🇺🇸United States

Cetaphil vs Shiseido

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

Cetaphil and Shiseido are prominent skincare brands that offer thoughtful arrays of cleansers, moisturizers, sunscreens, serums, and more, formulated with nourishing ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol. The American brand, founded in 1947, suits combination skin and acne-prone skin best with its balanced compositions, while the Japanese brand, founded in 1872, suits sensitive skin and mature skin best. Both brands differ in their specific heritage and targeted formulations, as the former is owned by Galderma Group AG and the latter by Shiseido Company, Limited.

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

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

Shiseido is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

corp.shiseido.comen.wikipedia.orgmarketscreener.com

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

Popular Cetaphil vs Shiseido products

People Say

CetaphilShiseido
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Immediate sensation of comfort — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels plump, soft and nourished, eliminates dryness, bouncy feel — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Skin feels more hydrated — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
  • Gentle on 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 — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “absorbs quickly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “Airy-soft texture — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Luxurious texture Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Velvety, rich cream texture — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Velvety texture — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
  • Smoother and healthier skin Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Velvety smooth — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
    • “makes skin baby soft — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Cream Enriched”
    • “Improves texture, plumps skin, reduces visible pores. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Pleasant scent Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Pleasant floral fragrance, relaxing, luxurious smell. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “spa-like scent, high-quality packaging, little goes a long way — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Fresh floral scent — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
    • “Smell was great and not perfumy — Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub”
  • Scent and fragrance 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”
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Formula changes and irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Formula change impacts moisturizing — Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream”
    • “Caused some irritation — Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream”
    • “Caused burning and redness — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “New version burns my face. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”

Cetaphil vs Shiseido routines for dry skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · $134.48 · 83% fitBuy Shiseido routine · $393.62 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Cetaphil vs Shiseido routines for oily skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · $331.64 · 85% fitBuy Shiseido routine · $581.17 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Cetaphil vs Shiseido routines for combination skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · $285.23 · 89% fitBuy Shiseido routine · $550.65 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or Shiseido: which is better?

Cetaphil is better for gentle, budget-friendly care, while Shiseido is better for luxurious textures and deep hydration. Both brands offer products on this page that achieve High routine fit levels for dry sensitive skin.

What is the difference between Cetaphil and Shiseido?

Cetaphil is a US brand offering fragrance-free products that reviewers note are gentle on sensitive skin, while Shiseido is a Japanese brand featuring luxurious, often fragranced formulas that reviewers praise for deep hydration. For dry skin, the routine fit for Cetaphil is High and for Shiseido is Average.

Cetaphil or Shiseido for dry skin?

For dry skin, Cetaphil fits better with a routine fit level of High, whereas Shiseido has an Average routine fit level. Cetaphil products on this page often help provide hydration using ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Cetaphil or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

Cetaphil cleansers are a better choice than Shiseido options for sensitive skin, offering a high Lovi fit and mostly being mentioned as gentle and non-stripping. Shiseido cleansers tend to have a strong fragrance and a high price point compared to Cetaphil.

Which is more affordable, Cetaphil or Shiseido?

Cetaphil is more affordable than Shiseido, as Shiseido reviewers frequently note a high price point. Review themes on this page indicate that a high price point is a drawback specifically associated with Shiseido.

Between Cetaphil and Shiseido, which brand is better for mature skin?

For mature skin, Cetaphil has a High routine fit level, while Shiseido has a High routine fit level, making them equal. Cetaphil products on this page are generally fragrance-free and known for being gentle, whereas Shiseido is often noted for luxurious textures and firming moisturizers.

How do the fragrance options compare between Cetaphil and Shiseido products?

Cetaphil products on this page offer fewer fragrance options compared to Shiseido, with 26 out of 27 listing no fragrance, while only 5 out of 20 Shiseido products are fragrance-free.

Which brand performs better when it comes to hydration and moisture according to review themes?

Shiseido performs better than Cetaphil when it comes to hydration and moisture according to review themes.

Cetaphil or Shiseido for oily skin?

Both Cetaphil and Shiseido offer a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that Cetaphil provides lightweight and non-greasy textures, while Shiseido products on this page deliver deep-cleansing and efficient cleansers.

Cetaphil or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

Both Cetaphil and Shiseido offer moisturizers, with Cetaphil providing options like the Moisturizing Cream and Shiseido offering products like the Essential Energy Hydrating Cream. Topical hyaluronic acid, found in both brands' products, helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Cetaphil or Shiseido for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin, but Cetaphil is generally noted by reviewers as being more gentle on sensitive skin. Lovi rates Cetaphil Gentle Foaming Cleanser and Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 as Superior for sensitive skin, while Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream and Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Day Cream also reach Superior fit levels for that skin type.

Cetaphil or Shiseido: which sunscreen is better?

Cetaphil has a superior sunscreen fit for dry skin and sensitive skin with its Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50, whereas Shiseido offers a high-performing option for mature and sensitive skin through its Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Day Cream. Shiseido's sunscreen formulations frequently include fragrance, while Cetaphil products on this page are generally fragrance-free.

Cetaphil or Shiseido for acne-prone skin?

Both Cetaphil and Shiseido offer products with a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, but Cetaphil is often preferred by shoppers for its gentle formulations and lightweight, 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

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