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The Ordinary vs Allies of Skin

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

The Ordinary and Allies of Skin are skincare brands offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and eye products built around key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, squalane, and niacinamide. The Canadian brand features formulations that fit dry skin and dry sensitive skin best, while the second brand provides nourishing and clarifying treatments that suit dry skin and acne-prone skin. Both brands differ in their product ranges and target concerns, offering specific items for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Allies of Skin products

People Say

The OrdinaryAllies of Skin
  • Skin Texture Improvement and Smoothing 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%”
    • “Woke up looking well-rested — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
  • Hydration and Plumping Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “nourished and hydrated — Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream”
    • “more like a spray serum — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
    • “Skin feels hydrated — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Great Value and 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%”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formulation Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Best retinol for sensitive skin — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
    • “feels super soothing, doesn't trigger redness — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
  • 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”
    • “Dramatic impact on acne — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
  • Lightweight Absorption and Texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “sinks easily into damp skin — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky feeling — Allies of Skin Peptides & Antioxidants Firming Daily Treatment”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Pricey — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
  • Sticky and Tacky Finish Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “didn't like how sticky face feels — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Stinging and Skin Irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Slightly irritating... when I first started — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
    • “rashes popped up on my neck — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
    • “stings my eyes — Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Slow or Ineffective Results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “not a miracle worker overnight — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Didn't do anything special — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “still not impressed with the results — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”

The Ordinary vs Allies of Skin routines for dry skin

Buy Allies of Skin routine · $249.67 · 98% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · $109.78 · 97% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Allies of Skin routines for oily skin

Buy Allies of Skin routine · $482.96 · 94% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · $207.87 · 93% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Allies of Skin routines for combination skin

Buy Allies of Skin routine · $474.55 · 94% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · $219.97 · 93% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Allies of Skin: which is better?

Both brands perform equally well across major skin types, but The Ordinary stands out for affordability and smoothing texture, whereas Allies of Skin excels in hydration and lightweight absorption. The Ordinary products on this page offer great value and effective acne-clearing serums, while Allies of Skin features gentle, effective moisturizers and calming serums.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Allies of Skin?

Both brands offer fragrance-free skincare, but The Ordinary provides much greater affordability and better options for skin texture improvement, while Allies of Skin excels in hydration and lightweight absorption. Lovi rates the routine fit for both brands as Superior across almost all skin types, except for oily acne-prone skin where Allies of Skin reaches a Superior level compared to The Ordinary's High level.

The Ordinary or Allies of Skin for dry skin?

Both brands achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin, though shoppers note that The Ordinary offers much better pricing and value, while Allies of Skin stands out for hydration and plumping.

The Ordinary or Allies of Skin: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Allies of Skin offer moisturizers on this page that achieve a Superior routine fit for dry and sensitive skin. Reviewers often mention that The Ordinary delivers great value while Allies of Skin provides gentle, effective hydration.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Allies of Skin?

The Ordinary is more affordable, offering budget-friendly prices and great value serums among the products on this page. Allies of Skin comes with a high price point.

Which brand performs better for oily acne-prone skin according to the routine fit levels?

Allies of Skin performs better for oily acne-prone skin, as Lovi rates its routine fit at a High level for The Ordinary and a Superior level for Allies of Skin.

What are the main key ingredients found across the product lines of each brand?

The products on this page for The Ordinary feature hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane as their key ingredients. Allies of Skin relies primarily on niacinamide across its product line.

Which brand receives more complaints regarding a high price point from reviewers?

Allies of Skin receives more complaints regarding a high price point, as its negative reviews commonly highlight its high price point as opposed to The Ordinary, which is known for its affordability.

The Ordinary or Allies of Skin for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and Allies of Skin are great options, as Lovi rates the routine fit for oily skin as Superior for both brands. The Ordinary offers products on this page that help with oil control and blemish reduction, while Allies of Skin provides moisturizers that may help with lightweight absorption.

The Ordinary or Allies of Skin for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Allies of Skin are a great match for sensitive skin, as Lovi rates the routine fit for both brands as Superior. Reviewers note that both brands offer gentle and non-irritating formulations across the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Allies of Skin for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Allies of Skin provide a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin. The Ordinary stands out for offering affordable and effective acne-clearing serums on the products on this page.

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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