🇨🇦Canada

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil

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

The Ordinary and Cetaphil are skincare brands offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and more, built around key ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. The Ordinary suits dry and dry sensitive skin best with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the American brand suits combination and oily acne-prone skin best with nourishing ingredients like panthenol. Both lines differ in their targeted solutions, where the Canadian brand features specialized formulas for acne, dark spots, and mature skin, and the latter brand relies on its thoughtful lineup to balance moisture without congestion.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Cetaphil products

People Say

The OrdinaryCetaphil
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Affordable value Mostly MentionedRarely 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%”
    • “Bar lasts a long time — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
  • Hydration and moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft, not tight. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “absorbs quickly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Skin texture improvement Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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%”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Acne and blemish clearing Often MentionedRarely 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”
    • “Helps to remove pimple and acne. — Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser”
  • Skin irritation and stinging Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “burns my face now — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “new formula burns — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “burned my face — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • 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”
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
  • Sticky and tacky finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “leaves a tacky finish — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
    • “feels tacky — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$155.67 · 97% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · CA$148.04 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$198.33 · 92% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · CA$282.83 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$187.44 · 93% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · CA$240.92 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which is better?

The Ordinary is often preferred for skin texture improvement and acne-clearing serums, while Cetaphil is praised for gentle, non-stripping cleansers and hydrating moisturizers. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers affordable value, whereas Cetaphil excels at being gentle on sensitive skin.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Cetaphil?

The Ordinary offers better skin texture improvement and acne and blemish clearing, while Cetaphil is better for being gentle on sensitive skin, hydration and moisture, and feeling lightweight and non-greasy.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas Cetaphil has a High fit level on the products on this page. The Ordinary is noted for skin texture improvement and acne-clearing serums, while Cetaphil is praised for gentle, non-stripping cleansers and hydrating, non-greasy moisturizers.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer great cleansers, but Cetaphil is often preferred for being especially gentle on sensitive skin. The Ordinary features options like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser that help improve skin texture, while Cetaphil cleansers are known for being non-stripping.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary offers more affordable value among the products on this page compared to Cetaphil, as supported by reviewer feedback.

Between The Ordinary and Cetaphil, which brand performs better for improving skin texture?

The Ordinary performs better for improving skin texture, as reviewers frequently mention its texture-smoothing serums. Lovi rates The Ordinary superior for overall routine fit on most skin types compared to Cetaphil.

Which brand is better for addressing skin with dark spots, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary is superior to Cetaphil for addressing skin with dark spots because the products on this page achieve higher fit levels for that concern. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

How do the routine fit levels compare for mature skin between The Ordinary and Cetaphil?

The Ordinary is Superior for mature skin, while Cetaphil has a High fit level on this page. Reviewers report that The Ordinary performs better for improving skin texture.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for oily skin, whereas Cetaphil offers a High fit level. The Ordinary provides affordable value serums and acne-clearing serums.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page show that both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer effective moisturizers, but reviewers note that Cetaphil provides better hydration and moisture. Topical hyaluronic acid, a key ingredient found in the moisturizers on this page, helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for sensitive skin on this page, while Cetaphil is a High fit. Reviewers note that Cetaphil is particularly gentle on sensitive skin.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil have a High fit for acne-prone skin. The products on this page offer acne-clearing serums from The Ordinary and gentle, non-stripping cleansers from Cetaphil.

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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