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Clarins vs Shiseido

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

Clarins and Shiseido are esteemed heritage skincare houses offering luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, and gentle daily essentials enriched with nourishing shea, hydrating squalane, and glycerin. The French brand is loved for its soothing eye products and gentle toners, while the Japanese house is beloved for its thoughtful array of cleansers and sunscreens. Both suit sensitive and mature skin best, though they differ through distinct formulations designed to address specific concerns like dark spots and acne-prone skin.

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

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

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

Popular Clarins vs Shiseido products

People Say

ClarinsShiseido
  • Deep 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”
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
  • Luxurious and lightweight texture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
    • “Lightweight, silky, non-sticky, sinks in instantly. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “Airy-soft texture — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • Anti-aging and firming results Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “neck feels smoother — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “visibly tighter, lifted skin — Clarins Super Restorative Night Cream”
    • “makes skin silky smooth — Clarins Hydrating Toning Lotion”
    • “Smoothed out crow's feet — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Visible awakening and radiance effect Often MentionedOften 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”
    • “Skin looks brighter, more radiant, and "glowy." — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “faded pimple marks — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
  • Pleasant scent Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “smells luxurious — Clarins Extra-Firming Neck & Décolleté Cream”
    • “smells luxurious — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
    • “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”
  • Excellent makeup base Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “Perfect primer for any foundation, which all glide on smoothly. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “concealer sits better — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “Great base for makeup — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
  • High price point Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “too expensive for results — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Expensive, pricey, high cost for the amount. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
  • Strong fragrance and scent issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
    • “Smell was very off putting — Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream”
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “Strong scent, alcohol smell, potential irritation for sensitive skin. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
  • Pump and bottle design issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “heavy to travel — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “Heavy bottle but plastic pump, cannot see remaining product, straw too short to get last drops. — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “heavy jar, waste of plastic, faulty pump (on dispenser versions) — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “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”
    • “Caused some irritation — Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream”
    • “Caused burning and redness — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”

Clarins vs Shiseido routines for dry skin

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Clarins vs Shiseido routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Clarins vs Shiseido routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Clarins or Shiseido: which is better?

Clarins is better for anti-aging and firming results as well as dry skin routines, while Shiseido is better for deep hydration and oily or combination skin routines. Both brands offer equal performance for mature skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and skin with dark spots.

What is the difference between Clarins and Shiseido?

Clarins offers better anti-aging and firming results, while Shiseido provides deeper hydration and moisture. Lovi rates Clarins as a High fit for dry skin routines compared to Shiseido's Average fit, whereas Shiseido is a High fit for oily skin routines where Clarins is Average.

Clarins or Shiseido for dry skin?

Clarins is a better fit for dry skin, where Lovi rates its routine as High compared to Shiseido's Average. Hyaluronic acid helps provide hydration for dry skin types across the products on this page.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clarins or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

Shiseido does better for deep-cleansing and efficient cleansers compared to Clarins. Lovi rates Shiseido's Deep Cleansing Foam as High for oily skin.

Which is more affordable, Clarins or Shiseido?

Both Clarins and Shiseido have a high price point as a frequently mentioned drawback by reviewers, meaning neither brand is more affordable.

Clarins or Shiseido for fading dark spots?

Both brands offer products on this page that are a high fit for skin with dark spots. Lovi rates Clarins high overall for skin with dark spots, and Shiseido is also a high fit for this skin type.

Clarins or Shiseido for oily skin?

Shiseido is a better fit for oily skin, as Lovi rates its routine as High compared to Clarins' Average. Shiseido also offers deep-cleansing cleansers that reviewers frequently mention as efficient.

Clarins or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

Clarins generally provides better anti-aging and firming results among the moisturizers on this page, whereas Shiseido excels in deep hydration and is rated High for dry skin routines. Hyaluronic acid, found across both brands, helps maintain skin moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clarins or Shiseido for sensitive skin?

Both Clarins and Shiseido are a High fit for sensitive skin. Clarins best fits sensitive skin, dry sensitive skin, and mature skin, while Shiseido best fits sensitive skin, mature skin, and skin with dark spots.

Clarins or Shiseido for acne-prone skin?

Both Clarins and Shiseido offer products with a High Lovi fit level for acne-prone skin. Topical hyaluronic acid, found in both brands' key ingredients, helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clarins or Shiseido for mature skin?

Both Clarins and Shiseido fit mature skin at a High level on Lovi. Clarins stands out for anti-aging and firming results, while Shiseido also offers deeply hydrating and smoothing products on this page.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clarins or Shiseido for combination skin?

Shiseido is a better choice for combination skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as High compared to Clarins's Average fit. Shiseido also offers deep-cleansing cleansers that help manage combination skin effectively.

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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