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Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum scores 9.0/9.8 vs CLINIQUE Acne Solutions™ Acne + Line Correcting Serum with Salicylic Acid at 7.6/9.8. Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum wins for active ingredients.
Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum takes this one, winning 2 of 5 attributes.
Scores last verified: June 2026
27 unique
7 in common
35 unique
Where Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum really shines is active ingredient strength, scoring 7.8 compared to CLINIQUE Acne Solutions™ Acne + Line Correcting Serum with Salicylic Acid's 3.4. Its formula features Niacinamide, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, and Adenosine in high positions, signalling meaningful concentrations.
Hydration Efficacy is another area of separation. Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum scores 9.6 here versus 7.2 for CLINIQUE Acne Solutions™ Acne + Line Correcting Serum with Salicylic Acid. That difference comes down to how each formula is built — the ingredient list tells the story.
Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum brings Niacinamide, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, and Adenosine as actives, while cLINIQUE Acne Solutions™ Acne + Line Correcting Serum with Salicylic Acid relies on Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis (St. Paul's Wort) Extract, and Laminaria Saccharina Extract. Both approaches have merit, but the positioning and supporting ingredients make the difference.
CLINIQUE Acne Solutions™ Acne + Line Correcting Serum with Salicylic Acid is better if you have
Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum is better if you have
Both sit in the premium bracket, so value comes down to formulation quality. Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum gets the nod here with its 9.0 overall score — you're getting more for a similar outlay.
Kiehl's Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum wins this comparison with a meaningfully stronger ingredient profile and overall score.
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.