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The Ordinary vs Minimalist

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

The Ordinary and Minimalist are two targeted skincare brands offering effective serums, moisturizers, and cleansers built around science-backed ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane. The Canadian line suits dry and dry sensitive skin best, while the Indian counterpart fits acne-prone and oily skin best. Although both provide reliable daily care, the brands differ through distinct formulations, such as the former featuring specialized acids for various concerns and the latter emphasizing advanced sunscreens and moisturizers.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Minimalist is an Indian skincare brand founded in 2020 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2025.

m.economictimes.comunilever.combeminimalist.copersonalcareinsights.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Minimalist products

People Say

The OrdinaryMinimalist
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “very moisturizing — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “calmed it when my skin was super irritated — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Great value and affordable 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%”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't make skin feel tight — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “zero smell — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Matte finish and oil control Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “perfect moisturizer for oily skin — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “keeps skin oil-free for hours — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “controlled my sebum production — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Texture smoothing and improvement Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “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”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly and doesn't feel greasy — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Sticky finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “sticky after application feel — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
  • Pilling under makeup Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “pills under makeup — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Unpleasant 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”
    • “smells like chemicals — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Drying formulas Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “incredibly drying — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “dried out skin — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$192.91 · 96% fitBuy Minimalist routine · A$165.09 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for oily skin

Buy Minimalist routine · A$398.16 · 93% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · A$285.78 · 92% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for combination skin

Buy Minimalist routine · A$282.02 · 92% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · A$219.69 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Minimalist: which is better?

The Ordinary offers superior routine fit for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, sensitive skin, and mature skin, while Minimalist does better for acne-prone skin.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Minimalist?

The Ordinary delivers a wider range of affordable products that achieve a Superior routine fit for dry, sensitive, mature, and dark-spot-prone skin, while Minimalist focuses on lightweight, gentle formulas that achieve a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for dry skin?

For dry skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit, while Minimalist has a High routine fit. The products on this page for dry skin help deliver effective hydration and moisture support.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Minimalist: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers a wider selection of cleansers tailored to different skin concerns like dry or oily skin, while Minimalist features a single cleanser that helps control oil for acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Minimalist?

The Ordinary offers better value, with reviewers frequently noting it as affordable and great value compared to Minimalist.

Which brand performs better for dry sensitive skin, The Ordinary or Minimalist?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for dry sensitive skin on Lovi, whereas Minimalist has a High fit for this skin type. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers great value and affordable price.

How do The Ordinary and Minimalist compare in terms of fragrance across their products?

Both The Ordinary and Minimalist are free of added scent, as every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which brand offers better results for skin with dark spots?

The Ordinary offers better results for skin with dark spots, as the products on this page achieve a Superior routine fit for this concern while Minimalist reaches a High fit level. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Minimalist for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and Minimalist provide Superior routine fit levels for oily skin. Reviewers note that Minimalist does better for matte finish and oil control, while The Ordinary products on this page offer great value and affordable prices.

The Ordinary or Minimalist: which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary moisturizer has a Superior fit for dry skin, while Minimalist achieves a High fit for dry skin.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Lovi finds The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit, while Minimalist has a High routine fit. The Ordinary products on this page are fragrance-free.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Minimalist is the better choice because it achieves a Superior routine fit, whereas The Ordinary reaches a High fit level.

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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