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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 mid-twentieth century. The American drugstore staple features glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone in moisturizers, sunscreens, and cleansers that suit oily, acne-prone skin. Meanwhile, the French luxury house enriches its soothing serums and creams with shea and squalane to comfort sensitive and dry skin. While both offer targeted solutions for mature skin and dark spots, they diverge in their foundational ingredients and sensory experience.

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 · 95% fit

Neutrogena vs Clarins routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Neutrogena or Clarins: which is better?

Neutrogena is a better fit for oily acne-prone, acne-prone, and dry skin on this page, while Clarins is a better fit for dry sensitive skin. Both brands offer high routine fit levels for sensitive, mature, and dark spot-prone skin. Clarins features more luxury textures and radiance-boosting products, whereas Neutrogena provides lighter, faster-absorbing, and more budget-friendly options.

What is the difference between Neutrogena and Clarins?

Neutrogena is an American brand that fits best on oily acne-prone skin, acne-prone skin, and mature skin, while Clarins is a French brand that fits best on sensitive skin, dry sensitive skin, and mature skin. The products on this page from Neutrogena list no fragrance in 35 of 39 items, whereas almost all Clarins products contain fragrance. Neutrogena is noted for lightweight and fast-absorbing formulas, whereas Clarins is known for luxurious textures and radiance-boosting effects.

Neutrogena or Clarins for dry skin?

Neutrogena has a High routine fit for dry skin, whereas Clarins has an Average routine fit. The products on this page for Neutrogena include deeply hydrating moisturizers that help maintain moisture levels, and topical hyaluronic acid supports skin hydration and improves signs of aging.

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

Neutrogena or Clarins: which cleanser is better?

Neutrogena is the better choice for cleansers because the products on this page achieve a Superior fit for acne-prone, sensitive, and combination skin, whereas Clarins achieves an Average fit for those skin types. Reviewers also indicate that Neutrogena is gentler and safer for sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, Neutrogena or Clarins?

Neutrogena is more affordable, whereas Clarins has a high price point. Pricing and value concerns are frequently noted for Neutrogena products, but high price is mostly mentioned for Clarins.

Between Neutrogena and Clarins, which brand has fewer fragrance concerns?

Neutrogena has fewer fragrance concerns because 35 of the 39 products on the Neutrogena page list no fragrance, whereas only 1 of the 24 products on the Clarins page lists no fragrance.

Which brand performs better for anti-aging and improving skin texture, Neutrogena or Clarins?

Clarins performs better for anti-aging and improving skin texture. Neutrogena is the subject only of fit ratings for this category on this page.

Neutrogena or Clarins for dry sensitive skin: which brand is a better fit?

Clarins is a better fit for dry sensitive skin, achieving a High routine fit level compared to Neutrogena at Average. The products on this page for Clarins help deliver soothing and hydrating care that is well-suited to easily irritated skin types.

Neutrogena or Clarins for oily skin?

Neutrogena has a High routine fit for oily skin, whereas Clarins has an Average fit. Neutrogena is often chosen for oily skin because the products on this page offer lightweight, fast-absorbing options.

Neutrogena or Clarins: which moisturizer is better?

Neutrogena is a better fit for moisturizers on this page, as its routine fit is High for dry, oily, and combination skin, while Clarins is Average. Neutrogena moisturizers are also widely noted for deep hydration and lightweight textures.

Neutrogena or Clarins for sensitive skin?

Both Neutrogena and Clarins fit sensitive skin well, with Lovi rating Neutrogena High and Clarins High. Neutrogena tends to be fragrance-free in most of the products on this page, whereas almost all Clarins products list fragrance.

Neutrogena or Clarins for acne-prone skin?

Neutrogena is a better fit for acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine as High while Clarins is Average. The products on this page for Neutrogena include multiple options that help manage acne.

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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