Stores
For the first 150 years of the company, Kiehl's operated only one store, with its products also selling in numerous department stores.[8] Following its acquisition by L'Oréal though, the company expanded from its one Manhattan flagship store to more than 30 stores.[9] Kiehl's sales have also more than quadrupled, increasing from $40 million in 2000 to over $200 million in 2009.[10] In 2016 Kiehl's sales reached $1 billion.[11]
The Stuyvesant Pear Tree
Kiehl's original store, located at 3rd Avenue and 13th Street in the East Village of Manhattan, occupies the same space as when it was founded in 1851.[4] The site of Kiehl's location is known as "Pear Tree Corner" for the pear tree Peter Stuyvesant, governor of the Dutch colony New Amsterdam, planted there in 1667.[12] A wagon collision felled the tree in 1867; it was then known as "the oldest living thing in the city of New York."[13] In November 2003, Kiehl's initiated the replanting of a new pear tree in its spot.[14] Today, the store has evolved into a neighborhood institution; Frommer's 2010 New York City travel guide states "Kiehl's is more than a store, it's a virtual cult."[15] Distinguishing features of the store include its window display of vintage druggist relics, and the collection of classic Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles housed within its doors.[4][16] In 2022, Kiehl's revamped the original 170 year old flagship store to pay tribute to its history and growth throughout the years. The company also launched a new campaign called "We Skincare About You Since 1851" to remind customers of its longstanding mission to deliver good customer service.[17]
Products and sales
Kiehl's states that it spends three to five times more on its cosmetic products than its competitors. At the same time, Kiehl's merchandise is "priced at the lower end of prestige skin care" while being distinguished for its "simple and straightforward packing which speaks to the old apothecary concept."[7]
To market its products, Kiehl's applies a non-traditional marketing approach that "relies heavily on free product samples, word of mouth endorsements from existing customers, and innovative marketing techniques." Particularly known for its generous sampling policy, "Kiehl's gave away more than 12 million samples a year, which represents 80 percent of their total marketing budget" according to Lynn Upshaw in Truth: The New Rules for Marketing in a Skeptical World. Upshaw writes, "The Kiehl's way of 'selling' is not to sell at all. They believe the products will do what they do and no hype will change that."[18] Donations, most prominently in charity event gift bags, also attract customers.[7]
On a local store level, Kiehl's works to understand each new location and develop a unique approach for that market. For example, for the opening a new store in New York's Upper West Side, Kiehl's supported improvements to a local playground in Central Park, a hot community topic at the time.
Clientele
Allan Mottus, the editor of the cosmetics industry magazine The Informationist, stated, "The Kiehl's store always attracted a cutting-edge younger crowd."[7] Compared to other cosmetics stores, Kiehl's is also known for appealing to an exceptionally large male clientele, which represents 30 to 40 percent of the company's customer base.[22] The interior of every Kiehl's store includes a motorcycle, paying homage to the fleet of 44 motorcycles Aaron Morse had in its collection. According to Kiehl's USA president, Chris Salgrado, the motorcycles were an effective way of introducing male customers to their products.[23] In cities like New York and Los Angeles, nearly half of all customers are men. According to Wendy Liebmann, chief executive of New York research firm WSL Strategic Retail, "Kiehl's changes the paradigm with a health and wellness approach that demystifies cosmetics. There's no intimidating hocus-pocus. It feels authentic and fun."[10]
Philanthropy
Kiehl's is recognized for its philanthropic activities. More than 40 years ago, Aaron Morse wrote the "Mission of Kiehl's," a 137-word statement which committed the company to the objective of "making for better citizens, better firms, and better communities."[24][25] Today, the cosmetics retailer is focused on three primary philanthropic causes: AIDS research and prevention, children's well-being and the environment.[24] Kiehl's stores have also begun to regularly host pet adoption events.[26] In August 2010, the company launched its inaugural "Kiehl's Liferide for amfAR" (The Foundation for AIDS Research). At the end of the six-day charitable motorcycle ride up the coast of California, Chris Salgardo, the President of Kiehl's USA who led the group on his own Harley-Davidson, presented an $85,000 check to amfAR.[10]
Controversy
Kiehl's has been criticized[27] for using squalene, an ingredient derived from shark liver, in their skincare products.[28] However, both Kiehl's and independent foundations affirm Kiehl's employs squalene sourced from olives in their products.[29][30]
In 2025, Kiehl’s introduced its Personals intimate-care line with advertisements featuring models with visible pubic hair. After some of the ads were censored in stores and on social media, the company launched a follow-up campaign called “Pubic Display Type,” which used a custom font made from human pubic hair. The initiative was described as both a challenge to beauty norms and a controversial publicity tactic.[31][32]
