Elemis vs Grown Alchemist
Elemis and Grown Alchemist are esteemed skincare lines that offer distinct paths to complexion health. The British brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019 is celebrated for its nourishing serums, rich moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and refining toners that weave together glycerin and shea, while the other is loved for its cleansers and serums, as well as its formulas. Elemis suits dry skin and mature skin best thanks to its deeply restorative qualities, whereas Grown Alchemist suits sensitive, dry, and combination skin best. They differ primarily in their ingredient profiles and specific formulations, as the former relies on glycerin to increase skin hydration and improve barrier function alongside shea butter to reduce inflammation and relieve skin pruritus.
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 Elemis and Grown Alchemist products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Elemis vs Grown Alchemist products
People Say
Cleansing and Exfoliation Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “melts waterproof mascara — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
- “non-stripping formula — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
- “Doesn't dry out my skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
- “Gets everything nice and clean — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
Texture and Application Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
- “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
- “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
- “silkiest cleanser — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
- “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
- “Skin version of chugging water — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
- “doesn't strip at all — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
Scents and Fragrance Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “Smells amazing — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
- “smell is divine — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
- “smells like a spa — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
High Price Point Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
- “expensive for what it is — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
- “A bit pricey — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
- “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
Irritation and Breakouts Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
- “blurry vision — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
- “Too perfumy notes — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
- “doesn't remove mascara — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
Questions and answers
Elemis or Grown Alchemist: which is better?
Elemis is better for texture and application, while Grown Alchemist does better with scents and fragrance because every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. Reviewers note that Elemis has a high price point.
What is the difference between Elemis and Grown Alchemist?
Elemis offers a wide range of products with various Lovi fit levels, featuring key ingredients like glycerin and shea butter, whereas Grown Alchemist focuses on a smaller selection of products with no listed fragrance across the items on this page. Reviewers note that Elemis excels in texture and application, while Grown Alchemist does better regarding scents and fragrance.
Elemis or Grown Alchemist: which cleanser is better?
Elemis offers a wider variety of cleansers with strong ratings across different skin types, such as the Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash achieving High fit for dry and mature skin. Grown Alchemist also provides gentle options like the Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser with High fit for dry sensitive and acne-prone skin.
Which is more affordable, Elemis or Grown Alchemist?
Grown Alchemist is more affordable, as a high price point is noted as a drawback for Elemis on this page.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Elemis or Grown Alchemist?
Both Elemis and Grown Alchemist perform equally regarding irritation and breakouts. Reviewers do not report a significant difference in breakouts between the two brands.
Which brand has more products containing added fragrance, Elemis or Grown Alchemist?
Elemis has more products containing added fragrance, with 18 out of 22 products listing fragrance, whereas every product on the Grown Alchemist page lists no fragrance.
When comparing the two skincare lines, which brand offers a Pro-Collagen Marine Cream?
Elemis offers the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream, which Lovi rates as having a Superior fit for mature skin and a High fit for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots.
Which brand was founded earlier, Elemis in 1989 or Grown Alchemist in 2008?
Elemis was founded earlier, in 1989 in the United Kingdom, whereas Grown Alchemist was founded in 2008.
Research behind their key ingredients
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Final report on the safety assessment of Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, and Sodium Benzoate
Bacterial cellulose membranes as drug delivery systems: an in vivo skin compatibility study
Microneedling by dermapen and glycolic acid peel for the treatment of acne scars: Comparative study
Topical beta-carotene protects against infra-red-light-induced free radicals
Efficacy of olive leaf extract-containing cream for facial rejuvenation: A pilot study
A Rose Extract Protects the Skin against Stress Mediators: A Potential Role of Olfactory Receptors
Comparative measurement of hydration effects of herbal moisturizers
Topical Almond Oil for Prevention of Pressure Injuries: A Single-Blinded Comparison Study
Skin recovery by Lavandula angustifolia leaf callus extract: Redox control of Nrf2 signaling
Formulation and evaluation of exotic fat based cosmeceuticals for skin repair
Nanocomplex of quaternized cyclodextrin grafted chitosan and hyaluronic acid for a skin delivery
Development and efficacy assessments of tea seed oil makeup remover
Effects of fermented tea seed oil on the skin lipid barrier and microbiome of sensitive skin
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.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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