🇬🇧United Kingdom

Clinique vs Grown Alchemist

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

Clinique and Grown Alchemist are established skincare lines featuring hydrating hyaluronic acid, nourishing glycerin, and invigorating caffeine across thoughtful assortments of moisturizers, serums, cleansers, and makeup removers. While Clinique suits dry sensitive skin and oily skin best with its comforting, balancing ingredients, Grown Alchemist is suited for sensitive, dry, and combination skin. Both offer targeted solutions for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin, yet they differ in their foundational formulations and heritage.

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

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

Popular Clinique vs Grown Alchemist products

People Say

CliniqueGrown Alchemist
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
    • “silkiest cleanser — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “Very light weight — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly 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”
    • “Skin version of chugging water — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
    • “doesn't strip at all — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Skin Sensitivity and Irritation Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “calms my skin down — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
  • Fragrance and Scent Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Smells amazing — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “smell is divine — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “No strong scent — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
  • Cleansing and Exfoliation Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “gentle enough for everyday — Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula”
    • “You will see the dirt with one wipe — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
    • “Doesn't dry out my skin — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
    • “Gets everything nice and clean — Grown Alchemist Gentle Gel Facial Cleanser”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Removal Often MentionedNot noted
    • “Melts waterproof mascara — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “foundation glides on — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “holds concealer in place — Clinique All About Eyes”
  • Price and Value Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “quite pricey — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “expensive for what it is — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”
    • “A bit pricey — Grown Alchemist Instant Smoothing Serum”
  • Packaging and Design Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Unhygienic tub — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “prefer a pump dispenser — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “pump dispenses too much — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
    • “tube cracks easily — Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser”

Questions and answers

Clinique or Grown Alchemist: which is better?

Clinique is better for makeup removal and managing skin sensitivity, offering a wider range of targeted products like the Smart Clinical Repair Lifting Face + Neck Cream that Lovi rates as Superior for mature skin. Both brands provide fragrance-free formulas, but Grown Alchemist only features three products on this page compared to Clinique's extensive selection.

What is the difference between Clinique and Grown Alchemist?

Clinique does better than Grown Alchemist for skin sensitivity and irritation as well as makeup compatibility and removal based on the review themes on this page. Both brands offer products with no fragrance listed in their ingredients.

Clinique or Grown Alchemist: which cleanser is better?

Clinique does better than Grown Alchemist for skin sensitivity and irritation on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Clinique offers gentle and effective cleansers, while Grown Alchemist cleansers have performance and packaging issues.

Which is more affordable, Clinique or Grown Alchemist?

Both Clinique and Grown Alchemist offer equal price and value according to the review themes on this page.

Which causes fewer breakouts, Clinique or Grown Alchemist?

Reviewers note that Clinique sometimes causes breakouts, while Grown Alchemist has no specific breakout feedback on this page.

How do the founding years and ownership structures of Clinique and Grown Alchemist compare?

Clinique was founded in the United States in 1968 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., whereas Grown Alchemist was founded in 2008 and has been independently owned since 2024.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products listed on the page?

Both Clinique and Grown Alchemist list no fragrance in the ingredients for every single product on their respective pages.

How does the Lovi fit level for dry skin compare between Clinique's and Grown Alchemist's cleansers?

For dry skin, Lovi rates Grown Alchemist's Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser as a High fit, while Clinique's cleansers range from a High fit for the Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser down to a Warning for all about clean. Reviewers frequently note that Grown Alchemist offers hydrating and gentle cleansers, whereas Clinique's cleansers can sometimes lead to insufficient hydration.

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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