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The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea

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

The Ordinary and Dr. Althea are skincare brands founded in Canada in 2016 and Korea in 2014, respectively. The Canadian line offers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the Korean brand is beloved for thoughtful moisturizers, gentle cleansers, effective makeup removers, and nourishing serums driven by soothing formulas. Both suit dry skin best, though the former also fits dry sensitive skin, and the latter suits acne-prone skin. They differ in their specific offerings, as the first brand provides specialized treatments like Niacinamide, Mandelic Acid, and Lactic Acid for acne, dark spots, and mature skin, while the second offers standout solutions such as the Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser, 345 Relief Cream, and Vitamin C Boosting Serum.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea products

People Say

The OrdinaryDr. Althea
  • Gentle and non-irritating formula Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Texture smoothing and glow improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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%”
    • “Melts instantly — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
  • Great value and price Mostly MentionedNot 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%”
  • Redness reduction and soothing Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “calms redness — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “instantly calms irritated skin — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “perfect for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “consistently hydrated mornings — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “feels hydrated — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight absorption and texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Breakouts and purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “broke me out — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “gave me cystic acne — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Makeup pilling and compatibility issues Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “pills under makeup — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “leaves a tacky film — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$192.91 · 96% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · A$223.85 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$285.78 · 92% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · A$403.84 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$219.69 · 91% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · A$337.14 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which is better?

The Ordinary is a better choice for budget-friendly routines and dark spot fading, while Dr. Althea is better for acne-prone skin and soothing hydration. Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior for dry, sensitive, and mature skin types, whereas Dr. Althea is rated Superior for acne-prone skin.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Dr. Althea?

The Ordinary offers a wider range of targeted serums with strong benefits for value and texture smoothing, whereas Dr. Althea tends to excel more in gentle soothing and lightweight hydration. Lovi gives The Ordinary superior routine fit levels for oily, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark spot skin types, while Dr. Althea provides superior routine fit for acne-prone skin.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea are a Superior fit for dry skin, offering fragrance-free options like hyaluronic acid that helps improve hydration and skin quality.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary offers a stronger routine fit for cleansers overall, with products like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser rated Superior for dry skin compared to Dr. Althea's Amino Gel Cleanser which rates Low. However, Dr. Althea's Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser is rated Superior for acne-prone, oily, combination, and dry skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Dr. Althea?

The Ordinary is more affordable, as reviewers often mention its great value and price.

Between The Ordinary and Dr. Althea, which brand has fragrance-free products?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea offer products that are completely fragrance-free across the items featured on this page.

Which brand performs better for hydration and plumping according to review themes?

Dr. Althea performs better for hydration and plumping according to review themes.

When comparing the two brands, which one does better for texture smoothing and glow improvement?

When it comes to texture smoothing and glow improvement, The Ordinary does better according to reviewer themes on this page.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for sensitive skin?

Lovi shows that The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, while Dr. Althea achieves a High fit. Reviewers frequently note that The Ordinary offers great value, while Dr. Althea formulas tend to be gentle and soothing.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page show that both brands offer quality options, with The Ordinary featuring popular moisturizers like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA and Dr. Althea featuring the 345 Relief Cream. Lovi rates the routine fit for dry skin as Superior for both brands.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Dr. Althea provides a Superior routine fit, while The Ordinary offers a High routine fit. The products on this page from Dr. Althea are often noted for being gentle cleansers and soothing moisturizers, whereas The Ordinary features acne-clearing serums.

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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