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Neutrogena vs Clarins

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

Neutrogena and Clarins are two distinct skincare lines established in the twentieth century. The American brand is widely loved for its thoughtful array of moisturizers, sunscreens, cleansers, and toners relying on glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone, which suit dry skin and mature skin best. Conversely, the French brand is loved for its nourishing moisturizers, targeted serums, delicate eye products, and refreshing toners harnessing soothing shea and replenishing squalane, offering ideal care for sensitive skin and mature skin. While both share a focus on hydration, they differ in their foundational origins, signature ingredients, and specific formulations.

Neutrogena is an American skincare brand founded in 1930 and owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026.

investor.kimberly-clark.comen.wikipedia.orginvestors.kenvue.com

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

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

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

Popular Neutrogena vs Clarins products

People Say

NeutrogenaClarins
  • Deep Hydration and Plumping Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “It also hydrates my skin. This cream has been so easy to add to my routine. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky residue — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “absorbs instantly — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
  • Gentle and Safe for Sensitive Skin Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “leaves skin soft and balanced — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “love that it has no scent — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “calms my acne prone skin — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “no irritation for contact wearers — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Improves Skin Texture and Anti-Aging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “Skin is looking smoother — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Base Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Foundation glides right over it — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Concealer doesn't cake or get stuck in crevices — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “concealer glides on smoothly — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “Perfect primer for any foundation, which all glide on smoothly. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
  • Radiant Glow and Complexion Boost Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “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”
    • “Gave me a glass-skin glow — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
  • Price versus Quantity and Value Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Jar is too small for the price — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Runs out quickly — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “Tube is tiny for the cost — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
  • Strong Fragrance and Scent Issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smell is too overpowering and lingering — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Scent is so off-putting — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “The original scented version is packed with this heavy floral perfume. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Packaging and Design Concerns Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “The dropper is not efficient. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “Hate dipping fingers into a jar — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Find it unsanitary — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “dispenses too much product — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
  • Lack of Immediate Results and Efficacy Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Did not help at all with under eye circles — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “Did nothing for wrinkles — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “The retinol concentration in this product is too small for significant changes. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “didn't see a lift — Clarins Total Eye Lift”

Neutrogena vs Clarins routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Neutrogena vs Clarins routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Neutrogena vs Clarins routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Neutrogena or Clarins: which is better?

Neutrogena is better for budget and sensitive skin, as almost all the products on this page are fragrance-free and offer better value. Clarins is better for luxury textures and anti-aging results, though its products carry a higher price tag and often include added fragrance.

What is the difference between Neutrogena and Clarins?

Neutrogena is typically more affordable and better for sensitive skin, whereas Clarins focuses on luxurious textures and anti-aging benefits. Both brands offer products on this page that fit most skin types well, though Neutrogena relies less on added fragrance.

Neutrogena or Clarins for dry skin?

Both Neutrogena and Clarins achieve a High routine fit for dry skin. The products on this page for both brands feature hyaluronic acid and glycerin to help deliver deep hydration.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Neutrogena or Clarins: which cleanser is better?

Neutrogena is a better fit for sensitive skin, earning a Superior Lovi fit level for its Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser, whereas Clarins' Gentle Foaming Cleanser is rated Average for sensitive skin. Neutrogena also offers better value and is fragrance-free across 35 of its 39 products on this page, while almost all Clarins products contain fragrance.

Which is more affordable, Neutrogena or Clarins?

Neutrogena is more affordable than Clarins. The products on this page for Neutrogena generally offer better price versus quantity and value.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between Neutrogena and Clarins?

Neutrogena was founded in 1930 in the United States, whereas Clarins was founded in 1954 in France.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Neutrogena or Clarins?

Neutrogena has more fragrance-free products on this page, with thirty-nine products lacking fragrance compared to only one for Clarins.

How do Neutrogena and Clarins compare regarding skin texture and anti-aging results?

Clarins does better than Neutrogena for improving skin texture and anti-aging. Neutrogena features retinol across some products on this page, which helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

Neutrogena or Clarins for oily skin?

Neutrogena and Clarins both offer a High routine fit for oily skin. The products on this page for Neutrogena include lightweight, absorbent options like Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen, while Clarins relies heavily on luxurious textures.

Neutrogena or Clarins: which moisturizer is better?

Both Neutrogena and Clarins offer deeply hydrating moisturizers, but Neutrogena is better for lightweight textures and sensitive skin while Clarins focuses more on luxury textures and anti-aging. The products on this page for both brands feature hyaluronic acid and glycerin to help plump and hydrate the skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Neutrogena or Clarins for sensitive skin?

Neutrogena is a better fit for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its overall routine as High compared to Clarins. Additionally, Neutrogena performs better for being gentle and safe for sensitive skin.

Neutrogena or Clarins for acne-prone skin?

Both Neutrogena and Clarins fit acne-prone skin at a High level. Neutrogena may be preferred for acne-prone shoppers because its products on this page are mostly fragrance-free and offer better value, whereas Clarins formulas generally contain fragrance.

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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