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CeraVe vs Kiehl's

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

CeraVe and Kiehl's are two American skincare brands offering dependable moisturizers, targeted serums, and gentle cleansers. The former relies on hyaluronic acid and glycerin to suit dry skin and mature skin best, while the latter uses glycerin and squalane for similar skin types. Both brands differ primarily in their exact product formulations and founding eras.

CeraVe is an American skincare brand founded in 2005 and owned by L'Oréal since 2017.

en.wikipedia.orghappi.comloreal-finance.comcerave.com

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

Popular CeraVe vs Kiehl's products

People Say

CeraVeKiehl's
  • Fragrance-free and gentle formulas Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't leave face tight — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “no burning sensation — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
    • “No scent, no irritation — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Sinks right into your skin — CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
  • Deep hydration and moisturization Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “woke up with plump skin — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Feels like a drink of water — Kiehl's Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate”
  • Improving skin texture and acne marks Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “difference in my skin's texture is noticeable — CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser”
    • “lightened dark spots — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Oil control and acne clearing Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “dialed back oiliness — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “Never breaks me out — CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “helped to stop my breakout in its tracks — CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser”
    • “keeps my oils at bay — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • Brightening and complexion enhancement Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin is literally glowing — CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum”
  • Price point and value concerns Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive Vaseline — CeraVe Healing Ointment”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Texture and consistency issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “feels like washing with conditioner — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “face feels stripped — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “leaves a tacky film — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Breakouts and acne Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Gave me cystic acne — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “gave me closed comedones — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “developed tiny white bumps — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”

CeraVe vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · S$209.58 · 92% fitBuy CeraVe routine · S$195.54 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

CeraVe vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · S$287.99 · 90% fitBuy CeraVe routine · S$238.51 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

CeraVe vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · S$287.99 · 90% fitBuy CeraVe routine · S$262.69 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

CeraVe or Kiehl's: which is better?

CeraVe and Kiehl's both offer fragrance-free options among the products on this page, but CeraVe does better for fragrance-free and gentle formulas, while Kiehl's is better for brightening and complexion enhancement. CeraVe routines have a High fit for dry skin, whereas Kiehl's routines have a Superior fit for dry skin.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

What is the difference between CeraVe and Kiehl's?

CeraVe provides fragrance-free and gentle formulas across the products on this page, whereas Kiehl's features a higher price point along with some fragranced options. Both brands offer lightweight textures and deep hydration, but CeraVe focuses on ceramides and niacinamide while Kiehl's highlights ingredients like squalane and vitamin C.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

CeraVe or Kiehl's for dry skin?

For dry skin, both CeraVe and Kiehl's offer effective routines, with CeraVe rated High and Kiehl's rated Superior. CeraVe formulas on this page are entirely fragrance-free, whereas Kiehl's provides a higher price point.

CeraVe or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

CeraVe offers better fragrance-free and gentle cleanser formulas on this page, while Kiehl's cleansers perform well for oil control and deep cleansing.

Which is more affordable, CeraVe or Kiehl's?

CeraVe is more affordable, whereas Kiehl's faces frequent user complaints regarding its high price point. Review themes show that CeraVe does better on price point and value concerns.

Which brand offers better fragrance-free formulas?

CeraVe offers better fragrance-free and gentle formulas, as every product on the products on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In contrast, Kiehl's includes fragrance in a couple of products on the products on this page.

CeraVe or Kiehl's for oily skin?

For oily skin, Kiehl's offers a Superior routine fit compared to CeraVe's High fit on the products on this page. Reviewers note that CeraVe does better for oil control and acne clearing.

CeraVe or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

CeraVe and Kiehl's both offer popular moisturizers on the products on this page, with CeraVe standing out for its fragrance-free formulas and Kiehl's performing well across multiple skin types. CeraVe uses key ingredients like ceramides and hyaluronic acid to help support the skin barrier, while Kiehl's provides deep hydration with ingredients like glycerin and squalane.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

CeraVe or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both CeraVe and Kiehl's are great options because Lovi rates their routines as High. Reviewers note that CeraVe is particularly strong for offering fragrance-free and gentle formulas across the products on this page.

CeraVe or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Both CeraVe and Kiehl's offer sunscreens on the products on this page that achieve High or Superior Lovi fit levels for most skin types. Reviewers indicate that CeraVe formulas are fragrance-free, while Kiehl's provides brightening benefits.

CeraVe or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Both CeraVe and Kiehl's are good options for acne-prone skin, with Lovi rating CeraVe as High and Kiehl's as High as well. Reviewers say that CeraVe does better for oil control and acne clearing on the products on this page.

CeraVe or Kiehl's: which serum is better?

When comparing serums on these pages, CeraVe features options like its Resurfacing Retinol Serum and Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum, while Kiehl's offers treatments such as the Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution and the Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum. Reviewers frequently note that Kiehl's serums are gentle, whereas CeraVe's options utilize key ingredients like niacinamide and retinol which help improve skin texture and reduce pigmentation.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

CeraVe or Kiehl's for mature skin?

For mature skin, CeraVe and Kiehl's both offer a Superior routine fit based on the products on this page. CeraVe features fragrance-free formulas with ceramides that may help repair the skin barrier, whereas Kiehl's provides options that often include retinol and vitamin C to help address signs of aging.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

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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