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The Ordinary vs RoC

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

The Ordinary and RoC are accessible skincare brands offering expertly formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and more. The Canadian line built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane suits sensitive and combination skin best, whereas the French range enriched with glycerin and retinol suits mature skin and skin with dark spots best. Both brands differ in their core approach, as the former relies on targeted single ingredients to address specific concerns like acne, dark spots, and aging, while the latter relies on proven blends to actively benefit the complexion through daily use.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

RoC is a French skincare brand founded in 1957 and owned by Bridgepoint Group plc since 2024.

en.wikipedia.orgprnewswire.combeautymatter.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs RoC products

People Say

The OrdinaryRoC
  • Skin Texture Smoothing Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “diminished my forehead lines — RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum”
    • “face looked smoother — RoC Daily Resurfacing Disks”
  • Great 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%”
    • “Worth the price — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Hydration and Plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin is no longer dry — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream”
    • “Areas stay hydrated all day — RoC Multi Correxion Hydrate + Plump Eye Cream”
    • “My skin looks smoother and hydrated. — RoC Derm Correxion Contour Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “doesn't leave my skin feeling tight — RoC BARRIER RENEW® GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER”
    • “No irritation for me — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Effective Wrinkle and Fine Line Reduction Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “wrinkles look less deep — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “Fine lines definitely softer — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “crow's feet are fading — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum”
  • Matte and Non-Greasy Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs nicely — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “Absorbs easily and quickly — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly without residue — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Unpleasant Scent and Fragrance Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Smells like vinegar — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “smell is unbearable — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “has a slight chemical smell — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “smells like perfume — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
  • Skin Irritation and Harshness Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “ruined moisture barrier — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “Caused breakouts — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “caused redness and burning — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “caused redness and stinging — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
  • Sticky and Tacky Finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “slightly tacky feel — RoC Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Daily Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs RoC routines for dry skin

Buy RoC routine · AED 575.39 · 90% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · AED 542.90 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs RoC routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 833.82 · 91% fitBuy RoC routine · AED 1,071.72 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs RoC routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 712.46 · 92% fitBuy RoC routine · AED 960.66 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or RoC: which is better?

Both brands are great, but The Ordinary is often favored for value while RoC excels in wrinkle reduction. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

What is the difference between The Ordinary and RoC?

The Ordinary focuses on targeted, affordable ingredients and fragrance-free formulas, while RoC emphasizes anti-aging results with active ingredients like retinol. Reviewers note that RoC helps reduce wrinkles and fine lines, whereas The Ordinary offers great value with a wider selection of budget-friendly serums.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

The Ordinary or RoC for dry skin?

The Ordinary offers a High routine fit for dry skin, while RoC provides a Superior routine fit. Topical hyaluronic acid, found across both brands, helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or RoC: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and RoC offer great cleansers on this page, with The Ordinary featuring fragrance-free formulas across all products and RoC providing a Barrier Renew cleanser that helps all skin types. Choosing between them depends on whether you prefer The Ordinary's fragrance-free range or RoC's barrier-focused cleansing options.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or RoC?

The Ordinary offers better value, as reviewers frequently mention its products as affordable and great value serums. Vitamin A helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Which brand has more fragrance in its products, The Ordinary or RoC?

RoC has more fragrance in its products, as 10 of its 12 products list no fragrance while two serums do, whereas every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

The Ordinary or RoC for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and RoC are an equal match for oily skin, as Lovi rates both brands as Superior for this skin type. Retinol helps reduce signs of aging in skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

The Ordinary or RoC: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and RoC offer great moisturizers, with The Ordinary being a better value while RoC excels in hydration and plumping. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

The Ordinary or RoC for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for sensitive skin, earning a Superior routine fit compared to RoC's High fit on this page. Every product from The Ordinary on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, which helps minimize irritation for sensitive skin types.

The Ordinary or RoC for acne-prone skin?

Both brands are great choices for acne-prone skin, with RoC offering a superior routine fit and The Ordinary offering a high routine fit. Retinol helps stimulate collagen and supports skin health.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

The Ordinary or RoC for mature skin?

Both The Ordinary and RoC achieve a Superior fit for mature skin. RoC helps with wrinkle and fine line reduction, while the products on this page from The Ordinary provide great value and feature texture-smoothing serums.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

The Ordinary or RoC for skin with dark spots?

Both The Ordinary and RoC are well-suited for skin with dark spots, with Lovi fit ratings of Superior for both brands. Ingredients like niacinamide help reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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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