🇬🇧United Kingdom

Kiehl's vs Medik8

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

Kiehl's and Medik8 are established skincare brands offering thoughtful selections of serums, moisturizers, toners, eye products, and more. Kiehl's is cherished for nourishing ingredients like glycerin and squalane, suiting skin with dark spots and mature skin best, whereas the British brand is built around hyaluronic acid and fits dry skin and dry sensitive skin best. Both houses differ through their distinct formulations, with the American label emphasizing barrier function and the latter focusing on wrinkle effect duration.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

Medik8 is a British skincare brand founded in 2009 and owned by L'Oréal Groupe since 2025.

loreal.commedik8.comtracxn.com

This page compares some of the most popular Kiehl's and Medik8 products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Kiehl's vs Medik8 products

People Say

Kiehl'sMedik8
  • Gentle on Sensitive Skin Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “zero irritation or peeling — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “only Vitamin C my sensitive skin can tolerate — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Best retinol replacement — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Deep Hydration and Moisture Mostly 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”
    • “savior for dry patches — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “Restores moisture — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
  • Improves Skin Barrier and Texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smoother skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
    • “My skin was smoother, my skin texture felt more resurfaced. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “absorbed effortlessly — Medik8 Total Moisture Daily Facial Cream”
  • Fades Dark Spots and Brightens Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “I wake up glowing. It adds back that youthful bloom that I've lost. — Medik8 Sleep Glycolic”
    • “unlocked a serious glow — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pigmentation lightened slightly — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • No White Cast and Glowing Finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “doubles as moisturizer — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “Leaves skin looking glass-like and radiant — Medik8 Press & Glow”
    • “brightens skin — Medik8 Surface Radiance Cleanse”
  • High Price Point and Poor Value Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive per bottle — Medik8 Liquid Peptides”
    • “very expensive for amount — Medik8 CRYSTAL RETINAL 3”
    • “hefty price tag — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Ineffective or Slow Results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Not as effective as retinol — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “no difference — Medik8 Oxy-R Peptides”
  • Greasy or Oily Residue Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “too oily for my combination skin — Medik8 C-Tetra Serum”
    • “Oily texture unpleasant — Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides”
    • “too oily — Medik8 Super C Ferulic”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for dry skin

Buy Medik8 routine · £187.36 · 97% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £181.95 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for oily skin

Buy Medik8 routine · £285.55 · 89% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £283.08 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs Medik8 routines for combination skin

Buy Medik8 routine · £261.28 · 92% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £285.07 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or Medik8: which is better?

Medik8 is better for sensitive and dry skin with a superior routine fit, while Kiehl's offers lightweight textures and deep moisture for combination skin. Medik8 also improves the skin barrier and texture better, whereas Kiehl's is often noted for breakouts and irritation.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and Medik8?

Medik8 stands out for its superior fit for dry and sensitive skin on this page, while Kiehl's is known for offering a wider variety of lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and deep hydration.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for dry skin?

Medik8 is the better choice for dry skin, as the routine fit on this page is Superior compared to High for Kiehl's. Reviewers also note that Medik8 provides deep hydration and plumping with gentle, non-irritating serums.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Medik8: which cleanser is better?

Medik8 stands out for its cleanser on this page, Surface Radiance Cleanse, which achieves a Superior Lovi fit for acne-prone skin, skin with dark spots, and oily acne-prone skin. Meanwhile, Kiehl's offers strong cleansers like Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash and Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser, which also reach a Superior Lovi fit for oily and oily acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or Medik8?

Both brands feature a high price point as a common drawback in reviewer feedback on the products on this page.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Kiehl's or Medik8?

Kiehl's has more fragrance-free products on the page than Medik8, offering 26 fragrance-free options compared to Medik8's 11.

Kiehl's or Medik8: which is better for fading dark spots?

Both Kiehl's and Medik8 are great options for dark spots, as the products on this page for both brands achieve high fit levels for skin with dark spots. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides brightening and fading dark spots, while Medik8 does better at fading dark spots and brightening overall.

When was Kiehl's founded compared to Medik8?

Kiehl's was founded earlier in 1851 in the United States, whereas Medik8 was founded later in 2009 in the United Kingdom.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for oily skin?

Both Kiehl's and Medik8 offer a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that Kiehl's provides lightweight and non-greasy moisturizers.

Kiehl's or Medik8: which moisturizer is better?

Medik8 provides a superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Kiehl's. Reviewers on the products on this page note that Medik8 offers deep hydration and plumping, while Kiehl's is known for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Kiehl's or Medik8 for sensitive skin?

Medik8 provides a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, whereas Kiehl's fit level is High. Reviewers note that Medik8 does better on being gentle on sensitive skin.

Kiehl's or Medik8 for acne-prone skin?

Both brands offer an equal routine fit for acne-prone skin, with Kiehl's providing lightweight, non-greasy options and Medik8 providing gentle serums that may improve skin texture.

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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