🇨🇦Canada

The Ordinary vs CeraVe

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

The Ordinary and CeraVe are two prominent skincare brands known for offering thoughtful arrays of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and more, built around key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. The Canadian brand centers its formulations on squalane alongside hyaluronic acid and glycerin to suit dry skin and dry sensitive skin best, while the American brand relies on its hydrating and gentle properties to suit dry skin and acne-prone skin best. Although both companies feature products for specific concerns like dark spots, acne, and mature skin, they differ in their targeted offerings, such as the former providing specialized acids and the latter providing standout treatments like the Foaming Facial Cleanser.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

CeraVe is an American skincare brand founded in 2005 and owned by L'Oréal since 2017.

en.wikipedia.orghappi.comloreal-finance.comcerave.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs CeraVe products

People Say

The OrdinaryCeraVe
  • Gentle and safe for sensitive skin Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't leave face tight — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “no burning sensation — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
    • “no redness after washing — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Great value and affordable 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%”
    • “reasonably priced — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
  • Improves skin texture and smoothness Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin looks smoother and brighter — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “difference in my skin's texture is noticeable — CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy finish Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Sinks right into your skin — CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Sinks in immediately — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Clears acne and fades dark spots Mostly 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”
    • “lightened dark spots — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
  • Deep hydration and moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “woke up with plump skin — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “cured my dry patches — CeraVe Eye Repair Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Skin irritation, stinging, and burning Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Stung my raw skin — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “burns my damaged skin — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “Face feels like it's on fire — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Sticky or heavy residue finish Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “too sticky — CeraVe Healing Ointment”
    • “hard to spread — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “left a sticky film — CeraVe Hydrating Toner”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Pilling and makeup application struggles Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “doesn't take off mascara — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “pills and rolls — CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum”
    • “doesn't remove mascara — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”

The Ordinary vs CeraVe routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$155.67 · 97% fitBuy CeraVe routine · CA$163.70 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs CeraVe routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$198.33 · 92% fitBuy CeraVe routine · CA$276.56 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs CeraVe routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$187.44 · 93% fitBuy CeraVe routine · CA$228.68 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or CeraVe: which is better?

The Ordinary delivers superior value and texture smoothing, while CeraVe offers lightweight, deep hydration that is gentle for sensitive skin. Both brands provide fragrance-free products on this page that support skin health.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and CeraVe?

The Ordinary offers a large range of affordable targeted serums that excel at clearing acne and improving skin texture, whereas CeraVe features gentle, ceramidedominant cleansers and lightweight moisturizers that provide deep hydration and suit sensitive skin.

The Ordinary or CeraVe for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and CeraVe achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin. The products on this page for both brands feature hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to support moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or CeraVe: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and CeraVe offer cleansers that fit oily skin at a High level and dry skin at a High level, though the products on this page vary by specific formulation. CeraVe cleansers are often noted for providing gentle and non-stripping hydration, while The Ordinary features options like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser which fits dry skin at a Superior level.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or CeraVe?

The Ordinary is more affordable and offers great value serums compared to CeraVe.

Between The Ordinary and CeraVe, which brand is better suited for mature skin?

The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit for mature skin, whereas CeraVe has a High fit. Retinol stimulates collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

How do The Ordinary and CeraVe compare when treating skin with dark spots?

For treating skin with dark spots, The Ordinary achieves a Superior routine fit, whereas CeraVe achieves a High fit level. The Ordinary excels at fading dark spots, while CeraVe is noted for its gentle cleansers and lightweight moisturizers.

Which brand performs better for dry sensitive skin according to the routine fit levels?

For dry sensitive skin, The Ordinary reaches a Superior routine fit level, while CeraVe achieves a High fit level. This makes The Ordinary the stronger performer for this skin type on the products on this page.

The Ordinary or CeraVe for oily skin?

The Ordinary offers a Superior routine fit for oily skin, whereas CeraVe provides a High fit on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary features affordable value serums and effective acne-clearing treatments, while CeraVe is often praised for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and gentle cleansers.

The Ordinary or CeraVe: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and CeraVe offer moisturizers that fit dry skin at a Superior level, with The Ordinary focusing on natural moisturizing factors and CeraVe utilizing a ceramide-dominant blend to support the skin barrier. Hyaluronic acid helps maintain skin hydration across the products on this page.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

The Ordinary or CeraVe for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary has a Superior fit for sensitive skin, whereas CeraVe has a High fit. Reviewers note that CeraVe is gentle and safe for sensitive skin, while every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

The Ordinary or CeraVe for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and CeraVe achieve a High routine fit for acne-prone skin. The Ordinary offers products on this page that help clear acne and fade dark spots, while CeraVe features gentle, non-stripping cleansers and effective acne-fighting options.

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?

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

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play