The Best Kiehl's Products (According To Science, Not Hype) [2023]

Ever wondered what the best Kiehl’s products are? I ask myself that question every time I step foot in a Kiehl’s store. A visit to one is always a treat. Kiehl’s stores are set up like old apothecaries. Shelves stacked high with products. Skeletons dressed in white coats greet you from the corners. Vials and pipettes lay down on tables. It feels like stepping back in time.

But, I rarely buy something there. I peruse through the shelves, picking up this and that, checking the ingredients and, putting them back on that damn shelf. I know there are so many Kiehl’s fanatics out there. But to me, Kiehl’s products are… meh. Let’s just say that despite their apothecary, scientific image, they haven’t kept up with the latest skincare technologies. A lot of their products are pretty basic.

And yet… sometimes, that’s just what your skin needs. So, on my last trip to Kiehl’s, I scoured the shelves for as many gems as I could find. Here are the best Kiehl’s products to help you banish dryness, avoid breakouts, and fight wrinkles:

Table Of Contents

About The Brand: Kiehl’s

The first Kiehl’s store opened in 1851, on the corner of 13th Street and Third Avenue in New York. Three years later, pharmacist John Kiehl bought the apothecary and began trading under the name of “Kiehl Pharmacy”. The name reflects the brand’s approach to pharmaceutical skincare – an approach that sadly hasn’t lasted to our days.

Back in the day, Kiehl’s formulas were revolutionary. Now, they’re pretty basic. The brand has only recently jumped on the anti-aging bandwagon, bringing us Vitamin C and retinol serums that can really fight wrinkles and fade away dark spots. But hey, better late than never.

Fun fact: Kiehl’s was one of the first skincare brands in the USA to let people try their before buying them and list their ingredients on their products, allowing consumers to know exactly what they were putting on their skin. Kudos for being a pioneer Kiehl’s.

In 2000, L’Oreal bought Kiehl’s, making it part of a portfolio that also includes Skinceuticals, Garnier, Lancome, and Shiseido. The brand has grown a lot since its infancy and currently has around 250 stores all over the world.

What Are The Best Kiehl’s Products?

Best Cleanser: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser For All Skin Types ($25.00)

There’s not much to say about cleansers, is there? Kiehl’s Facial Cleanser For All Skin Types is a foaming formula, so more suitable for oily/combo skin (but everyone can use it). It uses surfactants, like sodium laureth sulfate, to remove every last trace of dirt and makeup from your face quickly – without irritating skin. Best of all, it’s fragrance-free.

Available at: Boots, Sephora, Kiehl’s, Nordstrom, SpaceNK and Ulta

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Best For Oily Skin: Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask ($45.00)

All oily skin problems stem from skin producing way more sebum than it needs to stay naturally moisturised. Excess sebum gets stuck in your pores, where it contributes to blackouts and whiteheads. Plus, it makes your skin look shinier than a frying pan. Enter clay masks. Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask uses Kaolin and bentonite, two clays with absorbing properties that remove excess oil from your skin to keep it matte and blemish free. For best results, use it two/three nights a week after cleansing and before exfoliation or serums.

Available at: Boots, Kiehl’s, Sephora, SpaceNK, and Ulta

Best For Age Prevention: Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate ($100.00)

Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate is NOT the best Vitamin C serum around. It contains 12.5% Vitamin C serum compared to the standard 15% and has no Vitamin E and Ferulic Acid, which boost the effectiveness of Vitamin C. If you ask me, it’s not worth $100. But this post is about the best Kiehl’s products and this is one of them, so it makes the cut. Here’s why: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals, boosts collagen production and brightens the complexion. Even if you use a bit less, it still works wonders. FYI, Vitamin C can only prevent wrinkles. Hyaluronic acid is here to plump them up while silicones fill them in – two tricks that make fine lines and wrinkles look immediately smaller. The true issue with this serum is the addition of citrus oils to make it smell good. Citrus oils can irritate sensitive skin. But if your can take it and you like the smell, there’s no reason to avoid them.

Available at: Boots, Kiehl’s, Sephora, and SpaceNK

Best For Dry Skin: Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream ($48.00)

This rich moisturiser uses glycerin to draw moisture from the environment into your skin, and ceramide and lecithin (two natural components of your skin’s protective barrier) to lock it in. When your skin has all the moisture it needs, dryness heals. Rough skin becomes smooth and soft. Fine lines and wrinkles plump up, so they look smaller. Your complexion also takes on a subtle glow. Plus, the cream contains niacinamide, one of my fave ingredients: it hydrates skin, treats acne, soothes irritations, and brightens the complexion. Best part? It’s fragrance-free, so even sensitive skin can use it.

Available at: Boots, Kiehl’s, Nordstrom, Sephora, and Ulta

Best For Acne-Prone Skin: Kiehl’s Breakout Control Blemish Treatment Facial Lotion with Niacinamide ($50.00)

If you have pimples, blackheads, or whiteheads, you need salicylic acid in your skincare routine. Period. Salicylic acid is the only exfoliant that gets inside your pores, unclogging them from within. It both treats and prevents blemishes. While it’s at it, it also exfoliates the surface of your skin for a smoother and brighter complexion. This exfoliant contains 1.5%, a dose that does the job gently. Plus, it’s paired with niacinamide, another acne-fighter that also soothes redness, brightens skin, and has hydrating properties. Like all exfoliants, use it every other night, alternating it with retinol, to avoid dryness and irritations.

Available at: Boots and Kiehl’s

Best For Anti-Aging: Kiehl’s Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum ($65.00)

Retinol is the real idea, the only thing approved by the FDA to reduce wrinkles (not just their appearance). Retinol fights wrinkles in three ways: it destroys the free radicals that cause them in the first place; it boosts the production of skin-firming collagen; and it speeds up the skin’s natural exfoliating process to smoothen out imperfections. The catch? It’s irritating. Use it only every other night, alternating it with exfoliation. I’m pleased Kiehl’s has also added a big dollop of niacinamide to the serum. Niacinamide has soothing properties that can reduce the irritating potential of retinol and help your skin better tolerate it. Plus, it also hydrates skin and treats acne.

Available at: Boots, Kiehl’s, Sephora, SpaceNK, and Ulta

Best For Sun Protection: Kiehl’s Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50 PA+++ (£30.00)

This sunscreen uses a mix of mineral filters and new generation chemical UV absorbs to provide broad spectrum protection from harmful sun rays. It’s lightweight, absorbs easily, and works well under makeup. Plus, it’s fragrance-free, so even sensitive skin can use it. And, there’s nothing comedogenic here that’ll give you breakouts. All great news. You need a very generous dose of sunscreen for each application, so you want a formula that’s an absolute pleasure to use. The only con? It may leave a white cast on darker skin tones. If that’s you, this may not be the best formula for you.

P.S. I don’t think this formula is available in the US at the moment. It has UV filters that aren’t approved there yet. If you’re in Europe, stock up!

Available at: Boots and Kiehl’s

Is Kiehl’s Cruelty-Free?

Kiehl’s is NOT cruelty-free. They may test on animals, either themselves or through a third-party. That’s because they sell their products in counties where animal testing is required by law.

What Are The Best Kiehl’s Products For Wrinkles?

Kiehl’s Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum ($65.00): A gentle retinol serum that boosts collagen, fights free radicals, and mimosas wrinkles. Enriched with niacinamide to soothe irritations. Available at Boots, Kiehl’s, Sephora, SpaceNK, and Ulta.
Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line Reducing Concentrate ($100.00): A Vitamin C serum that prevents wrinkles and brightens the complexion. Suitable for all skin types, except sensitive. Available at Boots, Kiehl’s, Sephora, and SpaceNK.

What Are The Best Kiehl’s Products For Acne?

Kiehl’s Breakout Control Blemish Treatment Facial Lotion with Niacinamide ($50.00): A salicylic acid exfoliant with niacinamide to unclog pores, treat all kinds of acne, and reduce redness. Available at Boots and Kiehl’s.
Kiehl’s Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask ($45.00): A clay mask that absorbs excess oil to reduce shiness and pimples. Available at Boots, Kiehl’s, Sephora, SpaceNK, and Ulta.

What Are The Best Kiehl’s Products For Dark Spots?

Kiehl’s Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum ($65.00): Retinol doesn’t just fight acne and wrinkles. It also fades away dark spots, by speeding up the skin’s natural exfoliating process to remove darker-coloured cells and replace them with lighter-coloured cells. Available at Boots, Kiehl’s, Sephora, SpaceNK, and Ulta.

What Are The Best Kiehl’s Products For Sensitive Skin?

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Advanced Repair Barrier Cream ($48.00): A rich cream that strengthens your skin’s protective barrier against the elements and helps reduce irritations. Available at Boots, Kiehl’s, Nordstrom, Sephora, and Ulta.
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser For All Skin Types ($25.00): A gentle cleanser that takes off makeup and other impurities without irritating skin. Available at Boots, Sephora, Kiehl’s, Nordstrom, SpaceNK and Ulta.

The Pros Of Kiehl’s Skincare

I’ll be honest: this is a brand I usually don’t rate much. I love browsing through their stores but I rarely buy anything. They have some great, if basic, moisturisers for dry skin and sunscreens that provide excellent sun protection. Their cleansers tend to be on the gentler side too. If you find a gem from the brand, keep using it.

The Cons Of Kiehl’s Skincare

Most Kiehl’s products, like the hyped up Midnight Recovery Concentrate, are simple moisturising lotions with a few irritating fragrant plant extracts and oils added in to make them smell good. In 2023, that’s underwhelming. A brand that takes a pharmaceutical approach like Kiehl’s can and should do better.

FYI, I don’t have a problems with simple moisturising lotions. There’s a place for no-frills skincare – especially if you have sensitive skin that gets irritated easily. But a) it shouldn’t cost this much and b) it shouldn’t contain irritants. Just saying…

The Verdict

Kiehl’s skincare is underrated. Revolutionary back in the day, the brand is now resting on its laurels and releasing moisturising formulas (often with irritating fragrances) that make skin softer and smoother – and nothing else. But, if you know where to look, you can find a few gems. The products in this articles are the absolutely the best this brand can do for your skin.

About Gio

Hi, I'm Gio. I'm a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever - every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what's worth the splurge and what's best left on the shelf - using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.

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What Are The Best Kiehl’s Skincare Products?