| Category | Skincare |
| Founded | 1851 |
| Headquarters | New York, USA |
| Listing | Not separately listed; parent L'Oréal is listed on Euronext Paris (OR.PA) |
| Latest revenue | Group FY2025 sales EUR 44.05bn, operating profit EUR 8.89bn |
| Hero SKUs | Calendula Toner |
Brand History
Kiehl's began in 1851 as a pharmacy in New York's East Village, where founder John Kiehl ran homeopathic and herbal preparations under the name Kiehl's Pharmacy. In the mid-20th century the Morse family turned it into a pharmacy-plus-skincare hybrid, creating the signature codes — white coats, Mr. Bones, free samples. L'Oréal acquired Kiehl's in 2000, preserving the pharmacy character and scaling it into global prestige retail.
In China, Kiehl's was among the first imports to turn dermatology-pharmacy aesthetics into a premium retail experience, with three evergreen SKUs: Calendula Toner, the Rare Earth clay mask and Ultra Facial Cream. The clay mask has long been associated with blackhead removal and serves as the entry product for younger shoppers; the cream anchors winter repair. Luxe was 35% of L'Oréal's 2025 sales, with Kiehl's playing the entry-price, gender-neutral role.
Hero Products
Three-Year Financials
| Year | Revenue (EUR bn) | YoY | Net profit (EUR bn) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 41.18 | +7.6% | 6.18 |
| 2024 | 43.49 | +5.6% | 6.41 |
| 2025 | 44.05 | +1.3% | 6.13 |
Brand-level：L'Oréal does not disclose Kiehl's revenue. The brand sits in Luxe, 35% of 2025 group sales at a 22.4% operating margin.
Source：L'Oréal 2025 annual report; brand heritage materials
Company Coverage
- 2026-02Luxe at 35% of group sales
The largest of L'Oréal's four divisions houses Kiehl's.
Source：L'Oréal 2025 annual report - 2025-11China prestige recovers
Mainland growth accelerated to mid-single digits as mall traffic improved.
Source：Group filings - 2025-06Men's grooming expands
The brand's gender-neutral positioning benefits from men's skincare growth.
Source：Trade media
Editor's note: Kiehl's proved pharmacy authenticity can be premiumised — widely imitated in China but rarely copied, because it is not a design style but a 170-year channel fact. The real test is youth: Rare Earth and Calendula are stars of a previous era, and whether the new cohort buys the plain-spoken story decides its next decade.