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Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's

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

Dr. Althea and Kiehl's are two skincare brands offering thoughtful moisturizers, serums, and cleansers designed for distinct complexions. The Korean brand features gentle formulas driven by ingredients that suit acne-prone and dry skin, while the American label relies on trusted components like glycerin and squalane to address dry skin and dark spots. Ultimately, the brands differ through their unique ingredient approaches, with Dr. Althea delivering balanced care and Kiehl's focusing on moisture retention and barrier restoration.

Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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

Popular Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's products

People Say

Dr. AltheaKiehl's
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “rich but non-greasy — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Soothing and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Tone Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “strengthened my skin barrier — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
    • “savior for dry patches — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Removes sunscreen well — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “great for morning routine — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “a bit pricey — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Scent and Irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like plants — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “clinical scent — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “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”
  • Pilling and Application Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “rolled off my face — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Struggles with waterproof mascara — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · SAR 722.37 · 90% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,309.98 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · SAR 982.49 · 90% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,172.23 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · SAR 814.63 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,149.18 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which is better?

Dr. Althea is better for acne-prone skin with a Superior routine fit, whereas Kiehl's is better for deep hydration and skin barrier improvement. Every product on the Dr. Althea page lists no fragrance, while Kiehl's includes fragrance in two of its products.

What is the difference between Dr. Althea and Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea and Kiehl's differ mainly in their skin type strengths and formulation approaches, with Dr. Althea achieving a Superior routine fit for acne-prone, mature, and oily acne-prone skin while every product on its page lists no fragrance. Kiehl's offers a larger range of products featuring key ingredients like Glycerin and Squalane, though reviewers frequently note a higher price point and potential irritation compared to Dr. Althea's soothing and gentle formulas.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Dr. Althea is better for dry skin, offering a superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's high fit. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea provides soothing and hydrating moisturizers with every product on the page listing no fragrance.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Dr. Althea is better for cleansers because its Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser achieves a Superior fit level for oily, combination, acne-prone, and dry skin. In comparison, Kiehl's top cleansers reach a Superior fit for oily and oily acne-prone skin, but its products on this page sometimes cause breakouts and skin irritation.

Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea is more affordable, as reviewers often note a high price point for Kiehl's while noting price issues less frequently for Dr. Althea.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for dark spots?

Both brands perform well for dark spots, but Dr. Althea has a Lovi fit level of High and Kiehl's has a High fit level for skin with dark spots on this page. Kiehl's is often noted by reviewers for brightening and fading dark spots, while Dr. Althea provides fragrance-free products.

Which brand has a better routine fit for dry sensitive skin?

Both Dr. Althea and Kiehl's are a High fit for dry sensitive skin on this page. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea provides soothing and gentle formulas, while Kiehl's is recognized for deep hydration.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for oily skin?

For oily skin, Dr. Althea provides a Superior routine fit while Kiehl's offers a High fit. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea excels with soothing and gentle formulas, whereas Kiehl's is frequently recognized for deep hydration and brightening dark spots.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Dr. Althea provides the 345 Relief Cream, achieving a Superior Lovi fit level for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin, while Kiehl's offers options like the Ultra Facial Cream which has an Average fit for many skin types and a Caution rating for acne-prone skin. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea's moisturizers are frequently praised for soothing and hydrating benefits, whereas Kiehl's products are often noted for a high price point and occasional breakout issues.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both brands are a strong match for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates Dr. Althea High and Kiehl's High for this skin type. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea offers soothing and gentle formulas with no fragrance listed across the products on this page.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Dr. Althea is a better fit than Kiehl's for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates Dr. Althea's routine as Superior for this skin type while Kiehl's routine is rated Average. Reviewers also mention that Dr. Althea offers soothing and gentle cleansers and moisturizers, whereas Kiehl's is frequently noted for causing breakouts and skin irritation.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for mature skin?

For mature skin, Dr. Althea provides a Superior routine fit, while Kiehl's offers a High routine fit. Reviewers highlight Dr. Althea for soothing and gentle formulas, whereas Kiehl's is noted for skin barrier and tone improvement.

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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