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Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's

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

Dr. Althea and Kiehl's are distinct skincare brands that offer thoughtful moisturizers, gentle cleansers, effective makeup removers, nourishing serums, toners, and eye products anchored by soothing formulas, glycerin, and squalane. Dr. Althea suits dry skin and acne-prone skin best, while Kiehl's suits skin with dark spots and mature skin best. Both brands differ because the first uses ingredients to provide balanced hydration and calm comfort, whereas the second relies on glycerin to increase hydration and restore epidermal barrier function, and squalane to counteract oxidative stress and stimulate fibroblast migration.

Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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

Popular Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's products

People Say

Dr. AltheaKiehl's
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “rich but non-greasy — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
  • Soothing and Gentle Formulas Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Skin Barrier and Tone Improvement Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “skin feels incredibly soft afterwards — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “strengthened my skin barrier — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Removes sunscreen well — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
    • “great for morning routine — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “a bit pricey — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Scent and Irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “smells like plants — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “clinical scent — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “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”
  • Pilling and Application Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “rolled off my face — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
    • “Dropper doesn't reach bottom — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Struggles with waterproof mascara — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · £104.68 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £181.95 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · £189.45 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £283.08 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Dr. Althea vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy Dr. Althea routine · £153.55 · 88% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £285.07 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which is better?

Dr. Althea tends to be a better fit for dry skin, acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots, where Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Kiehl's High. Reviewers also mention that Dr. Althea offers soothing and gentle formulas, while Kiehl's is often noted for a high price point.

What is the difference between Dr. Althea and Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea provides superior soothing and gentle formulas with fragrance-free products on this page, whereas Kiehl's excels in skin barrier and tone improvement as well as deep hydration. For specific skin concerns like dry skin, acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots, the routine fit for Dr. Althea is rated Superior, while Kiehl's routine fit for those types is High.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for dry skin?

For dry skin, Dr. Althea provides a Superior routine fit while Kiehl's offers a High routine fit on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea features gentle cleansers and soothing moisturizers, whereas Kiehl's is frequently praised for deep hydration.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer strong cleansers, but Dr. Althea achieves a Superior fit level for dry skin, acne-prone skin, oily skin, and combination skin on the products on this page.

Which is more affordable, Dr. Althea or Kiehl's?

Dr. Althea is more affordable, as Kiehl's is frequently noted by reviewers for its high price point.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for dark spots?

For dark spots, Dr. Althea achieves a superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's high fit on the products on this page. Reviewers note that both brands help with brightening and fading dark spots.

How do the brands compare on soothing and gentle formulas?

Dr. Althea does better than Kiehl's on soothing and gentle formulas. Reviewers mostly mention gentle cleansers and soothing moisturizers for Dr. Althea, while Kiehl's often faces reviews noting breakouts and skin irritation.

Which brand has a wider selection of products containing fragrance?

Kiehl's offers a wider selection of products containing fragrance, as two products on this page list fragrance in their ingredients compared to none for Dr. Althea.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both brands are a High fit for oily skin, but Dr. Althea stands out with fragrance-free products on this page and mostly mentioned soothing cleansers, while Kiehl's offers options like the Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner which is a Superior fit for oily skin.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Dr. Althea helps provide soothing and hydrating benefits with options like the 345 Relief Cream, while Kiehl's is often noted for deep hydration and barrier support through products like the Hydro-Plumping Serum Concentrate. Reviewers find that Dr. Althea tends to excel in soothing sensitive or acne-prone skin, whereas Kiehl's offers a wide variety of rich creams targeting texture and aging.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin, but Dr. Althea stands out with fragrance-free formulations across all products on this page and generally receives more praise for its gentle cleansers. Meanwhile, Kiehl's is noted for deep hydration and skin barrier improvement, though a couple of its moisturizers contain added fragrance.

Dr. Althea or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Dr. Althea is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High fit level. The products on this page from Dr. Althea feature mostly mentioned soothing cleansers and gentle formulations, whereas Kiehl's reviewers sometimes note breakouts and skin irritation.

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

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