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Neutrogena vs Simple

Rated by Lovi · Unbiased, science-based skincare AI trained on real user outcomes · How the Fit score works

Neutrogena and Simple are two established skincare brands that offer thoughtfully formulated moisturizers, cleansers, and toners. The American brand is known for utilizing glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone in products like its Daily Facial Moisturizer, Sport Face Sunscreen, and Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser, which suit mature skin and skin with dark spots best. Conversely, the British brand is deeply loved for incorporating niacinamide and glycerin into items such as its Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner and Micellar Cleansing Water, making them best suited for oily skin and acne-prone skin. While both incorporate glycerin to improve hydration and restore barrier function, they differ through targeted active components and ideal skin types.

Neutrogena is an American skincare brand founded in 1930 and owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026.

investor.kimberly-clark.comen.wikipedia.orginvestors.kenvue.com

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

This page compares some of the most popular Neutrogena and Simple products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Neutrogena vs Simple products

People Say

NeutrogenaSimple
  • Acne-Safe and Gentle Formula Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “leaves skin soft and balanced — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
  • Deep and Intense Hydration Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “Quenches dry skin instantly — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky residue — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “absorbs instantly — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Base Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Foundation glides right over it — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Concealer doesn't cake or get stuck in crevices — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “makeup lays well — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “works well under foundation — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
  • Affordable Price and Value Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Can't beat the price for the quality. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “great price point — Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover”
  • Fast Absorption Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Absorbs quickly — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “Absorbs really well into my skin without leaving a greasy residue behind. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “Applies easily and quickly absorbs. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “absorbs really well — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
  • Insufficient Hydration or Dryness Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Not moisturizing enough for winter months — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Not rich enough for very dry mature skin — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “not rich enough — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
  • Packaging and Design Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Worried about the snap top bottle leaking when travelling. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The cap broke off immediately. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “hard to get last bit out — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Formula change ruined it — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
  • Poor Makeup Removal and Waterproof Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't remove mascara — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “Did not remove my mascara very well at all. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”

Neutrogena vs Simple routines for dry skin

Buy Simple routine · AED 455.14 · 83% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · AED 586.20 · 69% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Neutrogena vs Simple routines for oily skin

Buy Simple routine · AED 790.31 · 88% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · AED 523.16 · 70% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Neutrogena vs Simple routines for combination skin

Buy Simple routine · AED 644.67 · 85% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · AED 534.78 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Neutrogena or Simple: which is better?

Simple is a better fit for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, oily skin, oily acne-prone skin, combination skin, and sensitive skin, achieving High routine fit levels compared to Neutrogena's Average levels. Both brands show High routine fit levels for acne-prone skin, mature skin, and skin with dark spots. Retinol in Neutrogena helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

What is the difference between Neutrogena and Simple?

Simple features an entirely fragrance-free range of products on this page and tends to offer better overall routine fit across most skin types, while Neutrogena offers a broader selection of specialized anti-aging and acne treatments with key ingredients like retinol and hyaluronic acid.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Neutrogena or Simple for dry skin?

Simple is better for dry skin, providing High routine fit compared to Neutrogena's Average fit. Simple features gentle and hydrating formulas with glycerin, while Neutrogena products on this page may occasionally cause dryness or skin irritation.

Neutrogena or Simple: which cleanser is better?

Neutrogena offers cleansers such as Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser that reach a Superior fit level for mature, acne-prone, sensitive, and combination skin on this page, whereas Simple cleansers like Refreshing Facial Wash reach an Average fit level for those skin types.

Which is more affordable, Neutrogena or Simple?

Simple is more affordable, as it performs better for affordable price and value across the products on this page.

Between Neutrogena and Simple, which brand offers better fragrance-free options?

Simple offers better fragrance-free options because every product on the Simple page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas 35 of the 39 products on the Neutrogena page list no fragrance.

How do the founding years and corporate owners of Neutrogena and Simple compare?

Neutrogena was founded in 1930 in the United States and has been owned by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026. Simple was founded in 1960 in the United Kingdom and has been owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

Which brand performs better for lightweight and non-greasy textures according to reviewers?

Neutrogena does better for lightweight and non-greasy textures according to reviewers.

Neutrogena or Simple for oily skin?

Simple is the better choice for oily skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Neutrogena's Average fit on this page. Niacinamide helps control skin aging and pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Neutrogena or Simple: which moisturizer is better?

Neutrogena offers a wider variety of specialized moisturizers with higher fit levels for specific concerns like anti-aging, whereas Simple provides gentle, value-friendly options. Hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration, and retinol helps target signs of aging.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Neutrogena or Simple for sensitive skin?

Simple offers a High routine fit for sensitive skin, whereas Neutrogena has an Average routine fit. Reviewers note that the products on this page for Simple are gentle and sensitive-skin-friendly makeup removers.

Neutrogena or Simple for acne-prone skin?

Both Neutrogena and Simple achieve High Lovi fit levels for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Simple does better for acne-safe and gentle formulas, while Neutrogena offers a lightweight and non-greasy texture.

Research behind their key ingredients

Behind this comparison

Lovi compares products by their fit scores, calculated from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.

  • Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Nadia Kapleva, MS

    Co-founder, Medical Director

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer

  • Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Alexey Shagraev, PhD

    Co-founder, CEO and CTO

    PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex

  • Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc

    Medical Board

    Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine

  • Aishani Shah, MD

    Aishani Shah, MD

    Medical Board

    Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD

  • Asya Zubkova, MS

    Asya Zubkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member

  • Hanna Kurets, MD

    Hanna Kurets, MD

    Medical Board, Medical Advisor

    Dermatology MD

  • Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Elina Nazarenko, MD

    Medical Board

    Dermatology and diagnostic consultant

  • Victoria Derkova, MS

    Victoria Derkova, MS

    Medical Board

    Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist

How does it fit your skin?

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