Simple and Anessa are distinct skincare houses that cater to different daily needs. The British brand founded in 1960 offers gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners with niacinamide and glycerin that suit oily skin and acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the Japanese brand founded in 1992 is widely loved for its advanced sunscreens and sophisticated formulas that suit all skin types best. They differ primarily in their core offerings, as the former focuses on foundational cleansing and hydration while the latter provides reliable daily protection.
Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.
This page compares some of the most popular Simple and Anessa products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Simple offers more varied options like gentle makeup removers and toners with High or Superior Lovi fits for sensitive and acne-prone skin, whereas Anessa focuses on high-fitting sunscreens. Both brands are free of fragrance across the products on this page.
What is the difference between Simple and Anessa?
Simple offers a range of daily skincare products featuring cleansers, moisturizers, and makeup removers that fit oily, acne-prone, and sensitive skin best, while Anessa focuses specifically on sunscreens with high fits for oily and mature skin types. Both brands formulate the products on this page without any added fragrance.
Which is more affordable, Simple or Anessa?
Simple offers more affordable options, particularly its lightweight and value-friendly moisturizers. Reviewers often mention the brand's budget-friendly nature, while Anessa focuses on specialized sunscreens without emphasis on affordability.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Simple or Anessa?
Simple features products on this page that some reviewers note may cause breakouts or irritations, while Anessa does not have reported breakout concerns on this page. Niacinamide helps support clear skin.
Which brand has products specifically formulated or recommended for sensitive skin based on their ingredient lists and fit levels?
Simple offers products specifically formulated or recommended for sensitive skin, with Lovi fit levels reaching High for items like its Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner and Micellar Cleansing Water, whereas Anessa's sunscreens reach a High fit level for sensitive skin as well.
How do the origins and parent companies of Simple and Anessa compare?
Simple was founded in 1960 in the United Kingdom and is owned by Unilever PLC, while Anessa was founded in 1992 in Japan and is owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.
What specific products do Simple and Anessa offer on this page, and how do they rate for dry skin?
Simple offers micellar waters, cleansers, moisturisers, a gel cream, and a toner, which rate as Average or Low for dry skin, while Anessa offers sunscreens that rate as Average for dry skin. Glycerin helps moisturize dry skin.
Dipotassium glycyrrhizate · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026
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.
