🇬🇧United Kingdom

Cetaphil vs Elemis

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

Cetaphil and Elemis are established skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily care, with the American label founded in 1947 and the British house established in 1989. Cetaphil is widely loved for its thoughtful cleansers, moisturizers, serums, sunscreens, and more, which are carefully formulated with glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol to suit combination skin and sensitive skin best. Conversely, Elemis is celebrated for its curated formulations spanning nourishing serums, rich moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and refining toners that weave together glycerin and shea to suit dry skin and mature skin best. While both brands feature glycerin to increase hydration and restore barrier function, they differ through specialized ingredients like niacinamide and panthenol for the former, and shea butter for the latter.

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

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

Popular Cetaphil vs Elemis products

People Say

CetaphilElemis
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy application Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “absorbs quickly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Smooth, radiant and glowing skin Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “healthy glow — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Pleasant scents and spa experience Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “Smell was great and not perfumy — Cetaphil Extra Gentle Daily Scrub”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive for drugstore — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Scent and fragrance complaints Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
    • “Scent is overwhelmingly artificial. — Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser”
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “smell is too strong — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
  • Breakouts and skin irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Stings my face immediately after applying. — Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer”
    • “caused whiteheads — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Developed milia and closed comedones. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “caused cystic acne — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”

Cetaphil vs Elemis routines for dry skin

Buy Elemis routine · £324.88 · 88% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · £92.66 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Cetaphil vs Elemis routines for oily skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · £191.77 · 84% fitBuy Elemis routine · £290.16 · 76% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Cetaphil vs Elemis routines for combination skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · £172.93 · 88% fitBuy Elemis routine · £263.56 · 78% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or Elemis: which is better?

Both brands are equal, as they both offer a high routine fit across all skin types on this page. Cetaphil is better for gentle, non-stripping cleansers and lightweight, non-greasy application, while Elemis is better for smooth, radiant skin and a spa-like scent experience.

What is the difference between Cetaphil and Elemis?

Cetaphil focuses on gentle, fragrance-free care that is well suited for sensitive skin, while Elemis offers a more luxurious routine with botanical scents and targeted anti-aging benefits. Both brands achieve high routine fit levels across most skin types, but Cetaphil is generally more affordable whereas Elemis has a higher price point.

Cetaphil or Elemis for dry skin?

Both Cetaphil and Elemis offer high routine fit levels for dry skin. Cetaphil features mostly fragrance-free products with key ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, whereas Elemis highlights options such as the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream that help provide a radiant glow.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Cetaphil or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer cleansers with high fit levels, but Cetaphil is generally better known for gentle, non-stripping cleansers that fit sensitive skin well. Elemis also features options like the Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash, which has a High fit for mature skin and oily acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Cetaphil or Elemis?

Cetaphil is more affordable because Elemis has a high price point as a main downside mentioned by reviewers. Cetaphil also avoids this high pricing issue.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, Cetaphil or Elemis?

Cetaphil has more fragrance-free products, as 26 of its 27 products on this page list no fragrance compared to only 4 of the 22 Elemis products.

Where were Cetaphil and Elemis founded?

Cetaphil was founded in the United States in 1947, while Elemis was founded in the United Kingdom in 1989.

Cetaphil or Elemis for oily skin?

Both brands fit oily skin well with a High routine fit level, but they differ in formulation. Cetaphil focuses on fragrance-free options like the Oily Skin Cleanser, which has a High Lovi fit for oily skin, whereas Elemis offers products such as the Balancing Lavender Toner with a High fit for oily skin.

Cetaphil or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers on this page that help deliver hydration, but Cetaphil is better suited for sensitive skin with its fragrance-free formulas, while Elemis is often chosen for a more luxurious texture and radiant glow.

Cetaphil or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Both Cetaphil and Elemis achieve a High routine fit for sensitive skin. Cetaphil is noted by reviewers for being gentler on sensitive skin, and the products on this page generally list no fragrance.

Cetaphil or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

Both Cetaphil and Elemis fit acne-prone skin well, as their routines on this page reach a High level for this skin type. Cetaphil is especially known for gentle, non-stripping cleansers and lightweight, non-greasy application, while Elemis products on this page often help provide smoother skin texture and a radiant glow.

Cetaphil or Elemis for mature skin?

Both Cetaphil and Elemis fit mature skin at a High level on this page. Cetaphil is praised for being gentle and budget-friendly, while Elemis offers luxurious textures and radiant glow benefits.

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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