🇦🇺Australia

The Ordinary vs Hada Labo

The Ordinary and Hada Labo are distinct skincare lines, with the Canadian brand offering targeted serums and moisturizers centered on active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the Japanese brand is deeply loved for its hydrating toners and nourishing moisturizers driven by advanced science. Both brands suit dry skin best, though the former also fits dry sensitive skin and offers specialized options for acne-prone, dark-spot, and mature concerns, whereas the latter expertly restores moisture for dry and acne-prone skin without clogging pores. Ultimately, they differ through their formulation approaches, as the former relies on single-ingredient transparency to address specific skin needs, while its counterpart delivers harmonious hydration to support a healthy skin barrier.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Hada Labo is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 2004 and owned by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd..

en.wikipedia.orghadalabosa.co.zahadalabotokyo.pl

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

People Say

The OrdinaryHada Labo
  • Affordable value and great price 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%”
    • “bottle lasts forever — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
  • Gentle and non-irritating formula Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “leaves skin soft and hydrated — Hada Labo Gokujyun Cleansing Oil”
    • “never stings my sensitive skin — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
    • “No fragrance/alcohol — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Deep hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
    • “Plumps fine lines — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
    • “leaves skin soft, smooth, and hydrated — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight absorption and texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs super quickly — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
    • “absorbs super quickly — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Fades dark spots and marks Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “scars lightened up quite a bit — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “Dark spots have faded noticeably — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “faded considerably — Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Lotion”
    • “faded my PIH considerably — Hada Labo Premium Whitening Lotion (Light)”
  • Clears and improves acne 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”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “Can feel tacky on the skin — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “Tacky residue — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
  • Breakouts and clogging Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “gave me tiny bumps — Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion”
  • Thick texture and issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Greasy in humidity — Hada Labo Gokujun Premium”
    • “foams up like soap — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”

The Ordinary vs Hada Labo routines for dry skin

Buy Hada Labo routine · A$204.04 · 97% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · A$192.91 · 96% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Hada Labo routines for oily skin

Buy Hada Labo routine · A$412.15 · 93% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · A$285.78 · 92% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Hada Labo routines for combination skin

Buy Hada Labo routine · A$378.28 · 93% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · A$219.69 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Hada Labo: which is better?

Both The Ordinary and Hada Labo are great options, as Lovi rates their routines as equally fitting for dry, oily, combination, and mature skin. The Ordinary stands out for its affordable value and acne-clearing serums, while Hada Labo is often praised for deep hydration and lightweight, fast-absorbing toners.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Hada Labo?

Both The Ordinary and Hada Labo provide fragrance-free skincare, but Hada Labo excels with deep hydration and fast-absorbing toners, while The Ordinary offers a wider range of affordable serums that help clear acne.

The Ordinary or Hada Labo for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Hada Labo provide a Superior routine fit for dry skin. Reviewers note that Hada Labo helps with deep hydration and moisturization, while the products on this page for The Ordinary offer great value and gentle hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Hada Labo: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers that help deliver great hydration, with products on this page like The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA and Hada Labo Gokujyun Perfect Gel both receiving high fit ratings for dry skin. Hada Labo tends to do better for deep hydration and plumping, while The Ordinary provides more affordable value and a wider range of targeted formulas.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Hada Labo?

The Ordinary is more affordable and offers better value for budget-conscious shoppers. Reviewers frequently note that the products on this page from The Ordinary provide a great price point compared to Hada Labo.

The Ordinary or Hada Labo for fading dark spots?

Both The Ordinary and Hada Labo are equal for fading dark spots as reviewers find them equally effective. The products on this page help improve skin appearance by delivering key ingredients like niacinamide, which may reduce pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Which brand offers better deep hydration and plumping, The Ordinary or Hada Labo?

Hada Labo does better than The Ordinary for deep hydration and plumping because its products on this page focus heavily on lightweight, fast-absorbing hydration.

The Ordinary or Hada Labo for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and Hada Labo provide a superior routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers better value, while Hada Labo is often praised for lightweight absorption and texture.

The Ordinary or Hada Labo for acne-prone skin?

Hada Labo is a superior fit for acne-prone skin on this page, while The Ordinary has a high fit. Both brands offer fragrance-free products.

The Ordinary or Hada Labo for oily acne-prone skin?

For oily acne-prone skin, both brands offer good options, though Hada Labo achieves a Superior routine fit compared to The Ordinary's High fit level. The Ordinary provides targeted acne-clearing serums on the products on this page, while Hada Labo excels in deep hydration and lightweight absorption.

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.

How does it fit your skin?

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