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Some By Mi vs Kiehl's

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

Some By Mi and Kiehl's are distinct skincare lines, with the former being a Korean brand founded in 2016 and the latter an American heritage house established in 1851. The Korean label features serums, cleansers, toners, and moisturizers built around niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid, while the American brand is cherished for its moisturizers, serums, toners, and eye products anchored by glycerin and squalane. The former fits dry sensitive skin and sensitive skin best, whereas the latter suits skin with dark spots and mature skin best. They differ primarily in their formulation origins and targeted active ingredients, offering tailored relief for specific complexions.

Some By Mi is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by JKL Partners since 2021.

kedglobal.compreqin.comtracxn.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 Some By Mi and Kiehl's products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Some By Mi vs Kiehl's products

People Say

Some By MiKiehl's
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “feels like nothing — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “works on dark skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly without residue — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly 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”
    • “Lasts 100 hours as claimed — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
  • Brightening and Radiance Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Fades dark spots — Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum”
    • “skin looks visibly brighter — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Anti Blemish Serum”
    • “Acne marks are gone — Kiehl's Clearly Corrective™ Dark Spot Solution”
    • “woke up glowing — Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate”
  • Skin Smoothing and Texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin became smoother — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Surprisingly gentle — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Skin feels baby soft — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “leaves skin feeling silky — Kiehl's Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate”
  • Gentle Formula Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Zero irritation or redness — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “doesn't strip dry my skin — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “experienced zero irritation — Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum”
    • “fragrance-free — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedNot noted
    • “Reduces pimples — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “cleared my cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Acne Clear Foam”
    • “flattened my cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum”
  • Price and Value Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
    • “Too expensive for 50ml — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
    • “pricy daily staple — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
  • Scents and Fragrance Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “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”
    • “overwhelming citrus fragrance — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
  • Sticky or Greasy Residue Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “leaves face really greasy — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
    • “leaves sticky film — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
    • “oil slick in summer — Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream”
    • “too radiant for oily skin — Kiehl's Better Screen UV Serum”

Some By Mi vs Kiehl's routines for dry skin

Buy Some By Mi routine · £90.42 · 91% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £181.95 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Some By Mi vs Kiehl's routines for oily skin

Buy Some By Mi routine · £120.03 · 87% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £283.08 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Some By Mi vs Kiehl's routines for combination skin

Buy Some By Mi routine · £126.95 · 88% fitBuy Kiehl's routine · £285.07 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which is better?

Some By Mi is better for dry sensitive skin, sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots, where Lovi fit levels reach Superior. Kiehl's is better for lightweight moisture and fast-absorbing formulas, though reviewers sometimes note a high price point. Niacinamide helps control skin aging and pigmentation.

Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between Some By Mi and Kiehl's?

Some By Mi provides a Superior routine fit for dry sensitive skin, while Kiehl's provides a High fit. Some By Mi excels at skin smoothing and acne control, whereas Kiehl's is noted for lightweight hydration.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for dry skin?

Some By Mi is better suited for dry skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Kiehl's High fit level. The products on this page help deliver deep moisture and barrier support.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which cleanser is better?

Some By Mi is better for acne-prone skin cleansers, featuring options like the Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Low pH Gel Cleanser, while Kiehl's stands out for deep pore cleansing cleansers such as the Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser.

Which is more affordable, Some By Mi or Kiehl's?

Some By Mi is more affordable, as the products on this page have better price and value ratings than Kiehl's.

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

Some By Mi and Kiehl's are equal for brightening and fading dark spots, but Some By Mi has a superior Lovi fit for skin with dark spots across the products on this page. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand has a stronger scent or uses more fragrance, Some By Mi or Kiehl's?

Kiehl's has more fragrance, as 2 of its 28 products on this page list fragrance in their ingredients, while Some By Mi lists no fragrance in any of the products on this page. Reviewers for Some By Mi sometimes note a strong or medicinal scent.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which brand is better for skin smoothing and texture?

Some By Mi does better than Kiehl's for skin smoothing and texture. The products on this page help improve texture with key ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for oily skin?

Both Some By Mi and Kiehl's are good options, as Lovi rates both brands as a High fit for oily skin. The products on this page for both brands feature lightweight formulas and effective cleansers that help manage excess oil.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which moisturizer is better?

Some By Mi fits dry sensitive skin with a Superior Lovi rating for its Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream, whereas Kiehl's routine fit for dry skin is High. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for sensitive skin?

Some By Mi is a better fit for sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine compared to Kiehl's High fit. The products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, which helps prevent irritation for sensitive skin.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's: which sunscreen is better?

When comparing sunscreens, both Some By Mi and Kiehl's offer options with High fit levels for oily skin, acne-prone skin, sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots. The products on this page show that Some By Mi features the V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen, while Kiehl's includes the Better Screen UV Serum.

Some By Mi or Kiehl's for acne-prone skin?

Both Some By Mi and Kiehl's are a High fit for acne-prone skin, offering targeted treatments across the products on this page. Some By Mi stands out particularly for acne and blemish control.

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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