🇨🇦Canada

Anua vs The Ordinary

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

Anua and The Ordinary are distinct skincare lines founded respectively in 2019 and 2016, offering targeted toners, cleansers, serums, and moisturizers. The Korean brand builds its formulations around soothing heartleaf, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to suit dry and oily acne-prone skin, whereas the Canadian brand relies on glycerin, squalane, and hyaluronic acid for dry and dry sensitive skin. Through these unique ingredient profiles, both lines address concerns like dark spots, acne, and maturity while differing in their regional origins and specialized hydration properties.

Anua is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by The Founders Inc..

prnewswire.comkedglobal.comtracxn.comv.daum.net

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

Popular Anua vs The Ordinary products

People Say

AnuaThe Ordinary
  • Texture and Pores Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Dissolved my sebaceous filaments immediately — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “Skin feels super smooth — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “complexion feels so plump — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “leaves skin plump — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “Drink of water for my skin — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Affordable Price and Value Not notedMostly 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%”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Significant reduction in hyperpigmentation from acne scarring. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “Gives a nice healthy glow — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “scars lightened up quite a bit — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “melts into skin — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “Feels like water, not heavy oil — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “Absorbs quickly without stickiness — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Sticky or Tacky Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Left such a gross tacky finish that refused to dry. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “leaves a tacky finish — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
    • “tacky finish — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Breakouts and Acne Concerns Often MentionedRarely 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”
    • “Wrecked my skin barrier — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”

Anua vs The Ordinary routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$155.67 · 97% fitBuy Anua routine · CA$204.76 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

Anua vs The Ordinary routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$198.33 · 92% fitBuy Anua routine · CA$320.12 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Anua vs The Ordinary routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$187.44 · 93% fitBuy Anua routine · CA$249.24 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Anua or The Ordinary: which is better?

The Ordinary is generally better for targeted treatments and value, offering superior routine fits for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, dry sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots, while matching Anua for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin. Lovi finds The Ordinary superior for overall routine fit in most skin types, whereas Anua is rated High across those same categories. Both brands feature fragrance-free formulations across the products on this page.

What is the difference between Anua and The Ordinary?

Anua and The Ordinary both offer fragrance-free skincare products, but they differ in pricing, formulation styles, and how well their routines fit different skin types. The Ordinary provides superior routine fit for dry, oily, sensitive, mature, and dry sensitive skin, while Anua focuses more on soothing hydration and lightweight toners featuring heartleaf and rice extracts.

Anua or The Ordinary for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for dry skin, offering a Superior routine compared to Anua's High fit. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin help provide deep moisture and support skin hydration.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Anua or The Ordinary: which cleanser is better?

Both Anua and The Ordinary offer effective cleansers, but The Ordinary has a higher-rated option for dry skin with its Glycolipid Cream Cleanser having a Superior Lovi fit level compared to Anua's cleansers for dry skin. Anua cleansers generally feature heartleaf and are well-suited for oily and acne-prone skin with High Lovi fit levels across multiple products.

Which is more affordable, Anua or The Ordinary?

The Ordinary is more affordable, as reviewers often note its great value and budget-friendly pricing across the products on this page.

Between Anua and The Ordinary, which brand is better for managing hydration and moisture?

Anua does better for hydration and moisture, according to the review themes on this page.

How do Anua and The Ordinary compare regarding texture-smoothing serums?

Both Anua and The Ordinary offer popular texture-smoothing serums, with reviewers often praising Anua for lightweight absorption and The Ordinary for texture-smoothing serums as a key benefit.

Which brand offers better options for fading dark spots and brightening the skin?

Both Anua and The Ordinary perform equally well for brightening and dark spots, though The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit overall for skin with dark spots. Niacinamide, featured across the products on this page, helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Anua or The Ordinary for sensitive skin?

Both brands are well-suited for sensitive skin, but The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit while Anua has a High routine fit on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers gentle and non-irritating serums, while Anua features fragrance-free products with calming ingredients like heartleaf and panthenol that may help support the skin barrier.

American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

Anua or The Ordinary: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, The Ordinary's Natural Moisturizing Factors formulas have a Superior Lovi fit level for dry skin, whereas Anua's moisturizers generally offer a High fit for that skin type. The Ordinary is noted by reviewers for great value and affordable pricing, while Anua focuses more on soothing and barrier support across its moisturizers.

Anua or The Ordinary for acne-prone skin?

Both Anua and The Ordinary fit acne-prone skin well, as Lovi rates both brands High for this skin type. Reviewers frequently mention that Anua offers gentle toners and brightening serums, while The Ordinary is known for acne-clearing and texture-smoothing 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

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