🇬🇧United Kingdom

Neutrogena vs Simple

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

Neutrogena and Simple are two established skincare brands offering trusted moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and makeup removers. The American brand relies on glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone to suit dry and mature skin best, whereas the British brand utilizes niacinamide and glycerin to suit acne-prone skin and skin with dark spots best. While both brands share a focus on hydration, they differ in their formulation approaches and target complexions.

Neutrogena is an American skincare brand founded in 1930 and owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026.

investor.kimberly-clark.comen.wikipedia.orginvestors.kenvue.com

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

Popular Neutrogena vs Simple products

People Say

NeutrogenaSimple
  • Acne-Safe and Gentle Formula Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “no artificial perfume — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “leaves skin soft and balanced — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
  • Deep and Intense Hydration Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “Quenches dry skin instantly — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
    • “banished dryness within days — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Instantly boosts skin's hydration... face doesn't feel dry and tight. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky residue — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “absorbs instantly — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “sinks in instantly — Simple Water Boost Hydrating Gel Cream”
  • Makeup Compatibility and Base Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Foundation glides right over it — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Concealer doesn't cake or get stuck in crevices — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “makeup lays well — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
    • “works well under foundation — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
  • Affordable Price and Value 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”
    • “great price point — Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover”
  • Fast Absorption Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Absorbs quickly — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “Absorbs really well into my skin without leaving a greasy residue behind. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “Applies easily and quickly absorbs. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “absorbs really well — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
  • Insufficient Hydration or Dryness Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Not moisturizing enough for winter months — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “Not rich enough for very dry mature skin — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel-Cream”
    • “not rich enough — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Simple Hydrating Light Moisturiser”
  • Packaging and Design Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Worried about the snap top bottle leaking when travelling. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “The cap broke off immediately. — Simple Micellar Water”
    • “hard to get last bit out — Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturiser”
    • “Formula change ruined it — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
  • Poor Makeup Removal and Waterproof Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't remove mascara — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “Did not remove my mascara very well at all. — Simple Micellar Cleansing Water”

Neutrogena vs Simple routines for dry skin

Buy Neutrogena routine · £135.42 · 87% fitBuy Simple routine · £136.73 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Neutrogena vs Simple routines for oily skin

Buy Simple routine · £221.50 · 87% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · £154.72 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Neutrogena vs Simple routines for combination skin

Buy Simple routine · £185.60 · 85% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · £177.52 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Neutrogena or Simple: which is better?

Simple does better for acne-safe formulas and value-friendly pricing, while Neutrogena leads on lightweight textures and fast absorption. Both brands offer products on this page that achieve equal routine fit levels across most skin types.

What is the difference between Neutrogena and Simple?

Neutrogena is a US brand offering a larger range with specialized anti-aging ingredients like retinol, whereas Simple is a UK brand focused on fragrance-free, budget-friendly essentials. Both brands achieve equal routine fit levels across most skin types, but Simple provides better value and acne-safe formulas while Neutrogena delivers faster absorption and more lightweight textures.

Neutrogena or Simple for dry skin?

Both Neutrogena and Simple achieve a High Lovi fit for dry skin with their routines, though Neutrogena stands out for its deeply hydrating and fast-absorbing moisturizers on this page. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid help improve skin hydration and moisture retention.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Neutrogena or Simple: which cleanser is better?

Neutrogena offers a wider variety of cleansers with specific targeted benefits, whereas Simple is known for fragrance-free, gentle formulas. For skin types like mature and acne-prone skin, Lovi rates several Neutrogena cleansers as Superior.

Which is more affordable, Neutrogena or Simple?

Simple is more affordable than Neutrogena, as reviews note its affordable price and value as an advantage over Neutrogena.

Between Neutrogena and Simple, which brand offers better fragrance-free options?

Simple offers better fragrance-free options because every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas Neutrogena features fragrance in several products. Simple also does better for acne-safe and gentle formulas.

Which brand performs better for lightweight and non-greasy texture?

Neutrogena performs better for a lightweight and non-greasy texture among the products on this page. Reviewers note that Neutrogena delivers fast-absorbing, lightweight, and non-greasy moisturizers.

Neutrogena or Simple for oily skin?

Both Neutrogena and Simple achieve a High Lovi fit for oily skin. Neutrogena features more specialized options with salicylic acid and retinol, while the products on this page for Simple are entirely fragrance-free.

Neutrogena or Simple: which moisturizer is better?

Neutrogena is better for moisturizers that offer deep, intense hydration and fast-absorbing, lightweight textures, whereas Simple is better for value-friendly options that help support acne-safe and gentle formulas. Neutrogena features key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps with skin hydration, and retinol, which may stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin. Simple products on this page list no fragrance, which is unlikely to cause irritation.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

Neutrogena or Simple for sensitive skin?

Neutrogena is the better fit for sensitive skin on this page, as its products on this page have a High fit for sensitive skin while Simple has an Average fit.

Neutrogena or Simple for acne-prone skin?

Both Neutrogena and Simple achieve a High routine fit level for acne-prone skin. Simple provides an acne-safe and gentle formula, while Neutrogena offers faster absorption.

Neutrogena or Simple for dry sensitive skin?

Simple is the better choice for dry sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit as High while Neutrogena is rated Average. Simple products feature 100 percent fragrance-free formulations on this page, which helps minimize skin irritation.

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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