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Kiehl's vs SK-II

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

Kiehl's and SK-II are renowned skincare brands offering thoughtful moisturizers, serums, toners, and masks. The American label is cherished for its nourishing ingredients like glycerin and squalane, suiting skin with dark spots and mature skin best, while the Japanese house is known for its signature pitera, suiting dry skin and acne-prone skin best. They differ primarily in their core formulations and targeted relief for specific concerns, allowing both to address various complexions uniquely.

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

loreal.comen.wikipedia.org

SK-II is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by The Procter & Gamble Company since 1991.

en.wikipedia.orgdiscoversk-ii.wixsite.comglossy.co

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

Popular Kiehl's vs SK-II products

People Say

Kiehl'sSK-II
  • Lightweight 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”
    • “drinks right into the skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Deep hydration 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”
    • “savior for dry patches — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “flooded my skin with moisture — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
  • Radiance and glow Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “gives a glass skin look — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “leaves me with a red carpet glow — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “noticeable skin brightening effect and glow — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Improves skin barrier and texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels soft as butter — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “pores became miraculously invisible — SK-II Facial Treatment Mask”
    • “Smoother skin — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “skin feels smoother — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
  • Makeup compatibility and primer Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “no pilling — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Removes leftover dirt — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “Dissolves waterproof mascara, melts stubborn makeup, removes sunscreen easily. — SK-II Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil”
  • Fades dark spots and brightens Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looks brighter — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “My skin is glowing now. — SK-II Genoptics Ultraura Essence”
    • “Reduced sun spots — SK-II Genoptics Spot Essence”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
  • High price and cost Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “Very expensive product — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “overpriced for what it does — Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream”
    • “way too expensive — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Slow or ineffective results Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Did absolutely nothing — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Takes months to see — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “results were subtle — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “did absolutely nothing — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Unpleasant scent or fragrance 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 dirty feet — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
  • Causes breakouts and acne Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “caused tiny red bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Essence”
    • “Small bumps — SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion”
    • “did break out some while adjusting — SK-II Skinpower Advanced Cream”
    • “caused cystic acne — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for dry skin

Buy SK-II routine · £225.40 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £181.95 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for oily skin

Buy SK-II routine · £339.53 · 88% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £283.08 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Kiehl's vs SK-II routines for combination skin

Buy SK-II routine · £308.34 · 87% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £285.07 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Kiehl's or SK-II: which is better?

Both Kiehl's and SK-II are strong skincare choices depending on your personal goals, with Kiehl's offering lightweight hydration and SK-II focusing on radiance and texture improvement. Lovi rates the routine fit for dry skin as High for Kiehl's and Superior for SK-II.

What is the difference between Kiehl's and SK-II?

Kiehl's and SK-II differ primarily in their formulation focus and ingredient profiles, with Kiehl's offering a wider variety of lightweight moisturizers containing glycerin and squalane, while SK-II centers its routine around the signature ingredient Pitera.

Kiehl's or SK-II for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi finds that Kiehl's has a High routine fit while SK-II offers a Superior routine fit.

Kiehl's or SK-II: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, Kiehl's offers a wide variety with lightweight textures and deep hydration, while SK-II features options like the Facial Treatment Essence that help improve radiance and skin texture.

Which is more affordable, Kiehl's or SK-II?

Both Kiehl's and SK-II are premium skincare brands, and Lovi notes that high price and cost is a frequent complaint for Kiehl's. SK-II generally occupies a luxury price point as well, though the products on this page do not feature direct cost comparisons.

Which brand has more products containing fragrance, Kiehl's or SK-II?

Kiehl's has more products containing fragrance, as two of its products on this page list fragrance in their ingredients, whereas every SK-II product on this page lists no fragrance.

What are the founding years and parent companies of Kiehl's and SK-II?

Kiehl's was founded in 1851 in the United States and has been owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 2000. SK-II was founded in 1980 in Japan and is owned by The Procter & Gamble Company.

Which brand performs better for radiance and glow according to reviewers?

According to reviewers, SK-II performs better for radiance and glow.

Kiehl's or SK-II for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds that both Kiehl's and SK-II have a High routine fit. Kiehl's offers specific options like the Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque and Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner which are rated as Superior for oily skin.

Kiehl's or SK-II for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both Kiehl's and SK-II achieve a High routine fit level on Lovi. Kiehl's offers mostly fragrance-free products on this page and is frequently noted for its lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and gentle serums.

Kiehl's or SK-II for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, both brands offer products on this page with a High Lovi fit level, though reviewers note that Kiehl's may cause breakouts while SK-II also has reported issues with acne.

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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