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Kiehl's vs Medik8

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

Kiehl's and Medik8 are established skincare brands offering thoughtful arrays of moisturizers, serums, toners, eye products, and more. Kiehl's is known for trusted ingredients like glycerin and squalane, while the other brand is built around hyaluronic acid. Both suit dry skin best, though the American brand also suits skin with dark spots and the British brand suits dry sensitive skin. They differ in ownership, heritage, and specific active formulations, such as the glycerin that significantly increases hydration and restores epidermal barrier function versus hyaluronic acid that lengthens toxin wrinkle effect duration.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular Kiehl's and Medik8 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Medik8 products

People Say

Kiehl'sMedik8
  • Gentle on Sensitive Skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Best retinol replacement — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep 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”
    • “savior for dry patches — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
  • Improves Skin Barrier and Texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
    • “My skin was smoother, my skin texture felt more resurfaced. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy 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”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Fades Dark Spots and Brightens Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “unlocked a serious glow — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pigmentation lightened slightly — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • No White Cast and Glowing Finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “doubles as moisturizer — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “Leaves skin looking glass-like and radiant — Medik8 Press & Glow”
    • “brightens skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
  • High Price Point and Poor Value Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “very expensive for amount — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “hefty price tag — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Ineffective or Slow 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”
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no difference — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
  • Greasy or Oily Residue Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “too oily for my combination skin — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Oily texture unpleasant — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “too oily — Medik8 Super C Ferulic”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for dry skin

Buy Medik8 routine · SAR 1,617.50 · 95% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,309.98 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

Buy Medik8 routine · SAR 1,762.13 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,172.23 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · SAR 1,871.14 · 93% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,149.18 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Medik8: which is better?

Medik8 is generally better for sensitive and acne-prone skin, achieving a Superior routine fit, while Kiehl's is better for lightweight textures and deep hydration. Hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration and anti-aging benefits for both brands.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Medik8?

Medik8 tends to do better for sensitive and acne-prone skin with a Superior routine fit, whereas Kiehl's is noted for deep hydration and lightweight textures. The products on this page show that Medik8 features ingredients like hyaluronic acid while Kiehl's includes options such as Squalane and Vitamin C.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Medik8 for dry skin?

For dry skin, Medik8 has a Superior routine fit on Lovi, while Kiehl's has a High fit. Medik8's products on this page help provide deep hydration and plumping with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

Kiehl's or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer top-tier cleansers on this page, with the products on this page for Kiehl's achieving a Superior fit for oily skin and oily acne-prone skin, while Medik8 achieves a Superior fit for acne-prone skin, skin with dark spots, and oily acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Medik8?

Both Kiehl's and Medik8 are frequently noted by reviewers for having a high price point, so neither brand stands out as more affordable based on the products on this page.

Which brand does better at fading dark spots and brightening, Kiehl's or Medik8?

Medik8 does better at fading dark spots and brightening than Kiehl's. Medik8 is noted by reviewers for fading dark spots and brightening, while Kiehl's routine fit is High.

Which brand offers better deep hydration and moisture, Kiehl's or Medik8?

Kiehl's does better with deep hydration and moisture. The products on this page help provide deep hydration and are noted for offering lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers.

Which brand is better for improving the skin barrier and texture, Kiehl's or Medik8?

Medik8 does better for improving the skin barrier and texture. Reviewers on the products on this page frequently note that Medik8 offers gentle, non-irritating serums that help improve skin texture.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for oily skin?

For oily skin, both Kiehl's and Medik8 achieve a High routine fit level on this page. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides a lightweight and non-greasy texture, while Medik8 is recognized for gentle and non-irritating serums.

Kiehl's or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Medik8 provides a Superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Kiehl's High fit, making its hydrating options like Hydr8 B5 Intense very effective for deep moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

Kiehl's or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

Medik8 is the better choice for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its overall routine fit as Superior while Kiehl's is High.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Lovi rates Medik8 as having a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average fit. Medik8 does better on sensitive skin and fading dark spots, while the products on this page for Kiehl's are noted for causing breakouts and skin 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?

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