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cerave Moisturizing Lotion scores 8.8/9.8 and Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum scores 9.0/9.8 — a near-tie where your skin type decides the winner.
These two are neck and neck — just 0.2 points apart.
Scores last verified: April 2026
25 unique
8 in common
34 unique
These two serums take different paths to a similar destination. Both formulas include solid hydrating ingredients, and the overall scores reflect that — the gap here is genuinely slim.
Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum brings Niacinamide, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, and Adenosine as actives, while cerave Moisturizing Lotion relies on Niacinamide, Allantoin, and Ceramide Np. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.
cerave Moisturizing Lotion is better if you have
Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum is better if you have
Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum comes in at premium pricing with a 9.0 score, which is solid value at that tier.
It's a close call — both products score within 0.3 points of each other. Your choice depends on your specific skin concerns.
Based on ingredient analysis, Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum scores higher overall. See the full score breakdown above for details on each attribute.
Yes, they share common ingredients. Check the ingredient face-off section above for a detailed comparison.
The key differences are in their active ingredients and formulation approach. Check the attribute battle above for a detailed breakdown.
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© 2026 Gracie. All rights reserved. Data sourced from Open Beauty Facts (ODbL) and EU CosIng.