Simple vs FRE
Simple and FRE are two distinctive skincare options catering thoughtfully to discerning routines. The British brand Simple, owned by Unilever PLC since 2011, offers gentle moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners crafted with niacinamide and glycerin to reduce hyperpigmentation, improve aging signs, boost hydration, and support the skin barrier, with standouts like the Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner, Micellar Cleansing Water, and Micellar Water suiting acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin best. Meanwhile, FRE is widely loved for targeted product types and nourishing formulas, such as its Argan Oil, which works to gently balance and support the complexion. While both brands suit acne-prone skin best through their gentle compositions, they differ in their specific heritage, ingredient profiles, and broader targeted concerns.
Simple is a British skincare brand founded in 1960 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.
en.wikipedia.orgsec.govprnewswire.comsimple.co.uk
This page compares some of the most popular Simple and FRE products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Questions and answers
Simple or FRE: which is better?
What is the difference between Simple and FRE?
Simple features a variety of fragrance-free cleansers, makeup removers, and moisturizers containing niacinamide and glycerin, with Lovi fit levels ranging up to High or Superior depending on the product and skin type. In contrast, FRE offers an argan oil product with fit levels reaching High for dry sensitive skin and Low for oily and combination skin. Glycerin helps maintain skin hydration, while niacinamide may reduce pigmentation.
Which is more affordable, Simple or FRE?
Simple offers value-friendly moisturizers, while FRE features a single product on this page without pricing notes, making Simple the known affordable option.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Simple or FRE?
Simple offers products on this page that may cause breakouts or irritations as reviewers often note, while FRE features fewer products on this page to judge from.
In what year was each brand founded and who owns them?
Simple was founded in the United Kingdom in 1960 and has been owned by Unilever PLC since 2011. FRE was founded in 2016 and is independently owned.
How do the Lovi fit levels for sensitive skin compare between Simple and FRE products?
Simple products on this page have a High fit for sensitive skin, while FRE has an Average fit. Niacinamide helps support skin health.
What are the key ingredients found across Simple products?
The products on this page for Simple include Niacinamide and Glycerin as key ingredients. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation, while glycerin helps improve skin hydration.
Research behind their key ingredients
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Apigenin inhibits UVA-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and prevents signs of skin aging in vivo
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
How does it fit your skin?
Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.
