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Kiehl's vs Grown Alchemist

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

Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist are trusted skincare brands, with the former beloved for moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products featuring glycerin and squalane, while the latter is known for its cleansers, serums, and targeted formulas. Both labels offer distinct care, as the American brand suits dry skin and skin with dark spots best through moisture-retaining and brightening properties, whereas the second brand accommodates sensitive, dry, and combination skin. Ultimately, they differ through their specific ingredient benefits and formulation approaches, distinguishing the historic label from its contemporary counterpart.

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Grown Alchemist products

People Say

Kiehl'sGrown Alchemist
  • Gentle for sensitive skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Perfect for sensitive skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “calms my skin down — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep hydration Often 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”
    • “Skin version of chugging water — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Lightweight texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very light weight — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Non-stripping and gentle cleansing Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Doesn't dry out my skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “doesn't strip at all — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Relaxing and pleasant scent Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Smells amazing — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “smell is divine — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Cleanses and controls oil Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Gets everything nice and clean — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • High price Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for what it is — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “A bit pricey — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Packaging and application issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “tube cracks easily — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Makeup removal and compatibility issues Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “Isn't going to be your makeup remover — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist: which is better?

Grown Alchemist does better at being gentle for sensitive skin, while Kiehl's provides a lighter texture and offers a wider range of products that fit dry skin, skin with dark spots, and combination skin.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist?

Kiehl's offers a much broader range of products with High and Superior Lovi fit levels for dry skin and skin with dark spots, whereas Grown Alchemist focuses on gentle cleansers.

Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist: which cleanser is better?

Grown Alchemist does better for non-stripping and gentle cleansing compared to Kiehl's. The products on this page for Grown Alchemist feature options like Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser which has a High Lovi fit level for sensitive and dry sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist is noted for having a high price, while reviewers often mention that Kiehl's also has a high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Kiehl's or Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist is better for sensitive skin, whereas reviewers on this page often mention that Kiehl's causes breakouts and skin irritation.

How do the fragrance options compare between Kiehl's and Grown Alchemist?

Grown Alchemist lists no fragrance in any of the products on this page, whereas Kiehl's includes fragrance in a couple of items while the rest are fragrance-free.

Which brand offers more product options for addressing dark spots and mature skin?

Kiehl's offers more product options for addressing dark spots and mature skin, with multiple serums and moisturizers rated High for those concerns among the products on this page.

What do reviewers say about the price and packaging issues for each brand?

Reviewers frequently note that Kiehl's has a high price point and mention packaging and application issues. Grown Alchemist also faces reviewer feedback regarding a high price as well as cleanser performance and packaging issues.

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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