I tried both Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner’s skincare lines to see which was better and my assumption was wrong
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue.
WHEN Kim Kardashian announced that she was launching SKKN by Kim, the comparisons to Kylie Jenner's skincare line were inevitable.
Both women have built beauty empires, but which is winning the skincare game? I tried similar products from both lines to find out.
SHIPPING AND HANDLING
I know, I know, you want to know how good the products are. But the delivery experience and packaging already started to sway my opinion in Kylie's favor.
I placed my orders for SKKN by Kim and Kylie Cosmetics on the same day – Tuesday, June 21, when Kim's line debuted – and forked over an extra $20 for expedited two-day shipping on Kim's products.
For Kylie, the faster shipping option usually costs an extra $10.95, but was thrown in for free with my purchase.
And yet Kylie's arrived first, showing up at my door two days later – and Kim's came in three days, a frustrating delay given how much it cost.
read more kardashian stories
Opening Kylie's box felt like getting a care package from a friend: Inside the pink packaging and Kylie-branded tissue paper was a cute pink sticker sheet included with my pink product boxes.
But when I opened Kim's box, I swear, I let out a yelp of surprise. The products were wrapped in printer paper emblazoned with a dark close-up of Kim's face, staring right up at me.
Though that was weirdly off-putting – and kind of felt like a prank – the boxes holding each of Kim's products were earthy and cool, made from thick recyclable paper and held together with tiny metal clasps.
Finally, time to open these babies up and test them out.
POINT: KYLIE
Most read in Fabulous
FACE WASH
The least expensive item from SKNN by Kim, the $43 , comes in the brand's signature stone-like packaging, which is not recyclable but meant to be refilled. Refills cost $37.
A little goes a long way, and I needed just one small pump of the creamy liquid to wash my whole face.
Kylie's costs just $24 and went on about the same, albeit foamier.
I'd imagined that both Kim and Kylie would have picked some yummy signature scent to run through their lines, but was surprised that neither of the face washes had a fragrance at all.
Ultimately, both got the job done in cleaning my face, and neither felt better than the other.
POINT: TIE
EXFOLIATING SCRUB
Aha, a fragrance! Kim's $55 was the only product of the bunch to smell like anything, and I really loved the light floral scent.
It was also much thicker than I expected, with the consistency of a balm, and Kim provided a handy little metal spoon the size of an ice cream taster for scooping it out.
So, it smells good, it looks cool, but how does it go on? I'll admit it, I'm impressed: There must be some kind of moisturizing agent in it, because my skin actually felt noticeably softer once I'd washed it off and dried.
Meanwhile, Kylie's , $22, squeezed out of a tube and felt the same going onto my skin, but didn't have that same super-soft finish.
The upside, though, is that hers is over $30 less.
POINT: KIM
HYALURONIC ACID
Confession: I was convinced that I was going to be able to compare the labels of these products and they'd have identical ingredients.
I very confidently told several people they were going to be exactly the same, just in different packaging and with wildly different prices.
I can admit when I'm wrong. I held the labels up for each of these products, including the hyaluronic acid serums, and the formulations and ingredients are definitely different.
That being said, I can't speak to how much better Kim's ingredients are to justify her ($77 refill) price tag.
costs only $28. And while I can't say this with absolute certainty because I haven't used either one long-term yet, I really can't imagine Kim's makes a $62-more-per-bottle difference.
POINT: KYLIE
VITAMIN C SERUM
I'll say it again: I can't see how Kim's $90 ($77 refill) could be that much better than Kylie's $28 .
Using any vitamin C serum at all is going to help your skin, and my hunch is that any variation between what Kim's does and what Kylie's does is negligible - so spending that much more feels silly.
These go on the same and both get points for coming in pump bottles, which cut down on contact with the air that can destabilize vitamin C and make it less effective.
But if I were only buying one, I think I'd go for Kylie's and save myself $62. Who knows – if it's not as effective long-term, I made need that extra cash to put toward fillers down the line.
POINT: KYLIE
Read More On The Sun
MOISTURIZER
Kim's $85 ($72 refills) comes in a light brown sphere with a twist-off top that reminds me a bit of a Kinder egg, but there's obviously no chocolate and the surprise is my credit card bill.
I do like how thick it is, and it feels pretty heavy-duty going on – which is a plus for me because I'm closer to Kim's age than Kylie's.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
But Kylie's also felt plenty hydrating and was only about a quarter of the price at $24.
POINT: TIE