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Kiehl's vs Galderma

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

Kiehl's and Galderma are two distinct skincare brands with dedicated followings. The American brand is known for its nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and gentle eye products featuring glycerin and squalane, whereas the Swiss brand focuses on specialized serums. While the former suits dry skin and mature skin best through thoughtful formulations addressing moisture loss and barrier resilience, both offer specific solutions for acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Galderma is a Swiss skincare brand founded in 1981 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.org

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Galderma products

People Say

Kiehl'sGalderma
  • Acne Clearance and Prevention Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up my skin — Galderma Benzac AC Mild Strength 2.5% Acne Gel”
    • “cystic acne gone — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
    • “stops new pimples — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “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”
  • Texture and Lightweight Feel Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement 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”
    • “skin feels smooth — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
  • Sensitive Skin and Gentle Formulas Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “perfect for retinol newbies — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “didn't burn my face — Galderma Benzac AC Mild Strength 2.5% Acne Gel”
  • Severe Dryness and Peeling Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin flaking off — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
  • Burning, Stinging and Irritation Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “burned my face immediately — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “stings my face and feels like burning — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “left my face bright red — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “face on fire — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Initial Purging and Scars Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “got worse first — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
  • Fabric Bleaching Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “bleached my towel — Galderma Benzac AC 5”
  • Greasy or Heavy Residue Often MentionedNot noted
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”

Kiehl's vs Galderma serums and treatments

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Galderma: which is better?

Kiehl's performs better for hydration and gentle formulas, earning High to Superior Lovi fit levels for dry and sensitive skin, while Galderma focuses on targeted acne clearance. The products on this page for Kiehl's are fragrance-free in most cases, whereas Galderma formulas are associated with severe dryness and peeling.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Galderma?

Kiehl's provides a wide range of lightweight moisturizers, cleansers, and toners that focus on deep hydration, whereas Galderma offers specialized serums that target acne clearance. Lovi rates Kiehl's as having better fit levels for dry, mature, and oily acne-prone skin types, while Galderma products on this page may cause severe dryness and peeling.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Galderma?

Galderma does better for the price point compared to Kiehl's. Reviewers often mention that Kiehl's has a high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Kiehl's or Galderma?

Galderma does better for acne clearance and prevention, whereas reviewers note that Kiehl's sometimes causes breakouts and skin irritation.

Which brand has more products containing fragrance, Kiehl's or Galderma?

Kiehl's has more products containing fragrance, with two products on the page listing fragrance, while Galderma has none.

Which brand is better for hydration and moisture according to the review themes?

Kiehl's does better for hydration and moisture according to the review themes. Lovi rates the products on this page as having high to superior hydration fits for dry skin.

What are the founding years and countries of origin for Kiehl's and Galderma?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States, while Galderma was founded in 1981 in Switzerland.

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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