewers report that Cetaphil moisturizers help deliver gentle and budget-friendly hydration, whereas Kiehl's formulas frequently focus on lightweight textures and specialized active ingredients.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Cetaphil is better than Kiehl's for sensitive skin, as Cetaphil is specifically noted in review themes to be more gentle on sensitive skin. The products on this page from Cetaphil are well-suited for sensitive skin, and the brand fits best for sensitive skin.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Both Cetaphil and Kiehl's offer sunscreens with high fit levels for the products on this page across multiple skin types. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides makeup compatibility and primer benefits, while Cetaphil includes gentle, non-stripping options.

Cetaphil or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Cetaphil is a better fit for acne-prone skin, as the products on this page achieve a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average level. Cetaphil features gentle, non-stripping cleansers and lightweight moisturizers that help maintain skin balance without causing irritation.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play