🇬🇧United Kingdom

Clinique vs Elemis

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

Clinique and Elemis are established skincare names, with the American brand founded in 1968 and the British brand established in 1989. Clinique offers thoughtful moisturizers, serums, makeup removers, and eye products utilizing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and caffeine to suit dry sensitive skin and oily skin best, whereas Elemis provides curated serums, rich moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and refining toners featuring glycerin and shea to suit dry skin and mature skin best. While both incorporate nourishing glycerin, they differ as the former relies on hyaluronic acid and caffeine for balanced hydration and protection, and the latter leans on shea butter to deeply restore and reduce inflammation.

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

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular Clinique vs Elemis products

People Say

CliniqueElemis
  • Hydration and Plumping Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “skin feels soft and smooth — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Sensitivity and Gentle Formula Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No stinging eyes — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “keeps the redness at bay — Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
    • “Absorbs quickly without feeling sticky — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Smoother Skin Texture Sometimes 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”
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “skin feels baby-soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
  • Makeup Compatibility Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “foundation glides on — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “holds concealer in place — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “perfect primer base — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
    • “Sits nicely under make up... perfect base. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Spa-Like or Pleasant Scent Not 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”
  • High Price Point Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “quite pricey — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “Expensive for cleanser — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Causes Breakouts Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “caused cystic acne — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “terrible spots — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
    • “clogged my pores — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “Woke up with whiteheads on my chin — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
  • Strong Fragrance Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”

Clinique vs Elemis routines for dry skin

Buy Elemis routine · £324.88 · 88% fitBuy Clinique routine · £210.11 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Clinique vs Elemis routines for oily skin

Buy Clinique routine · £194.06 · 78% fitBuy Elemis routine · £290.16 · 76% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Clinique vs Elemis routines for combination skin

Buy Elemis routine · £263.56 · 78% fitBuy Clinique routine · £151.87 · 72% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Clinique or Elemis: which is better?

Both brands are great, but Elemis achieves a High routine fit for dry and combination skin, whereas Clinique is only Average for those skin types. Reviewers note that every product on the Clinique page lists no fragrance, while Elemis is often favored for its spa-like scents.

What is the difference between Clinique and Elemis?

Clinique is better for sensitivity and fragrance-free formulas, while Elemis is better for spa-like scents and dry skin routines. The products on this page help hydrate and smooth the skin, though both brands have a high price point.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clinique or Elemis for dry skin?

Elemis is a better fit for dry skin, as the routine fit on the products on this page is High while Clinique is Average. Both brands offer hydrating moisturizers, but Elemis features rich ingredients like shea butter that help nourish dry skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Clinique or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

Clinique is better for sensitive and gentle cleansing, as the products on this page list no fragrance and the brand is noted for gentle and effective cleansers. Elemis also features well-regarded cleansers like the Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash, though reviewers sometimes note strong fragrance and skin irritation.

Which is more affordable, Clinique or Elemis?

Both Clinique and Elemis feature a high price point among the reviews on this page, but Clinique does better with a lower price point compared to Elemis.

Clinique or Elemis: which brand is better for mature skin?

Both Clinique and Elemis are good for mature skin, as each achieves a High routine fit level on this page. Elemis helps provide a radiant glow and luxurious texture, while Clinique focuses on fragrance-free hydration and smoothing options.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2013

Clinique or Elemis: which brand has more fragrance-free options?

Clinique offers more fragrance-free options because every product on the products on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas only 4 of 22 products on the Elemis page are fragrance-free.

Clinique or Elemis for oily skin?

Both Clinique and Elemis achieve a High routine fit level for oily skin among the products on this page. Reviewers note that Clinique offers lightweight, fast-absorbing, and oil-controlling moisturizers, whereas Elemis provides products that may help create a radiant glow.

Clinique or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Both Clinique and Elemis offer hydrating moisturizers, but Elemis achieves a high routine fit for dry skin compared to Clinique's average fit. Clinique's products on this page list no fragrance, whereas most Elemis products contain fragrance.

Clinique or Elemis: which brand is better for dry sensitive skin?

Both Clinique and Elemis have a High routine fit level for dry sensitive skin, making them equally good options. Clinique products on this page list no fragrance and are noted for sensitivity and gentle formulas, while Elemis products on this page list key ingredients like glycerin and shea butter alongside a higher price point.

Clinique or Elemis for sensitive skin?

Clinique is a better fit for sensitive skin because every product on the page lists no fragrance, whereas Elemis has fragrance in most of its products. Lovi gives Clinique a High fit level for sensitive skin, while Elemis also reaches a High fit level.

Clinique or Elemis for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Elemis fits better than Clinique, as the routine fit for Elemis is High while Clinique is Average. Reviewers note that Elemis sometimes causes breakouts.

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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