🇨🇦Canada

The Ordinary vs Caudalie

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

The Ordinary and Caudalie are distinct skincare lines founded respectively in Canada in 2016 and France in 1995. The Ordinary centers its clinical serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the French brand crafts botanical serums, refreshing toners, nourishing moisturizers, and targeted eye products from grape-derived formulas. Both options suit dry skin best, though the Canadian line also accommodates dry sensitive skin and the botanical brand addresses oily skin. They differ primarily in their formulation approach, as the first relies on targeted single-ingredient efficacy for acne, dark spots, and aging, whereas the latter utilizes natural extracts for balanced hydration, clarification, and targeted concerns like the Vinopure Purifying Toner, the Vinoperfect Glycolic Peel Mask, and Premier Cru The Cream.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Caudalie is a French skincare brand founded in 1995.

en.wikipedia.orgen.caudalie.compitchbook.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Caudalie products

People Say

The OrdinaryCaudalie
  • Redness and sensitivity Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum”
    • “calms my redness — Caudalie Grape Water”
  • Acne clearing and blemish reduction Often MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “cleared my hormonal acne — Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Gel Cleanser”
  • Skin smoothing and texture improvement Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Caudalie Instant Detox Mask”
  • Great value and affordable 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%”
  • Pleasant scent and refreshing aromas Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like a spa — Caudalie Beauty Elixir”
    • “gives a glass-skin look — Caudalie Beauty Elixir”
    • “wakes up my skin — Caudalie Beauty Elixir”
  • Hydration and plumping effects Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Provides intense hydration, smooths fine lines, and gives the skin an even, radiant appearance. — Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream”
    • “intense hydration — Caudalie Grape Water”
    • “skin feels plump — Caudalie Resveratrol-Lift Firming Cashmere Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Texture and pilling issues under makeup Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “tacky finish — Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum”
    • “does not remove make-up — Caudalie Vinoclean Instant Foaming Cleanser”
    • “Incompatible with my makeup. — Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • High price point and value concerns Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive — Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum”
  • Unpleasant scent or fragrance issues 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”
    • “smell is strong — Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Toner”
  • Stinging, harshness and irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “burns my eyes — Caudalie Beauty Elixir”
    • “bit dry for daily use — Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Toner”
    • “woke up swollen — Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Eye Cream”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

The Ordinary vs Caudalie routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$155.67 · 97% fitBuy Caudalie routine · CA$167.99 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Caudalie routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$198.33 · 92% fitBuy Caudalie routine · CA$351.45 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Caudalie routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$187.44 · 93% fitBuy Caudalie routine · CA$326.46 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Caudalie: which is better?

Both The Ordinary and Caudalie work well, but The Ordinary stands out for offering better value and stronger results with acne-clearing and texture-smoothing serums, while Caudalie is praised more for hydration and pleasant scents.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Caudalie?

The Ordinary offers better value with affordable, fragrance-free products that reviewers frequently praise for clearing acne and smoothing texture, whereas Caudalie leans toward refreshing routines that reviewers often note for hydration and pleasing aromas, though 8 of its 20 products contain fragrance.

The Ordinary or Caudalie for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Caudalie have a Superior routine fit for dry skin. The products on this page for The Ordinary focus heavily on hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, while Caudalie offers luxurious moisturizing creams like Premier Cru The Cream.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

The Ordinary or Caudalie: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer solid options, but The Ordinary has an edge for offering better overall value with cleansers like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser and Glucoside Foaming Cleanser. Reviewers highlight that The Ordinary delivers effective cleansing while keeping prices low, whereas Caudalie cleansers often come with a high price point.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Caudalie?

The Ordinary offers better affordability and great value serums on the products on this page, whereas Caudalie is often noted for a high price. Reviewers frequently praise The Ordinary for its affordable pricing.

The Ordinary or Caudalie: which has better options for dark spots?

The Ordinary offers better options for dark spots because the products on this page achieve a Superior Lovi fit level for skin with dark spots, whereas Caudalie achieves a High fit level. Furthermore, reviewers note that The Ordinary provides better dark spot fading serums.

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

The Ordinary offers more fragrance-free products, as every single product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In contrast, Caudalie has fragrance in 8 of the 20 products listed on its page.

The Ordinary or Caudalie for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit while Caudalie has a High routine fit on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary does better for acne clearing, blemish reduction, and value, while Caudalie offers refreshing toners.

The Ordinary or Caudalie: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Caudalie offer moisturizers that fit dry skin at a Superior level on this page. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Caudalie for sensitive skin?

Lovi shows that The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, while Caudalie has a High fit level. The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, whereas some Caudalie items contain added fragrance.

The Ordinary or Caudalie for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Caudalie fit acne-prone skin at a High level. The Ordinary products on this page help with acne clearing and blemish reduction better than Caudalie.

The Ordinary or Caudalie for mature skin?

For mature skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit while Caudalie has a High routine fit. The Ordinary products on this page are often noted as affordable and great value 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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