🇮🇪Ireland

Simple vs Elemis

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

Simple and Elemis are British skincare brands known for offering gentle cleansers, moisturizers, and toners formulated with glycerin. Simple suits oily skin and acne-prone skin best with niacinamide, whereas Elemis suits dry skin and mature skin best with shea butter. While both brands harness glycerin to improve hydration and barrier function, they differ through their distinct ingredients and target skin types.

Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk

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

Popular Simple vs Elemis products

People Say

SimpleElemis
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “whipped silk feel — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “cloud-light gel formula — Elemis Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Skin smoothing and radiance Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
  • Affordable price and value Often MentionedNot noted
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Can't beat the price for the quality. — Simple Micellar Water”
  • Effective cleansing and makeup removal Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Best morning cleanser — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “melts waterproof mascara — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
  • High price point Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Caused breakouts or skin reactions Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “terrible spots — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “clogged my pores — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “Gave me tiny bumps on my forehead. — Simple Micellar Water”
  • Insufficient hydration or richness Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “not hydrating enough for winter — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “Great product, a bit heavy. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “need more moisture — Elemis Peptide4 Eye Recovery Cream”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”

Simple vs Elemis routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Simple vs Elemis routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Simple vs Elemis routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Simple or Elemis: which is better?

Simple tends to be better for value and gentle care on sensitive skin, whereas Elemis excels in lightweight textures, skin smoothing, and radiance. Both brands deliver equal routine fit levels across all skin types.

What is the difference between Simple and Elemis?

Simple offers more affordable, fragrance-free products that reviewers find gentle on sensitive skin, whereas Elemis provides more luxurious, highly fragranced items that reviewers praise for smoothing skin texture and adding a radiant glow.

Simple or Elemis for dry skin?

Both Simple and Elemis have a High routine fit for dry skin. Simple offers fragrance-free, budget-friendly hydration with glycerin, while Elemis delivers luxurious, highly rated moisturizers featuring shea butter.

Simple or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Simple offers the Refreshing Facial Wash, while Elemis features cleansers like the Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash and Superfood Facial Wash. Simple is better for sensitive skin, whereas Elemis excels in skin smoothing and radiance.

Which is more affordable, Simple or Elemis?

Simple is more affordable, as reviewers mostly mention its affordable price and value, whereas Elemis has a mostly mentioned high price point.

Simple or Elemis: which brand has better fragrance-free options?

Simple is the better choice for fragrance-free options because every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas only 4 of 22 Elemis products on this page are fragrance-free.

Simple or Elemis: which is better for anti-aging and mature skin routines?

Simple and Elemis both achieve an overall High routine fit for mature skin, but Elemis offers specialized options like the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream which has a Superior fit level for mature skin. Niacinamide in Simple products may help control skin aging.

Antioxidants, 2021The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Simple or Elemis: which brand is owned by Unilever?

Simple is owned by Unilever, whereas Elemis is owned by the L'Occitane Group.

Simple or Elemis for oily skin?

Both Simple and Elemis have a High routine fit for oily skin. Simple is often preferred for offering affordable everyday basics, while Elemis is praised for its luxurious textures.

Simple or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Simple offers lightweight and value-friendly moisturizers, while Elemis provides luxurious texture moisturizers with a high price point. Both brands feature high and equal routine fits for dry skin.

Simple or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Simple is better for sensitive skin because it is gentler and every product on this page lists no fragrance, whereas Elemis products often contain strong fragrance and may cause skin irritation.

Simple or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Both Simple and Elemis have an equivalent High routine fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Simple offers gentle, sensitive-skin-friendly makeup removers, while Elemis provides products that may help improve skin texture and radiance.

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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