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SKIN1004 vs Kiehl's

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

SKIN1004 and Kiehl's are distinct skincare labels rooted in different traditions, with the Korean brand founded in 2012 and the American brand established in 1851. SKIN1004 is known for soothing toners, comforting moisturizers, reliable sunscreens, and nourishing masks formulated with pure centella, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and brightening niacinamide, whereas Kiehl's is cherished for moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products anchored by glycerin and squalane. The former suits sensitive and acne-prone skin best, while the latter caters primarily to skin with dark spots and mature skin. Ultimately, they differ through their ingredients, regional origins, and targeted relief for specific skin concerns.

SKIN1004 is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2012 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2024.

mk.co.krpitchbook.comtracxn.comgoodai-global.com

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 SKIN1004 and Kiehl's products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular SKIN1004 vs Kiehl's products

People Say

SKIN1004Kiehl's
  • Hydration and soothing Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “calmed my angry skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner”
    • “Gives my dehydrated skin a moisture surge — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “Eliminated redness on my easily irritated skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “Keeps skin moisturized for 24+ hours — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Lightweight texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “sunk in like a dream — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum”
    • “Texture is on the thinner side... surprisingly lightweight. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
  • Fast absorption and oily skin benefits Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “keeps my oils at bay — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
    • “perfect for retinol newbies — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “keeps my T-zone matte — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs practically immediately — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Light Gel Cream”
  • Smoothing, firming, and anti-aging Sometimes NotedSometimes 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 super soft — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
  • Brightening and radiance Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
    • “Skin looks radiant — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “Gives a nice glow — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Boosting Toner”
  • Exfoliation and cleansing Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “doesn't strip my skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Cleansing Gel Foam”
    • “Dissolves waterproof mascara and sunscreen effortlessly. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
    • “gentle enough for daily use — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner”
    • “sucked the gunk out of my pores — Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque”
  • Price point and cost Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Price is quite steep — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “Pricey for daily use — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Finish and texture issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “milky sweat when running — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum”
    • “looked greasy by midday — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum”
    • “left my skin medium tacky — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Light Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Irritation and sensitivity Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Made my vision blurry/foggy for a while after rinsing. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
    • “painful tightness — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
    • “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”
  • Application issues and messiness Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “hard to wash off — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
    • “Hard to separate — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad”
    • “hard to spread — Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado”
    • “rolled off my face — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”

SKIN1004 vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy SKIN1004 routine · £52.78 · 86% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £181.95 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

SKIN1004 vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy SKIN1004 routine · £134.28 · 86% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £283.08 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

SKIN1004 vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy SKIN1004 routine · £90.21 · 86% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £285.07 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's: which is better?

Both SKIN1004 and Kiehl's offer a High routine fit across all skin types, but they excel in different areas depending on your skincare goals. SKIN1004 is better for hydration and soothing, while Kiehl's stands out for brightening, anti-aging, and fast absorption.

What is the difference between SKIN1004 and Kiehl's?

SKIN1004 focuses on calming, hydrating ingredients like Centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid to suit sensitive and acne-prone skin, whereas Kiehl's emphasizes vitamin C, squalane, and targeted anti-aging and brightening benefits. Both brands offer high routine fits across most skin types, but reviewers note that Kiehl's has a higher price point while SKIN1004 centers entirely on fragrance-free formulations.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Both SKIN1004 and Kiehl's offer a High fit for dry skin, so the right choice depends on your ingredient and formula preferences. SKIN1004 products on this page are entirely fragrance-free and feature soothing key ingredients like Centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid, whereas Kiehl's focuses on nourishing elements like glycerin and squalane while carrying a higher price point.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Both SKIN1004 and Kiehl's offer effective cleansers, with SKIN1004 doing better in overall exfoliation and cleansing reviews while Kiehl's features specialized options like the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash. SKIN1004 products on this page list no fragrance, whereas selected Kiehl's options include fragrance.

Which is more affordable, SKIN1004 or Kiehl's?

SKIN1004 is more affordable than Kiehl's, as high price points are often noted for Kiehl's while SKIN1004 does better on price point and cost.

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's: which brand is better for brightening and fading dark spots?

Kiehl's does better than SKIN1004 for brightening and fading dark spots. Its products feature key ingredients like vitamin C, which may help reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's: which brand has more products containing fragrance?

Kiehl's has more products containing fragrance, with two products on this page listing fragrance in their ingredients, whereas SKIN1004 has no products containing fragrance listed.

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's: which brand is better for anti-aging and firming?

Kiehl's does better than SKIN1004 for smoothing, firming, and anti-aging. Kiehl's features dedicated products like its Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum, where retinol may help stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both SKIN1004 and Kiehl's offer a High routine fit for oily skin, but they achieve this with different strengths. Kiehl's is particularly noted for fast absorption and oily skin benefits, whereas SKIN1004 relies on soothing and lightweight formulations.

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Both SKIN1004 and Kiehl's offer great moisturizers, with SKIN1004 focusing on soothing ingredients like Centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid, while Kiehl's features formulas rich in glycerin, squalane, and vitamins. Hyaluronic acid helps hydrate the skin and supports wound healing, and emollients enhance the skin barrier.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Both SKIN1004 and Kiehl's offer a High Lovi fit for sensitive skin, so your choice depends on whether you prefer soothing centella-focused formulas or diverse treatment serums. Reviewers note that SKIN1004 is often better for hydration and soothing, while Kiehl's leans toward brightening and smoothing.

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

Both SKIN1004 and Kiehl's offer sunscreens on this page, such as the Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum and the Better Screen UV Serum, with both brands showing a High routine fit for sun protection and skin health. SKIN1004 is particularly suited for sensitive and acne-prone skin, whereas Kiehl's formulations help address mature skin and dark spots.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Drug Delivery, 2017

SKIN1004 or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Both SKIN1004 and Kiehl's offer a High routine fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. SKIN1004 stands out for hydration and soothing, while Kiehl's excels in fast absorption and oily skin benefits.

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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