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The Ordinary vs darrow

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

The Ordinary and darrow are two distinct skincare lines offering targeted formulas for daily routines. The Canadian brand centers its serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and dry sensitive skin best, while the dermatological brand darrow is deeply loved for its gentle cleansers and rigorously tested formulas that suit sensitive, oily, and acne-prone skin best. Although both prioritize skin health through careful composition, the former utilizes specific acids and hydration agents to address wrinkles, hydration, barrier function, and dark spots, whereas every daily step from the latter helps restore natural skin balance.

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

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

Popular The Ordinary vs darrow products

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or darrow: which is better?

The Ordinary is generally better for most users because the products on this page offer a much wider variety of targeted serums and moisturizers, whereas darrow only lists a single cleanser with lower suitability ratings. Reviewers frequently praise The Ordinary for providing affordable and effective options for acne-clearing, dark spot fading, and texture-smoothing.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and darrow?

The Ordinary offers a large range of fragrance-free skincare products on this page and fits dry, dry sensitive, and sensitive skin best, while darrow features a single cleanser on this page with lower fit levels for those skin types.

The Ordinary or darrow: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary cleanser is better because it offers a high fit for dry, sensitive, and acne-prone skin, whereas the darrow Actine cleanser provides a much lower fit for most skin types.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or darrow?

The products on this page from The Ordinary are noted for being affordable and offering great value. The page does not provide pricing or value information for darrow.

When were The Ordinary and darrow founded and who owns them?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. Darrow was founded in 1969 and is owned by Pierre Fabre.

How does the Lovi fit level of Glycolipid Cream Cleanser compare for dry skin between the two brands?

For dry skin, Lovi rates The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser as Superior, while darrow does not offer this product on the page.

What do reviewers say about the texture-smoothing and acne-clearing serums from The Ordinary?

Reviewers often note that the products on this page from The Ordinary include texture-smoothing and acne-clearing serums that provide affordable and great value while helping to smooth skin texture and clear acne.

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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