Beauty of Joseon vs Kiehl's
Beauty of Joseon and Kiehl's are two respected skincare lines celebrated for distinct approaches to daily nourishment. The Korean brand features thoughtful serums, masks, moisturizers, and sunscreens utilizing niacinamide, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid to suit dry and sensitive skin, whereas the American brand offers nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and gentle eye products featuring glycerin and squalane to suit dry and mature skin. Both brands differ in their foundational heritages and specific ingredient benefits, with the former emphasizing gentle care and wrinkle reduction, and the latter prioritizing moisture loss, barrier resilience, and oxidative stress defense.
Beauty of Joseon is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2019.
kbeautywiki.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.comgoodai-global.com
Kiehl's is an American skincare brand founded in 1851 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000.
This page compares some of the most popular Beauty of Joseon and Kiehl's products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Beauty of Joseon vs Kiehl's products
People Say
Unique or Pleasant Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “feels like a light moisturizer — Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics”
- “sinks in instantly — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water”
- “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
- “Absorbs quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
Deep Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “Saved my dry winter skin — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
- “doesn't dry my skin like other cleansers — Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm”
- “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
- “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
Gentle and Non-Irritating Formulation Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “no irritation at all — Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum”
- “cleansed my face gently without making my skin feel irritated — Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser”
- “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
- “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
Radiant Skin and Glow Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
- “gives a glass skin look — Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum”
- “Gives me that chok-chok dewy look — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
- “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
- “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
Gentle Exfoliation and Texture Smoothing Sometimes NotedSometimes 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”
- “skin feels baby soft — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
Pore and Oil Control Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “less shiny by noon — Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel”
- “pores look cleaner — Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask”
- “pores look smaller — Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum”
- “keeps my oils at bay — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
High Price Point Not notedMostly Mentioned
- “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
Causes Breakouts and Acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
- “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
- “cystic acne for some — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
- “dealing with cystic acne — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
- “Broke me out in cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
Scent and Fragrance Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
- “smells clinical — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
- “faint lab smell — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
- “smell is overpowering — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
- “smells like cooking oil — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
Beauty of Joseon vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin
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Cleanser
Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$57.34
-
Hydrating Toner
Ultra Facial Toner
Morning
S$53.30
-
Moisturizer
Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$22.43
-
SPF
thinkbaby Safe Sunscreen SPF 50+
Morning
S$21.09
-
Pre-Cleanser
MISSHA Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
Evening · Once a week
S$39.68
-
Serum or Treatment
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$63.44
-
Nourishing Mask
MEDIHEAL Collagen Essential Mask
Once a week
S$62.94
-
Cleanser
Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$29.93
-
Hydrating Toner
Ginseng Essence Water
Morning
S$18.49
-
Moisturizer
Revive Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$20.14
-
SPF
Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics
Morning
S$14.74
-
Pre-Cleanser
Ginseng Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
S$27.51
-
Serum or Treatment
Glow Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$20.14
-
Nourishing Mask
Centella Asiatica Calming Mask
Once a week
S$3.99
Buy Kiehl's routine · S$209.58 · 92% fit
Buy Beauty of Joseon routine · S$57.44 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit
Beauty of Joseon vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin
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Cleanser
Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$57.34
-
Hydrating Toner
Ultra Facial Toner
Morning · Once a week
S$53.30
-
Moisturizer
Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$114.04
-
SPF
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
Morning
S$28.72
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
S$70.21
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening · Once a week
S$36.48
-
Serum or Treatment
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$63.44
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
S$89.14
-
Cleanser
Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$29.93
-
Hydrating Toner
Ginseng Essence Water
Morning · Once a week
S$18.49
-
Moisturizer
Revive Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$20.14
-
SPF
Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics
Morning
S$14.74
-
Pre-Cleanser
Ginseng Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
S$27.51
-
Cleansing Toner
Green Plum Refreshing Toner
Evening · Once a week
S$23.89
-
Serum or Treatment
Glow Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$20.14
-
Cleansing Mask
Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask
Once a week
S$18.26
Buy Kiehl's routine · S$287.99 · 90% fit
Buy Beauty of Joseon routine · S$81.33 · 78% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit
Beauty of Joseon vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin
-
Cleanser
Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$57.34
-
Hydrating Toner
Ultra Facial Toner
Morning · Once a week
S$53.30
-
Moisturizer
Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$114.04
-
SPF
CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30
Morning
S$28.72
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
S$70.21
-
Cleansing Toner
Medicube Zero Pore Pad 2.0
Evening · Once a week
S$36.48
-
Serum or Treatment
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$63.44
-
Cleansing Mask
HERBIVORE Botanicals Blue Tansy BHA and Enzyme Pore Refining Mask
Once a week
S$89.14
-
Cleanser
Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$29.93
-
Hydrating Toner
Ginseng Essence Water
Morning · Once a week
S$18.49
-
Moisturizer
Revive Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
S$20.14
-
SPF
Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics
Morning
S$14.74
-
Pre-Cleanser
Radiance Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
S$17.80
-
Cleansing Toner
Green Plum Refreshing Toner
Evening · Once a week
S$23.89
-
Serum or Treatment
Glow Serum
Evening · Once a week
S$20.14
-
Cleansing Mask
Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask
Once a week
S$18.26
Buy Kiehl's routine · S$287.99 · 90% fit
Buy Beauty of Joseon routine · S$53.82 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit
Questions and answers
Beauty of Joseon or Kiehl's: which is better?
Beauty of Joseon is generally better for gentle, fragrance-free care and soothing sensitive skin, while Kiehl's is often better for targeted anti-aging and oily skin routines. Both brands offer deep hydration, but Beauty of Joseon is noted for fewer irritation issues, whereas Kiehl's provides a wider range of high-performance serums.
What is the difference between Beauty of Joseon and Kiehl's?
Beauty of Joseon is known for being gentler and fragrance-free across the products on this page, whereas Kiehl's tends to be more expensive and may cause skin irritation for some users. Beauty of Joseon is a South Korean brand founded in 2016, while Kiehl's is an American brand founded in 1851.
Beauty of Joseon or Kiehl's for dry skin?
For dry skin, Kiehl's is a superior fit and Beauty of Joseon is a high fit. Both brands offer products with deep hydration.
Beauty of Joseon or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?
Both Beauty of Joseon and Kiehl's offer effective cleansers, but Beauty of Joseon is rated higher for gentle, non-irritating formulas, while Kiehl's features standout options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash that provides superior fit levels for oily and oily acne-prone skin on the products on this page.
Which is more affordable, Beauty of Joseon or Kiehl's?
Beauty of Joseon is more affordable, as the products on this page are better on price point.
Between Beauty of Joseon and Kiehl's, which brand offers fragrance-free products?
Beauty of Joseon offers fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas Kiehl's includes fragrance in some of its products.
How do Beauty of Joseon and Kiehl's compare for mature skin routines?
For mature skin routines, Kiehl's is a better fit with a Superior routine level, whereas Beauty of Joseon reaches an Average level.
Which brand is better for managing pores and oil control according to reviewers?
Beauty of Joseon is better for managing pores and oil control according to reviewers. The products on this page help provide pore and oil control as one of their noted benefits.
Beauty of Joseon or Kiehl's for oily skin?
For oily skin, Kiehl's is superior to Beauty of Joseon in routine fit. Reviewers note that the products on this page help provide lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and effective oil control.
Beauty of Joseon or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?
When comparing moisturizers, Beauty of Joseon helps provide deep hydration with fragrance-free options like its Dynasty Cream, while Kiehl's offers lightweight choices such as the Ultra Facial Cream. Both brands feature high fit levels for dry skin on this page, but Beauty of Joseon is less likely to cause irritation.
Beauty of Joseon or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?
Beauty of Joseon is better for sensitive skin because its products on this page list no fragrance and review themes show it is more gentle and non-irritating, while Lovi rates Beauty of Joseon's routine fit for sensitive skin as High and Kiehl's as Superior.
Beauty of Joseon or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?
Beauty of Joseon offers Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics, which has a High fit level for dry skin, skin with dark spots, sensitive skin, oily acne-prone skin, dry sensitive skin, oily skin, and combination skin on this page, while Kiehl's features Better Screen UV Serum, which has a High fit level for skin with dark spots, combination skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and mature skin.
Beauty of Joseon or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?
Both Beauty of Joseon and Kiehl's are a High fit for acne-prone skin, so either brand helps depending on your routine. Reviewers note that Kiehl's may cause breakouts and skin irritation, whereas Beauty of Joseon is frequently praised for its gentle, non-irritating formulas.
Research behind their key ingredients
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Safety evaluation of topical applications of ethanol on the skin and inside the oral cavity
Topical menthol--a human model for cold pain by activation and sensitization of C nociceptors
Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Skin Health: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence
The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review
Cutaneous photoprotection from ultraviolet injury by green tea polyphenols
Bacterial cellulose membranes as drug delivery systems: an in vivo skin compatibility study
Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo
Psychophysical study of the effects of topical application of menthol in healthy volunteers
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
Apigenin inhibits UVA-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and prevents signs of skin aging in vivo
Panax ginseng induces human Type I collagen synthesis through activation of Smad signaling
Vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate promotes epidermal thickening and collagen production in human skin
Calendula extract: effects on mechanical parameters of human skin
Microneedling by dermapen and glycolic acid peel for the treatment of acne scars: Comparative study
A comparative study of gluconolactone versus benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne
Natural Arctium lappa fruit extract improves the clinical signs of aging skin
Preparation and evaluation of anti-wrinkle cream containing saffron extract and avocado oil
In vitro and in vivo anti-allergic effects of Arctium lappa L
Supramolecular collagen nanoparticles for anti-wrinkle, skin whitening, and moisturizing effects
Novel beads made of alpha-cyclodextrin and oil for topical delivery of a lipophilic drug
A study of anti-wrinkle functions and improvement of cream with Phaseolus angularis
The evaluation of aluminum oxide crystal microdermabrasion for photodamage
Skin barrier changes induced by aluminum oxide and sodium chloride microdermabrasion
The anti wrinkle efficacy of synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) in Chinese Subjects
Hippophae rhamnoides oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion improves barrier function in healthy human subjects
Nanocomplex of quaternized cyclodextrin grafted chitosan and hyaluronic acid for a skin delivery
Histometric assessment of the age-related skin response to 2-hydroxy-5-octanoyl benzoic acid
Clinical and histologic changes determine optimal treatment regimens for microdermabrasion
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Clinical Assessment of a Novel Jasmonate Cosmeceutical, LR2412-Cx, for the Treatment of Skin Aging
Retrospective Review of Dermal Safety Studies of Organic Sunscreens
Targeting Circadian Rhythm for the Regulation of Skin Collagen Metabolism
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-

Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-

Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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