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The Ordinary vs NIVEA

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

The Ordinary and NIVEA are established skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily care. The Canadian line founded in 2016 features serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit dry skin and dry sensitive skin. Meanwhile, the German brand founded in 1911 provides versatile sunscreens, targeted serums, and nourishing moisturizers thoughtfully formulated with glycerin to suit sensitive skin and oily skin. While both rely on key ingredients like glycerin to improve stratum corneum hydration and barrier function, the first focuses on targeted single-ingredient efficacy for specific concerns, whereas the second balances gentle care with lightweight hydration.

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

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NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs NIVEA products

People Say

The OrdinaryNIVEA
  • Great value and price Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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%”
    • “Works better than expensive luxury creams — NIVEA Creme”
  • Smooths skin texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “skin feels squeaky clean and soft — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • 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 my complexion in 7 days — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
    • “doesn't leave skin dry or stretched — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
    • “skin feels moisturized — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Versatile body and multi-use application Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Use it on face, body, hands, and feet — NIVEA Creme”
    • “Applying is easy, you can use on your face, hands, and body. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “eliminated armpit odor — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Absorbs quickly — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
  • Oily residue Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “sits on top of the skin and does not absorb — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Scent is too overpowering for sensitive noses — NIVEA Creme”
  • Causes breakouts Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”

The Ordinary vs NIVEA routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$192.91 · 96% fitBuy NIVEA routine · A$176.64 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs NIVEA routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$285.78 · 92% fitBuy NIVEA routine · A$394.61 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs NIVEA routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$219.69 · 91% fitBuy NIVEA routine · A$366.08 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or NIVEA: which is better?

Both The Ordinary and NIVEA are great choices, with Lovi rating The Ordinary as Superior for dry skin while NIVEA offers a High fit. The products on this page from The Ordinary provide fragrance-free formulas and great value, whereas NIVEA brings intense deep hydration.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and NIVEA?

Both brands offer products for various skin needs, but Lovi shows that The Ordinary has superior routine fit for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, and dry sensitive skin, while NIVEA offers intense deep hydration and versatile multi-use options.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for dry skin?

For dry skin, both brands work well, but Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and NIVEA as High. The products on this page from The Ordinary provide fragrance-free hydration, while NIVEA offers deep moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and NIVEA offer effective moisturizers, with Lovi ranking The Ordinary as having a Superior routine fit for dry skin and NIVEA holding a High fit level. Every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance, whereas half of NIVEA's featured products include fragrance.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or NIVEA?

The Ordinary offers better value, as reviewers on this page frequently praise its serums for being affordable and great value compared to NIVEA.

How do the founding years and parent companies of The Ordinary and NIVEA compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., while NIVEA was founded in Germany in 1911 and is owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, The Ordinary or NIVEA?

The Ordinary has more fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, while NIVEA only has three out of nine fragrance-free products on its page.

How does the routine fit for mature skin compare between The Ordinary and NIVEA?

For mature skin, Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and NIVEA as High. Every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance, whereas 6 of the 9 NIVEA products on the page contain fragrance.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for oily skin?

For oily skin, both The Ordinary and NIVEA offer solid options, with Lovi rating The Ordinary's routine as Superior and NIVEA's as High.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for sensitive skin?

Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior for sensitive skin, while NIVEA has a High routine fit.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and NIVEA are a High fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that both brands offer effective blemish-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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