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Kiehl's vs Minimalist

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

Kiehl's and Minimalist are distinct skincare lines offering targeted solutions for diverse complexions. The American heritage brand provides nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, soothing toners, and gentle eye products featuring glycerin and squalane, which suit dry and mature skin best. Meanwhile, the Indian label focuses on sunscreens, moisturizers, and cleansers that fit combination and oily acne-prone skin. While both brands address specific concerns effectively, they differ in their formulation histories and the primary skin types they serve.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Minimalist is an Indian skincare brand founded in 2020 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2025.

m.economictimes.comunilever.combeminimalist.copersonalcareinsights.com

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

Popular Kiehl's vs Minimalist products

People Say

Kiehl'sMinimalist
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “leaves absolutely no white cast — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “absorbs quickly and doesn't feel greasy — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often 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”
    • “very moisturizing — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “calmed it when my skin was super irritated — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
  • Oil Control Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “acne cleared up in a week — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “perfect moisturizer for oily skin — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “keeps skin oil-free for hours — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “keeps my T-zone matte — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Consistency and Scent Notes Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “zero smell — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “calming lavender smell — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • 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”
    • “doesn't make skin feel tight — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Skin Barrier and Texture Improvement Often MentionedNot 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”
  • Greasy or Oily Finish Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “didn't absorb well — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “makes face very oily — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
  • Texture and Drying Issues Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “consistency is like water — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • High Price and Poor Value Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Unpleasant Scent and Chemical Smell Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells clinical — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “faint lab smell — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “smells like hot dog water — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “smells like chemicals — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Packaging and Application Issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “dipping fingers is unsanitary — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “cap leaks during travel — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”

Kiehl's vs Minimalist routines for dry skin

Buy Kiehl's routine · S$209.58 · 92% fitBuy Minimalist routine · S$270.56 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Minimalist routines for oily skin

Buy Minimalist routine · S$506.77 · 94% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · S$287.99 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Kiehl's vs Minimalist routines for combination skin

Buy Minimalist routine · S$369.20 · 96% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · S$287.99 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Minimalist: which is better?

Kiehl's and Minimalist perform similarly across most skin types on this page, with Kiehl's offering a wider product selection while Minimalist provides fragrance-free options. Lovi rates both brands as having an equal fit level for oily, combination, sensitive, mature, dry sensitive, and oily acne-prone skin.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Minimalist?

Kiehl's and Minimalist both offer fragrance-free options among the products on this page, but Kiehl's provides a larger variety of specialized formulas while Minimalist focuses on targeted, active-driven care.

Kiehl's or Minimalist for dry skin?

Kiehl's is better suited for dry skin, achieving a Lovi fit level of Superior compared to Minimalist's High level. The products on this page for Kiehl's feature extensive options specifically tailored for dry skin hydration.

Kiehl's or Minimalist: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Kiehl's offers a wider variety with targeted formulas like Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate, which achieves a Superior fit level for dry skin. Reviewers note that the products on this page by Kiehl's deliver lightweight, non-greasy hydration.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Minimalist?

Minimalist is more affordable, whereas reviewers often mention Kiehl's for having a high price point.

Between Kiehl's and Minimalist, which brand is better for reducing dark spots?

For reducing dark spots, Minimalist achieves a Superior routine fit, whereas Kiehl's achieves a High routine fit on this page.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of Kiehl's and Minimalist compare?

Kiehl's was founded in the United States in 1851 and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000, whereas Minimalist was founded in India in 2020 and is owned by Unilever PLC as of 2025.

Which brand has more fragrance-free options among their listed products?

Kiehl's has more fragrance-free options on this page, with 26 out of 28 products listing no fragrance, compared to Minimalist which has 3 fragrance-free products listed.

Kiehl's or Minimalist for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Minimalist achieve a Superior routine fit level for oily skin according to Lovi. Reviewers note that Minimalist does better for oil control and lightweight, non-greasy texture.

Kiehl's or Minimalist: which sunscreen is better?

For sunscreen, Lovi rates both Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum and Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen as having a High fit for skin with dark spots, combination skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and mature skin.

Kiehl's or Minimalist for sensitive skin?

Both Kiehl's and Minimalist are great options, as Lovi rates their routine fit for sensitive skin as Superior for both brands. Reviewers note that both brands are gentle on skin.

Kiehl's or Minimalist for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Minimalist has a superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's. Lovi rates the routine fit for acne-prone skin as Superior for Minimalist and High for Kiehl's.

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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