🇺🇸United States

Clinique vs Elemis

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

Clinique and Elemis are established skincare names, with the American brand founded in 1968 and the British brand established in 1989. Clinique offers thoughtful moisturizers, serums, makeup removers, and eye products utilizing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and caffeine to suit dry sensitive skin and oily skin best, whereas Elemis provides curated serums, rich moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and refining toners featuring glycerin and shea to suit dry skin and mature skin best. While both incorporate nourishing glycerin, they differ as the former relies on hyaluronic acid and caffeine for balanced hydration and protection, and the latter leans on shea butter to deeply restore and reduce inflammation.

Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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 Clinique and Elemis products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Clinique vs Elemis products

People Say

CliniqueElemis
  • Hydration and Plumping Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “skin feels soft and smooth — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Sensitivity and Gentle Formula Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No stinging eyes — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “keeps the redness at bay — Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
    • “Absorbs quickly without feeling sticky — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Smoother Skin Texture Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin feels silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “leaves face porcelain smooth — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “skin feels baby-soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
  • Makeup Compatibility Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “foundation glides on — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “holds concealer in place — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “perfect primer base — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
    • “Sits nicely under make up... perfect base. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Spa-Like or Pleasant Scent Not 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”
  • High Price Point Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “quite pricey — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “Expensive for cleanser — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Causes Breakouts Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “terrible spots — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “clogged my pores — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “Woke up with whiteheads on my chin — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
  • Strong Fragrance Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”

Clinique vs Elemis routines for dry skin

Buy Elemis routine · $557.99 · 88% fitBuy Clinique routine · $370.23 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Clinique vs Elemis routines for oily skin

Buy Clinique routine · $440.07 · 78% fitBuy Elemis routine · $535.50 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Clinique vs Elemis routines for combination skin

Buy Elemis routine · $524.50 · 79% fitBuy Clinique routine · $440.07 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Clinique or Elemis: which is better?

Clinique is better for sensitivity and gentle formulas because every product on this page lists no fragrance, whereas Elemis features fragrance in the majority of its products. Elemis is better for dry, combination, and dark-spot skin routines, scoring High fit levels compared to Clinique's Average levels for those types.

What is the difference between Clinique and Elemis?

Clinique is better for sensitivity and fragrance-free formulas, while Elemis is often chosen for its spa-like scents and luxurious textures. Both brands feature hydrating moisturizers, but Clinique offers products on this page with no fragrance across the board compared to Elemis.

Clinique or Elemis for dry skin?

Elemis is a better fit for dry skin, as the routine fit on this page is High compared to Clinique's Average fit level. Hyaluronic acid helps provide hydration and improve skin quality for dry skin types.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clinique or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Clinique is better for sensitive skin, as its cleansers receive higher fit levels and reviews note fewer issues with fragrance compared to Elemis. The products on this page help provide gentle and effective cleansing while avoiding added fragrance.

Which is more affordable, Clinique or Elemis?

Clinique is more affordable, as Elemis is noted for having a high price point.

Between Clinique and Elemis, which brand offers fragrance-free products?

Clinique offers fragrance-free products, as every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In contrast, most Elemis products on this page contain fragrance.

How do the founding years and corporate owners of Clinique and Elemis compare?

Clinique was founded in 1968 in the United States and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., whereas Elemis was founded in 1989 in the United Kingdom and has been owned by the L'Occitane Group since 2019.

Which brand has better routine fit for dry sensitive skin?

Both brands offer a High routine fit for dry sensitive skin. However, Elemis has dry sensitive skin as one of its top-fitted skin types, while Clinique relies on fragrance-free formulations.

Clinique or Elemis for oily skin?

Both Clinique and Elemis achieve a High routine fit level for oily skin. The products on this page for both brands feature key ingredients like glycerin to help hydrate the skin without heavy oils.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clinique or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer popular moisturizers, but Elemis achieves a High routine fit for dry skin compared to Clinique's Average fit. Elemis also features luxurious textures, whereas Clinique is known for lightweight, fragrance-free hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clinique or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Clinique and Elemis both fit sensitive skin with a High Lovi fit level on this page. Clinique stands out for sensitivity and gentle formulas, while Elemis offers products that help hydrate and smooth skin texture.

Clinique or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Both Clinique and Elemis offer a High routine fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Clinique does better for sensitivity and gentle formulas, while Elemis is more frequently associated with causing breakouts.

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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