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Clarins vs Elemis

Clarins and Elemis are established European skincare houses that offer luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, and gentle toners enriched with nourishing shea. The French brand suits sensitive and dry sensitive skin best with formulations featuring squalane, whereas the British brand suits dry and mature skin best through preparations combining glycerin and shea. Both lines feature standout treatments for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature concerns, but they differ in their foundational heritage, specific key ingredients, and precise targeted benefits.

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

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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

People Say

ClarinsElemis
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Glow and Radiance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
  • Anti-Aging and Firming Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “neck feels smoother — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “visibly tighter, lifted skin — Clarins Super Restorative Night Cream”
    • “plumped my fine lines — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “My neck doesn't sag... plumps my skin to look more youthful. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
  • Pleasant Scent Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like a spa — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “smells like a holiday — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “smells like a tropical cocktail — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “smells luxurious — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
  • Cleansing and Exfoliation Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “melts waterproof mascara — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “non-stripping formula — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “removes every last trace — Clarins Hydrating Toning Lotion”
  • High Price Point Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “too expensive for results — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “very expensive — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
  • Strong Fragrance and Scent Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “smell is too strong — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “Only small negative is the smell is quite strong. — Elemis Superfood Facial Oil”
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Packaging Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “jar looks half empty — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “tube feels half empty — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “pump broke quickly — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “dispenses too much product — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Skin Irritation and Breakouts Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “caused redness — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “Developed milia and closed comedones. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “caused cystic acne — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”

Clarins vs Elemis routines for dry skin

Buy Elemis routine · $557.99 · 88% fitBuy Clarins routine · $250.04 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Clarins vs Elemis routines for oily skin

Buy Elemis routine · $535.50 · 77% fitBuy Clarins routine · $434.07 · 71% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Clarins vs Elemis routines for combination skin

Buy Elemis routine · $524.50 · 79% fitBuy Clarins routine · $413.07 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Clarins or Elemis: which is better?

Both Clarins and Elemis are great options, as they share equal routine fit levels for dry, sensitive, acne-prone, mature, and dark spot skin types. Clarins tends to stand out for its radiance and anti-aging benefits, whereas Elemis offers products on this page that may help with cleansing, exfoliation, and a pleasant scent. Topical hyaluronic acid, found across the products on this page, helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between Clarins and Elemis?

Clarins and Elemis both offer high fit routines for dry, sensitive, mature, and acne-prone skin, but Elemis achieves a High fit for oily and combination skin where Clarins only reaches Average. Reviewers note that Clarins does better for glow and radiance and anti-aging and firming, while Elemis excels in pleasant scent and cleansing and exfoliation.

Clarins or Elemis for dry skin?

Both Clarins and Elemis are great options for dry skin, as the products on this page achieve a High fit level for this skin type. Reviewers frequently mention that moisturizers from both brands provide good hydration, though they also note a high price point for both.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clarins or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Both Clarins and Elemis offer cleansers on this page with High fit levels for sensitive, dry, and mature skin. Reviewers note that Elemis cleansers are part of a brand that does better in cleansing and exfoliation.

Which is more affordable, Clarins or Elemis?

Both Clarins and Elemis feature a high price point among the products on this page, so neither brand is more affordable than the other.

Clarins or Elemis: which is better for anti-aging and firming?

Clarins is better for anti-aging and firming, as review themes show it performs better than Elemis in anti-aging and firming. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clarins or Elemis: which provides a more radiant glow?

Clarins provides a more radiant glow according to the review themes on this page. Reviewers report that Clarins does better for glow and radiance.

Clarins or Elemis: which has better cleansing and exfoliation products?

Elemis does better than Clarins for cleansing and exfoliation according to reviewer feedback on this page.

Clarins or Elemis for oily skin?

Elemis is a better fit for oily skin, offering a High routine fit compared to Clarins' Average level. Reviewers mention that the products on this page provide lightweight moisturizers that help maintain balanced hydration without feeling heavy.

Clarins or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Both Clarins and Elemis offer highly rated moisturizers, with Clarins excelling in glow and anti-aging benefits while Elemis provides great options for oily and combination skin. Reviewers highlight that both brands deliver excellent hydration, smooth textures, and a luxurious feel, though they come with a high price point.

Clarins or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Both Clarins and Elemis are great options for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates both brands at a High fit level for this skin type. Reviewers frequently mention that the products on this page from both brands deliver hydrating and smoothing moisturizers, though some users note strong fragrances.

Clarins or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Both Clarins and Elemis match acne-prone skin well, with Lovi giving them both a High fit level for this skin type. Reviewers note that both brands share similar concerns regarding a high price point.

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.

How does it fit your skin?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.