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The Ordinary vs L'Oreal Paris

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

The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris are skincare brands that offer serums, moisturizers, and more, built around hyaluronic acid and glycerin. The Canadian brand, founded in 2016, also features squalane and suits sensitive skin and combination skin best, while the French brand, founded in 1909, also includes masks and eye products and suits oily skin and acne-prone skin best. Both brands harness hyaluronic acid to lengthen the duration of wrinkle reduction and glycerin to significantly increase skin hydration and barrier function, though they differ in their specific product lineups and founding histories.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

L'Oreal Paris is a French skincare brand founded in 1909 and owned by L'Oréal S.A..

en.wikipedia.orgloreal.comloreal-paris.co.ukcosmeticsbusiness.com

This page compares some of the most popular The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular The Ordinary vs L'Oreal Paris products

People Say

The OrdinaryL'Oreal Paris
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “melts into skin — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “glides on easily without residue — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Cream”
    • “skin is a lot smoother — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Night Serum”
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “wake up with soft skin — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling plump and dewy all day. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “Skin feels softer and more supple — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Night Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and Pricing Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “extremely affordable — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin looks luminous — L'Oreal Paris Glycolic Bright”
    • “significant reduction in the appearance of dark spots — L'Oreal Paris Bright Reveal 12% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum”
    • “skin looks glowing — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “Dark spots have faded noticeably — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “After two uses, my pores were clean! — L'Oreal Paris Pure-Clay Mask”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “No irritation at all — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “very gentle, didn't irritate my skin — L'Oreal Paris Bright Reveal 12% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum”
  • Ineffective Results and Conflicts Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “Struggles to get my waterproof mascara off completely. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Used the whole jar but saw no change in wrinkles. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “doesn't do anything about the discoloration — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Cream”
  • Irritation and Stinging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “retinol can be irritating for sensitive skin — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Pressed Night Cream”
    • “burnt my face after two uses — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Night Serum”
  • Sticky or Greasy Residue Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Balls up when I try to apply foundation over it. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “felt oily on my face — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “feels a little sticky and tacky — L'Oreal Paris Dark Spot Exfoliant Peel”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”

The Ordinary vs L'Oreal Paris routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 542.90 · 89% fitBuy L'Oreal Paris routine · AED 333.35 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs L'Oreal Paris routines for oily skin

Buy L'Oreal Paris routine · AED 829.68 · 95% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · AED 833.82 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs L'Oreal Paris routines for combination skin

Buy L'Oreal Paris routine · AED 718.62 · 94% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · AED 712.46 · 92% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris: which is better?

Both brands are great choices depending on your skin goals, as The Ordinary is often favored for acne-clearing serums and sensitive skin, while L'Oreal Paris excels in hydration and brightening.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris?

The Ordinary focuses on targeted, fragrance-free formulas that excel at gentle care and blemish control, while L'Oreal Paris emphasizes luxurious textures and deep hydration with a selection of scented options. Both brands offer products on this page that achieve high fit levels for mature skin and dark spots.

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris fit dry skin at a High level on the products on this page. Topical hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration and improve skin quality for dry skin types.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris: which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary offers a better moisturizer fit for dry sensitive skin with a Superior level, while L'Oreal Paris provides High fit products on this page.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris?

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing among the products on this page.

Between The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris, which brand is better suited for mature skin?

Both The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris offer a superior routine fit for mature skin, meaning they are equally well suited. The products on this page from both brands help deliver anti-aging benefits, with ingredients like retinol and hyaluronic acid that may support skin firmness and reduce signs of aging.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

How do The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris compare in terms of fragrance-free product options?

The Ordinary offers fragrance-free options across the products on this page, whereas half of the L'Oreal Paris products on this page contain fragrance. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand performs better for brightening and treating dark spots according to reviewers?

According to reviewers on this page, L'Oreal Paris does better for brightening and dark spots. The products on this page help improve radiance and provide visible brightening effects.

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris fit oily skin at a Superior level based on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary does better for acne and blemish control, while L'Oreal Paris excels in texture and absorption.

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is better suited for sensitive skin, as the products on this page achieve a Superior fit level compared to L'Oreal Paris. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is often preferred for acne-prone skin because the products on this page are rated High for this skin type and feature gentle, acne-clearing formulations without added fragrance. L'Oreal Paris also achieves a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin, though reviewers note that some of its products may cause skin irritation or stinging.

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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