🇨🇦Canada

The Ordinary vs Clinique

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

The Ordinary and Clinique are distinct skincare brands under The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. umbrella that offer targeted solutions for varied complexions. The Canadian brand centers on serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners featuring hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry skin and dry sensitive skin best. Conversely, the American brand is widely loved for its moisturizers, serums, makeup removers, and eye products incorporating hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and caffeine, which suit dry sensitive skin and oily skin. While both rely on shared hydrating ingredients to support skin health, they differ in their specific formulations and targeted approach to individual skincare concerns.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Clinique products

People Say

The OrdinaryClinique
  • Great value and price 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%”
    • “lasts forever — Clinique all about clean”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No stinging eyes — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “doesn't dry out — Clinique all about clean”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Improves skin texture 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 feels silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
    • “Absorbs quickly without feeling sticky — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “skin feels soft and smooth — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “glass skin look — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Clears acne and blemishes Often MentionedNot 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”
  • Pricey or expensive for brand Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “feels sticky to the touch — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “feels a bit sticky — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • 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”
    • “Woke up with whiteheads on my chin — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
  • Skin irritation and stinging Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Face stung and became red — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$155.67 · 97% fitBuy Clinique routine · CA$469.99 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$198.33 · 92% fitBuy Clinique routine · CA$386.05 · 78% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$187.44 · 93% fitBuy Clinique routine · CA$322.06 · 75% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Clinique: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value with superior routine fit levels for dry, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark spot skin types compared to Clinique. Both brands feature fragrance-free formulations on the products on this page.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Clinique?

The Ordinary provides products on this page that are more affordable and better suited for most skin types, while Clinique offers lighter, faster-absorbing moisturizers and deeply dissolving makeup removers. Lovi rates routine fit for dry skin as Superior for The Ordinary and Average for Clinique.

The Ordinary or Clinique for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for dry skin, offering a Superior routine compared to Clinique's Average fit on the products on this page. Hyaluronic acid helps retain skin moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clinique: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary offers a better value and variety of cleansers on this page, with formulas like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser achieving a Superior Lovi fit level for dry skin. Meanwhile, Clinique cleansers tend to be more expensive and may present a higher risk of irritation or breakouts for certain skin types.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Clinique?

The Ordinary is more affordable than Clinique because review themes on the products on this page highlight great value and price for The Ordinary while noting a high price point for Clinique.

Which brand has better anti-aging or mature skin routines?

The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit for mature skin, whereas Clinique reaches a High fit on the products on this page. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

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

The Ordinary or Clinique for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary offers a Superior routine fit while Clinique provides a High fit, with The Ordinary standing out for clearing acne and blemishes as well as offering great value and price on this page. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Clinique: which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Clinique on this page. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid found in the products on this page help improve skin hydration and quality.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clinique for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, The Ordinary has a Superior Lovi fit level, whereas Clinique reaches a High fit level on this page. Reviewers report that The Ordinary offers great value and helps improve skin texture, while Clinique is noted for being gentle and non-irritating.

The Ordinary or Clinique for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary offers a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, while Clinique provides an Average fit. The products on this page for The Ordinary feature popular acne-clearing serums that help target breakouts effectively.

The Ordinary or Clinique for dry sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a great choice for dry sensitive skin, offering products on this page that achieve a Superior routine fit. Key ingredients like hyaluronic acid help improve skin quality and hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clinique for skin with dark spots?

The Ordinary is the better choice for skin with dark spots, as the products on this page achieve a Superior routine fit for this concern. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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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