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The Ordinary vs Eminence

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

The Ordinary and Eminence are two distinct skincare lines known for differing formulations and targeted benefits. The Ordinary offers clinical serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and dry sensitive skin best, with specific formulas for acne, dark spots, and mature skin. Conversely, the second brand is widely beloved for its deeply nourishing moisturizers and the pure botanical potency of its formulas, suiting dry, sensitive, and combination skin types best. While both brands address similar concerns through standout products, they differ fundamentally through the Canadian brand's single-ingredient focus versus the organic nature of its counterpart.

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 Eminence products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular The Ordinary vs Eminence products

People Say

The OrdinaryEminence
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin feels baby soft — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
    • “Not too thick — Eminence Arctic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight absorption and texture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't feel heavy — Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer”
    • “buttery and great — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Texture smoothing and improvement Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “Skin feels soft — Eminence Arctic Berry Peptide Radiance Cream”
  • Clears acne and blemishes Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “cleared up my acne — Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer”
  • Redness reduction and soothing Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “calms my irritation — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
    • “cooling effect — Eminence Clear Skin Probiotic Moisturizer”
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Great value and pricing 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%”
  • Unpleasant or strong scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “fragrance is terrible — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
  • High price point Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “pricey but worth it — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
  • Drying formulas and lack of moisture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “incredibly drying — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “dried out skin — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “feels quite dry when applied — Eminence Calm Skin Chamomile Moisturizer”
  • Makeup pilling and application issues Often MentionedNot noted
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”

The Ordinary vs Eminence moisturizers

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Eminence: which is better?

The products on this page from The Ordinary offer much better value and pricing, whereas Eminence does better for hydration and plumping. Lovi rates The Ordinary with superior fits for dry skin and dry sensitive skin.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Eminence?

The Ordinary offers budget-friendly products with standout texture-smoothing benefits, whereas Eminence provides higher-priced moisturizers that excel in hydration and soothing redness.

The Ordinary or Eminence: which moisturizer is better?

For hydration, Eminence is better, while The Ordinary offers better value with products on this page like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Eminence?

The Ordinary provides much better value and pricing across the products on this page compared to Eminence, which reviewers frequently note has a high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, The Ordinary or Eminence?

Both The Ordinary and Eminence are equal at clearing acne and blemishes.

How do the founding years and ownership structures of The Ordinary and Eminence compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021. In contrast, Eminence was founded earlier in 1958 and is independently owned.

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

Eminence performs better for hydration and plumping among the products on this page.

Are there any fragrance ingredients listed in the products from either brand?

No, every product on this page for both The Ordinary and Eminence lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

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