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Simple vs Taro

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

Simple and Taro are distinct skincare choices offering reliable daily care for modern routines, with the former being a British brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011. Simple is lovingly chosen for its gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners enriched with niacinamide and glycerin, which suit acne-prone skin and oily skin best, while Taro is warmly embraced for its targeted serums and carefully crafted formulas that suit sensitive, dry, and combination skin best. Across these collections, the British brand features standout items like the Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner for acne-prone skin, the Micellar Cleansing Water for skin with dark spots, and the Micellar Water for mature skin, whereas the latter highlights the Tretinoin Cream for acne-prone skin. They differ primarily in their product types and ideal skin types, as niacinamide reduces hyperpigmentation and improves aging signs and glycerin improves skin hydration and barrier function in the former's offerings.

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

Popular Simple vs Taro products

Questions and answers

Simple or Taro: which is better?

Simple is a better fit than Taro for most skin types on this page, offering high-fitting cleansers and toners for sensitive and acne-prone skin, whereas Taro only provides a tretinoin cream with lower fits for many skin types.

What is the difference between Simple and Taro?

Simple offers a variety of fragrance-free cleansers, toners, and moisturizers containing niacinamide and glycerin that are well-suited for acne-prone and oily skin, whereas Taro features a single tretinoin cream that helps with acne-prone and combination skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which is more affordable, Simple or Taro?

Simple offers lightweight, value-friendly moisturizers on this page, whereas Taro features a specialized tretinoin serum. Shoppers frequently mention Simple products for being budget-friendly options.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Simple or Taro?

Simple features fragrance-free makeup removers and moisturizers that shoppers often find gentle, though reviewers note that some products may cause breakouts or irritations. Taro offers Tretinoin Cream, which has a High fit for acne-prone skin and helps treat acne, but retinoids can initially cause breakouts or purging.

The New England Journal of Medicine, 1993Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2020

Which brand was founded earlier, Simple or Taro?

Taro was founded earlier in 1950, while Simple was founded in 1960.

Which brand offers products with no fragrance?

Both Simple and Taro offer products with no fragrance, as every product on this page for both brands lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

How do the Lovi fit levels for acne-prone skin compare between Simple and Taro products?

Simple products on this page have an average Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin, while Taro products achieve a high fit level for acne-prone skin. Niacinamide helps reduce skin pigmentation, and tretinoin helps restore collagen formation in photodamaged human skin.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002The New England Journal of Medicine, 1993

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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