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The Ordinary vs Clinique

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

The Ordinary and Clinique are Estée Lauder skincare brands that offer serums, moisturizers, and more, built around hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. The Canadian brand, founded in 2016, favors squalane and suits dry, sensitive skin best, while the American label, established in 1968, relies on caffeine and is also loved for sensitive skin. Both lines feature targeted formulas for acne, dark spots, and mature skin, yet they differ in their specific active components and individual product range.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

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

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Clinique products

People Say

The OrdinaryClinique
  • Great value and price Mostly MentionedRarely 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%”
    • “lasts forever — Clinique all about clean”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No stinging eyes — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “doesn't dry out — Clinique all about clean”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Improves skin texture Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin looks smoother and brighter — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “skin feels silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften 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+”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “skin feels soft and smooth — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “glass skin look — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Clears acne and blemishes Often MentionedNot 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”
  • Pricey or expensive for brand Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “feels sticky to the touch — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “feels a bit sticky — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Causes breakouts Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “gave me cystic acne — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “Woke up with whiteheads on my chin — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
  • Skin irritation and stinging Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Face stung and became red — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$192.91 · 96% fitBuy Clinique routine · A$365.39 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$285.78 · 92% fitBuy Clinique routine · A$490.43 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$219.69 · 91% fitBuy Clinique routine · A$469.78 · 72% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Clinique: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better overall value and superior results for skin texture, acne, and dark spots across the products on this page. Meanwhile, Clinique may provide a more lightweight absorption and hydration experience, though it comes at a higher price point.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Clinique?

The Ordinary delivers superior value and texture smoothing, while Clinique focuses on lightweight absorption and gentle hydration. Lovi rates The Ordinary superior for dry skin and combination skin, whereas Clinique fits them at high and average levels respectively.

The Ordinary or Clinique for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for dry skin, while Clinique is a High fit. The Ordinary features key hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, which help support moisture retention.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Molecules, 2009

The Ordinary or Clinique: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers better value, while Clinique is often praised as gentle. Reviewers note that The Ordinary has a great price and improves skin texture, whereas Clinique is known for lightweight absorption.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Clinique?

The Ordinary is more affordable, offering budget-friendly serums and treatments on the products on this page.

Between The Ordinary and Clinique, which brand is better for reducing dark spots?

Between the two, The Ordinary is better for reducing dark spots, as the products on this page achieve a Superior fit for skin with dark spots. Additionally, niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

How do The Ordinary and Clinique compare when it comes to skin texture improvement?

The Ordinary does better than Clinique for skin texture improvement, offering texture-smoothing serums that reviewers often mention as a key benefit. Lovi rates the routine fit for skin texture improvement and overall skin types as Superior for The Ordinary and High or Average for Clinique.

Which brand offers better options for mature skin, The Ordinary or Clinique?

The Ordinary offers better routine fit options for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Clinique's Average fit on this page.

The Ordinary or Clinique for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit while Clinique has a High routine fit. The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers great value and acne-clearing serums.

The Ordinary or Clinique: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, The Ordinary offers superior routine fit levels for dry and dry sensitive skin than Clinique. The products on this page from The Ordinary provide great value and feature hydrating key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, which helps improve skin texture and moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Molecules, 2009

The Ordinary or Clinique for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary fits sensitive skin with a Superior Lovi rating, offering gentle and non-irritating serums on this page. Clinique also works well for sensitive skin with a High Lovi rating, featuring soothing cleansers and moisturizers.

The Ordinary or Clinique for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary offers a High fit level for acne-prone skin on this page, whereas Clinique has an Average fit. The Ordinary features targeted blemish-clearing serums and a strong routine fit for this skin type.

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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