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Cetaphil vs Clarins

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

Cetaphil and Clarins are two distinct skincare lines established in the mid-twentieth century, with the former originating in America and the latter in France. The American brand is widely known for cleansers, moisturizers, serums, and sunscreens featuring glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol, which suit combination and oily acne-prone skin best by balancing moisture without congestion. Conversely, the French brand is celebrated for luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, soothing eye products, and gentle toners enriched with shea and squalane, catering ideally to sensitive and dry sensitive skin. Ultimately, they differ through their foundational ingredients and specific target audiences, offering tailored approaches to daily wellness.

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

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

Popular Cetaphil vs Clarins products

People Say

CetaphilClarins
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Gentle for Sensitive Skin Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “no irritation for contact wearers — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Non-Greasy Absorption Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
  • Smoother Skin and Complexion Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
    • “Skin feels instantly softer — Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub”
    • “neck feels smoother — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “makes skin silky smooth — Clarins Hydrating Toning Lotion”
  • Awakening and Radiance Effect Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks brighter immediately — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
    • “Gives off the most stunning natural radiance I've ever come across. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “eyes look more open — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Luxurious Texture Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “melting non-oily texture — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “Creamy texture feels luxurious upon application — Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream”
    • “feels like silk — Clarins Double Serum”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
  • Scent Complaints Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
    • “Scent is overwhelmingly artificial. — Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser”
    • “smells like masking fragrance — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Packaging Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “hate dipping fingers in — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “wish it had a pump — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “dispenses too much product — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Lack of Lather and Texture Issues Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “sat on top of skin — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “made my face burn — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
    • “Described as having a sticky, gel-like texture. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “Miss the bubbles, feels like washing with lotion. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”

Cetaphil vs Clarins routines for dry skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · CA$148.04 · 80% fitBuy Clarins routine · CA$332.00 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Cetaphil vs Clarins routines for oily skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · CA$282.83 · 84% fitBuy Clarins routine · CA$468.45 · 71% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Cetaphil vs Clarins routines for combination skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · CA$240.92 · 85% fitBuy Clarins routine · CA$408.46 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or Clarins: which is better?

Cetaphil is better for oily, combination, and acne-prone skin with High routine fit levels, whereas Clarins has an Average fit for those skin types. Both brands offer High routine fit levels for dry, sensitive, mature, and dark spot skin types.

What is the difference between Cetaphil and Clarins?

Cetaphil fits oily, combination, and acne-prone skin better with High routines compared to Clarins' Average routines, while both brands match at High for dry, sensitive, mature, and dark spot skin. Cetaphil focuses on fragrance-free, gentle cleansers and moisturizers, whereas Clarins offers luxurious textures with strong fragrances across most products.

Cetaphil or Clarins for dry skin?

Both Cetaphil and Clarins achieve a High routine fit level for dry skin. The products on this page for both brands feature hydrating ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid to help improve moisture retention.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Cetaphil or Clarins: which cleanser is better?

Cetaphil is better for cleansers on this page, as review themes show it is gentler for sensitive skin and has fewer scent complaints than Clarins. The products on this page for Cetaphil are mostly fragrance-free, whereas Clarins formulas often include fragrance.

Which is more affordable, Cetaphil or Clarins?

Cetaphil is more affordable than Clarins, as Clarins is frequently noted by reviewers for its high price point. Additionally, Cetaphil does better when it comes to the high price point review theme.

Between Cetaphil and Clarins, which brand has more products formulated without added fragrance?

Cetaphil has more products formulated without added fragrance, with 26 out of 27 products on this page listing no fragrance compared to only 1 out of 24 for Clarins.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between Cetaphil and Clarins?

Cetaphil was founded in the United States in 1947, whereas Clarins was founded in France in 1954.

Which brand performs better for providing a luxurious texture according to reviewer feedback?

Clarins performs better for providing a luxurious texture, as reviewer feedback frequently highlights its luxurious textures compared to Cetaphil.

Cetaphil or Clarins for oily skin?

Cetaphil is the better choice for oily skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Clarins' Average fit. The products on this page from Cetaphil are largely fragrance-free and focus on non-stripping, gentle cleansing and hydration.

Cetaphil or Clarins: which moisturizer is better?

Cetaphil is better for providing budget-friendly and gentle hydration across skin types, whereas Clarins focuses on luxury textures with botanical actives. Both brands offer moisturizers that achieve High routine fit levels for dry and mature skin types.

Cetaphil or Clarins for sensitive skin?

Both Cetaphil and Clarins offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page. Cetaphil features mostly fragrance-free products and is noted by reviewers for being gentle, while Clarins includes soothing toning lotions and specialized sensitive skin formulations.

Cetaphil or Clarins for acne-prone skin?

Cetaphil is the better choice for acne-prone skin because the products on this page achieve a High fit level for this skin type, whereas Clarins averages an Average fit level. Reviewers also note that Cetaphil offers gentle, non-stripping cleansers.

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

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