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Kiehl's vs The INKEY List

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

Kiehl's and The INKEY List are heritage and contemporary skincare labels offering thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products. Kiehl's is known for glycerin and squalane, suiting dry skin and dark spots best, whereas the British brand centers its offerings around glycerin to accommodate combination and sensitive skin. Ultimately, the two differ through their foundational profiles, with the American brand featuring antioxidant and barrier-supporting properties while the newer line focuses on targeted, ingredient-led solutions.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

The INKEY List is a British skincare brand founded in 2018 and owned by Brand Evangelists for Beauty Limited.

cosmeticsbusiness.comprnewswire.comtheinkeylist.comtracxn.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs The INKEY List products

People Say

Kiehl'sThe INKEY List
  • Lightweight Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “sits beautifully under makeup — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “Gel consistency — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • 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”
    • “Super hydrating — The INKEY List Polyglutamic Acid Serum”
    • “intense nourishment — The INKEY List Collagen Peptide Serum”
  • Gentle on Skin Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Great for sensitive skin — The INKEY List PHA Toner”
    • “Safe and gentle especially for my dry, sensitive skin — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
  • Makeup Compatibility Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Melts away makeup and impurities without drying — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “no pilling under makeup — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “skin looked & felt smoother — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “calmed my menopausal redness — The INKEY List ECTOIN HYDRO-BARRIER SERUM”
  • Affordable Price Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Good for the price — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”
    • “One of the best balms for quality and also price — The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm”
    • “unbeatable value — The INKEY List Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
  • High Price Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Packaging Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Pump breaks easily — The INKEY List Tranexamic Acid Serum”
  • Efficacy and 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”
    • “didn't do anything for circles — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
    • “did absolutely nothing — The INKEY List Caffeine Eye Cream”
  • Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “did cause major breakouts — The INKEY List Omega Water Cream”
    • “New formula breaks me out — The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser”

Kiehl's vs The INKEY List routines for dry skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,309.98 · 84% fitBuy The INKEY List routine · SAR 1,013.85 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs The INKEY List routines for oily skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · SAR 1,267.37 · 87% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,172.23 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs The INKEY List routines for combination skin

Buy The INKEY List routine · SAR 1,056.73 · 90% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · SAR 2,149.18 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or The INKEY List: which is better?

The INKEY List offers a more affordable price, while Kiehl's provides better skin barrier and texture results.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and The INKEY List?

The INKEY List offers a more affordable price point, whereas Kiehl's features a higher price. Reviewers note that the products on this page for The INKEY List provide an affordable price, while Kiehl's products have a high price point.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List for dry skin?

Both Kiehl's and The INKEY List fit dry skin at a High level. Kiehl's routine for dry skin has a High Lovi fit, and emollient ingredients help support the skin barrier.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List: which cleanser is better?

Both Kiehl's and The INKEY List offer effective cleansers, with Kiehl's featuring top options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash and Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser, while The INKEY List provides popular choices such as the Salicylic Acid Cleanser and Oat Cleansing Balm. The products on this page help clean and refresh the skin, with certain formulas suited for specific skin types like oily or acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or The INKEY List?

The products on this page show that The INKEY List is more affordable than Kiehl's, with affordability being noted as a strength for The INKEY List and a high price point being a common downside for Kiehl's.

Which brand has better packaging, Kiehl's or The INKEY List?

The INKEY List does better for packaging issues among the products on this page, whereas Kiehl's is noted by reviewers for packaging issues.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List for fading dark spots?

Both Kiehl's and The INKEY List perform equally well for skin with dark spots, as the routine fit for this concern is High for both brands on the products on this page.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and The INKEY List achieve a High routine fit level for oily skin based on the products on this page.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, The INKEY List is particularly noted for its affordability and lightweight, fast-absorbing options, while Kiehl's is frequently chosen for deep hydration and skin barrier support.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List for sensitive skin?

The INKEY List is a better fit for sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High level. The products on this page from The INKEY List feature completely fragrance-free formulas, which helps minimize skin irritation.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List for acne-prone skin?

The INKEY List is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Kiehl's Average level. The products on this page from The INKEY List focus heavily on addressing breakouts, while Kiehl's reviewers often note a higher price point and concerns with breakouts and skin irritation.

Kiehl's or The INKEY List for combination skin?

The INKEY List is a better fit for combination skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for Kiehl's. Reviewers note that the products on this page for The INKEY List offer affordable moisturizers and serums that absorb quickly.

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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