🇬🇧United Kingdom

Cetaphil vs Simple

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

Cetaphil and Simple are two trusted drugstore skincare brands offering gentle, everyday essentials for calm routines. The American heritage brand is known for cleansers, moisturizers, serums, and sunscreens utilizing glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol to best support combination and sensitive skin. Meanwhile, the British counterpart is celebrated for moisturizers, makeup removers, cleansers, and toners crafted with niacinamide and glycerin to particularly suit acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots. Both lines differ in their targeted skin types, yet each utilizes shared key ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide to nourish the complexion.

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

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

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

Popular Cetaphil vs Simple products

People Say

CetaphilSimple
  • 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”
    • “Does not cause any form of irritation on the skin which I love. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The only cleanser that doesn't turn my face red. — Simple Micellar Water”
  • Hydration and moisture Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Texture and weight Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs very quickly — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
  • Dermatologist and value praise Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “great value for money — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “super affordable — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “Can't beat the price for the quality. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “recommended by my derm — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
  • Versatile use and application Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “great for face and body — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “removes excess oil — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “Takes off any makeup residue and makes my face feel refreshed. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Best morning cleanser — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
  • Fragrance-free and scent issues Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Love that it has absolutely no scent. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “love that it's alcohol-free — Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner”
    • “No strong smell — Simple Refreshing Facial Wash”
    • “truly no smell — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
  • Makeup removal difficulties Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Doesn't take off mascara at all. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “doesn't remove mascara — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “Struggles with mascara. — Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser”
    • “Did not remove my mascara very well at all. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Dryness and lack of moisture Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Felt a little stripping on sensitive areas. — Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser”
    • “Skin felt dehydrated after 30 minutes — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “skin felt tight after an hour — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Formula changes and irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “New bottle ingredients do not match... lower amounts of beneficial ingredients. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “new formula stings — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “burned upon application — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
    • “New version burns my face. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”

Cetaphil vs Simple routines for dry skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · £92.66 · 83% fitBuy Simple routine · £136.73 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Cetaphil vs Simple routines for oily skin

Buy Simple routine · £221.50 · 87% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · £191.77 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Cetaphil vs Simple routines for combination skin

Buy Cetaphil routine · £172.93 · 88% fitBuy Simple routine · £185.60 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Cetaphil or Simple: which is better?

Both Cetaphil and Simple offer equal routine fit levels across all skin types on this page. Reviewers note that Simple earns praise for dermatologist and value support, while the products on this page from Cetaphil feature key ingredients like niacinamide, which may help reduce skin pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between Cetaphil and Simple?

Cetaphil and Simple both offer high routine fit levels across all skin types, but Cetaphil features a much larger selection of products on this page, including serums and sunscreens, whereas Simple focuses mainly on essential cleansers, moisturizers, and toners. Both brands use glycerin and niacinamide, an ingredient that helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Cetaphil or Simple for dry skin?

Both Cetaphil and Simple offer a High routine fit for dry skin. Reviewers note that Cetaphil provides hydrating, non-greasy moisturizers, while Simple is praised for its lightweight, value-friendly formulas.

Cetaphil or Simple: which cleanser is better?

Cetaphil offers a much wider selection of cleansers tailored to specific skin types, with options like its Gentle Skin Cleanser achieving a Superior fit level for dry skin on Lovi. Reviewers mostly mention that Cetaphil provides gentle, non-stripping cleansers, while the products on this page for Simple include just a few basic cleansers such as the Refreshing Facial Wash.

Which is more affordable, Cetaphil or Simple?

Simple stands out for its dermatologist and value praise, making it the more affordable choice compared to Cetaphil.

Between Cetaphil and Simple, which brand offers better fragrance-free options according to the review themes?

Simple does better for fragrance-free and scent issues according to the review themes. Every product on the Simple page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of Cetaphil and Simple compare?

Cetaphil was founded in 1947 in the United States and is owned by Galderma Group AG, whereas Simple was founded in 1960 in the United Kingdom and has been owned by Unilever PLC since 2011.

Which brand has more positive review feedback regarding dermatologist and value praise?

Simple does better with regard to dermatologist and value praise in reviews.

Cetaphil or Simple for oily skin?

Both Cetaphil and Simple offer products on this page that achieve a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers often mention that Cetaphil provides gentle, non-stripping cleansers, while Simple is noted for lightweight, value-friendly moisturizers.

Cetaphil or Simple: which moisturizer is better?

Both Cetaphil and Simple offer products on this page that are well-suited for daily hydration, with their routine fits for dry skin rated as High. Cetaphil features key ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, panthenol, vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, and cocamidopropyl betaine, while Simple includes niacinamide and glycerin to help keep skin moisturized. Niacinamide may help improve skin pigmentation and aging signs.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Cetaphil or Simple for sensitive skin?

Both Cetaphil and Simple offer equal routine fit for sensitive skin with a High rating. Reviewers report that both brands are gentle on sensitive skin.

Cetaphil or Simple for acne-prone skin?

Both Cetaphil and Simple offer products on this page that achieve a High routine fit level for acne-prone skin. Cetaphil features key ingredients like niacinamide and glycerin across its range, and niacinamide helps control skin pigmentation and aging.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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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