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Cetaphil vs Clinique

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

Cetaphil and Clinique are two American skincare brands offering thoughtful ranges of cleansers, moisturizers, serums, and more, formulated with nourishing ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, panthenol, hyaluronic acid, and caffeine. The former suits combination and acne-prone skin best, while the latter suits dry sensitive and oily skin best. Ultimately, both brands differ through their key compositions and targeted solutions, with the former providing hydration, barrier restoration, and reduced hyperpigmentation, and the latter delivering extended wrinkle reduction and UV protection.

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular Cetaphil vs Clinique products

People Say

CetaphilClinique
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft, not tight. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy absorption Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
  • Works well under makeup Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “foundation glides on — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “holds concealer in place — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “perfect primer base — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
    • “Layers really well under makeup — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
  • Smoother skin and texture improvement Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “skin feels silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “leaves face porcelain smooth — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
    • “Skin looks smoother and even-toned — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Gentle exfoliation Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “gentle enough for everyday — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
    • “You will see the dirt with one wipe — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
    • “Micro-fine granules don't irritate — Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub”
  • Lack of lather or unusual texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “hard to rinse off — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
    • “Left an oily film on my T-zone — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “feels a bit sticky — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “Miss the bubbles, feels like washing with lotion. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
  • Unpleasant scent or chemical smell Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Smells like nail polish remover — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
    • “Smells like old oil — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “Has a weird plastic-like smell — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
  • High price point Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”

Cetaphil vs Clinique routines for dry skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · SAR 1,005.89 · 84% fitBuy Clinique routine · SAR 1,700.45 · 66% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Cetaphil vs Clinique routines for oily skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · SAR 1,557.81 · 85% fitBuy Clinique routine · SAR 1,198.78 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Cetaphil vs Clinique routines for combination skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · SAR 1,277.09 · 89% fitBuy Clinique routine · SAR 1,205.12 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or Clinique: which is better?

Cetaphil is generally better for sensitive skin, dry skin, acne-prone skin, and dark spots, where it achieves a High routine fit compared to Clinique's Average fit. Reviewers also note that Cetaphil offers better hydration and gentleness at a lower price point.

What is the difference between Cetaphil and Clinique?

Cetaphil is better for dry skin and acne-prone skin, while both brands offer an equal routine fit for oily, combination, sensitive, mature, dry sensitive, and oily acne-prone skin types. Reviewers note that Cetaphil provides more gentle cleansers and hydration, whereas Clinique is more expensive and often causes breakouts.

Cetaphil or Clinique for dry skin?

Cetaphil fits dry skin better than Clinique, as Cetaphil achieves a High routine fit for dry skin while Clinique achieves only an Average fit.

Cetaphil or Clinique: which cleanser is better?

Cetaphil is better for cleansers on this page, as reviewers mostly note its gentle and non-stripping cleansers while Clinique has more mixed feedback on its cleansers.

Which is more affordable, Cetaphil or Clinique?

Cetaphil is more affordable than Clinique, as high price point is a noted drawback for Clinique while Cetaphil is better for the high price point comparison on this page.

Cetaphil or Clinique: which is better for mature skin?

Cetaphil is better for mature skin overall, as its routine fit for mature skin is High compared to Clinique's Average routine fit. Reviewers also note that Cetaphil does better on being gentle on sensitive skin and providing hydration and moisture, while also offering a lower price point.

Cetaphil or Clinique: which brand has a better fragrance profile?

Cetaphil is better for fragrance because 26 of the 27 products on this page list no fragrance, whereas every Clinique product on this page also lists no fragrance.

Cetaphil or Clinique for oily skin?

Both Cetaphil and Clinique achieve a High routine fit for oily skin. The products on this page for both brands feature lightweight hydration and oil-controlling options.

Cetaphil or Clinique: which moisturizer is better?

Cetaphil is generally better for moisture and hydration, as the products on this page achieve a High fit level for dry skin compared to Clinique's average rating. Additionally, reviewers frequently mention that Cetaphil offers hydrating and non-greasy moisturizers while being gentler on sensitive skin.

Cetaphil or Clinique: which is better for skin with dark spots?

Cetaphil is better for skin with dark spots, as its routine fit for skin with dark spots is High compared to Clinique's Average fit. The niacinamide found in Cetaphil products helps in reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppressing melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Cetaphil or Clinique for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer products on this page that fit sensitive skin well, but Cetaphil achieves a High routine fit overall while Clinique also reaches a High routine fit. Reviewers note that Cetaphil is especially gentle on sensitive skin.

Cetaphil or Clinique for acne-prone skin?

Cetaphil is a better fit for acne-prone skin, as the routine fit for Cetaphil is High while Clinique is Average. Reviewers note that Cetaphil offers gentle, non-stripping cleansers and hydrating, non-greasy moisturizers.

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

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