Elemis vs Galderma
Elemis and Galderma are established skincare brands from Britain and Switzerland, respectively. The British brand offers expertly formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners enriched with glycerin and shea butter, while the Swiss brand focuses on specialized serums. Elemis suits dry, balanced, and sensitive skin best, whereas both brands address acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin through targeted products like the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and Epiduo Gel. Ultimately, they differ in their heritage, ownership, and breadth of product types.
Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.
elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org
Galderma is a Swiss skincare brand founded in 1981 and owned by Galderma Group AG.
This page compares some of the most popular Elemis and Galderma products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular Elemis vs Galderma products
People Say
Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
- “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”
- “skin feels smooth — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
Acne Clearing and Prevention Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
- “cleared up my skin — Galderma Benzac AC Mild Strength 2.5% Acne Gel”
- “cystic acne gone — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
- “stops new pimples — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
- “faded dark spots — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedNot noted
- “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 feels baby soft — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
Scent and Fragrance Often MentionedNot noted
- “smells like a spa — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
- “smells like a holiday — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
- “smells like a tropical cocktail — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
Makeup Compatibility and Application Often MentionedNot noted
- “melts waterproof mascara — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
- “Sits nicely under make up... perfect base. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
- “pre-soaked — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
Exfoliation and Skin Renewal Often MentionedNot noted
- “non-stripping formula — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
- “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
- “non-irritating — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
Skin Irritation and Sensitivity Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
- “blurry vision — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
- “Developed milia and closed comedones. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
- “dryness — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
- “face on fire — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
Packaging and Product Issues Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
- “jar looks half empty — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
- “tends to flake off — Elemis Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask”
- “tube feels half empty — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
- “bleached my towel — Galderma Benzac AC 5”
Price and Value Mostly MentionedNot noted
- “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
Breakouts and Purging Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
- “It peels horribly no matter how I apply it. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
- “caused cystic acne — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
- “terrible spots — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
- “got worse first — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
Strong or Unpleasant Fragrance Often MentionedNot noted
- “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
Elemis vs Galderma serums and treatments
Questions and answers
Elemis or Galderma: which is better?
Elemis is better for hydration, texture, and fragrance, while Galderma is better for acne-clearing and price. Reviewers say Elemis has a high price point and strong fragrance, while Galderma may cause severe dryness and peeling.
What is the difference between Elemis and Galderma?
Elemis focuses on hydrating moisturizers and anti-aging care with mostly fragranced products, whereas Galderma specializes in unfragranced serums that help clear acne.
Which is more affordable, Elemis or Galderma?
Galderma is more affordable, as price and value is an area where Galderma does better than Elemis.
Which causes fewer breakouts, Elemis or Galderma?
Galderma does better than Elemis for breakouts and acne clearing and prevention. The products on this page from Elemis sometimes note breakouts and purging, whereas Galderma is known for effective acne-clearing serums.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2019The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2020
How do the foundation years and countries of origin compare between Elemis and Galderma?
Elemis was founded in 1989 in the United Kingdom, whereas Galderma was founded in 1981 in Switzerland.
Which brand offers products containing fragrance, and how many of Elemis's products are fragrance-free?
Elemis offers products containing fragrance, with 4 of the 22 products on this page listing no fragrance. Galderma is completely fragrance-free, as every product on its page lists no fragrance.
What are the main skin concerns and benefits most frequently mentioned by reviewers for Elemis compared to Galderma?
Reviewers frequently mention that Elemis offers hydrating moisturizers and smoother skin texture, while Galderma is known for effective acne-clearing serums.
Research behind their key ingredients
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
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
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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