🇺🇸United States

The Ordinary vs Clarins

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

The Ordinary and Clarins are two distinct skincare lines offering varied formulas for daily routines. The Canadian brand centers on serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the French brand is loved for luxurious moisturizers, potent serums, soothing eye products, and gentle toners enriched with shea and squalane. The former suits dry skin and dry sensitive skin best, whereas the latter suits sensitive skin and dry sensitive skin best. They differ notably in their target solutions, as the first brand provides specialized acids for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin, while the second brand utilizes standout treatments like the Double Serum Light Texture, Extra-Firming Day Cream, and Super Restorative Night Cream to address those same 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

Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Clarins products

People Say

The OrdinaryClarins
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “eliminated armpit odor — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
    • “woke up with baby soft skin — Clarins Multi-Active Nuit”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and Price 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%”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
  • Soothing and Calming Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “deflates morning bags — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “No irritation at all — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “doesn't make me greasy — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
  • Glow and Radiance Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks brighter immediately — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
    • “Gives off the most stunning natural radiance I've ever come across. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “eyes look more open — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “tight, bright and shiny — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
  • Strong Scent and Fragrance 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”
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Sticky and Greasy Residue Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “sat on top of skin — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “Described as having a sticky, gel-like texture. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “Texture too thick and heavy — Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Ineffective Results and Performance Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Didn't do anything special — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “didn't see a lift — Clarins Total Eye Lift”

The Ordinary vs Clarins routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · $109.78 · 97% fitBuy Clarins routine · $250.04 · 77% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Clarins routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · $207.87 · 93% fitBuy Clarins routine · $434.07 · 71% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Clarins routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · $219.97 · 93% fitBuy Clarins routine · $413.07 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Clarins: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value, acne control, and soothing benefits, while Clarins excels in hydration and radiance. The products on this page for The Ordinary also feature no added fragrance across the range, unlike Clarins.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Clarins?

The Ordinary offers more affordable, fragrance-free products focused on value, acne control, and soothing, whereas Clarins provides luxurious formulas known for hydration, glow, and rich textures. Lovi shows that The Ordinary has superior routine fit for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, acne-prone, mature, dark-spot, and dry sensitive skin types compared to Clarins.

The Ordinary or Clarins for dry skin?

The Ordinary offers a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Clarins provides a High fit. Reviewers note that The Ordinary delivers better value and acne control, while Clarins is praised for hydration and moisture.

The Ordinary or Clarins: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Clarins offer effective cleansers, but The Ordinary is a better choice for shoppers focused on value and affordability. Clarins cleansers often feature added fragrance, whereas every cleanser on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Clarins?

The Ordinary offers more affordable products on this page, as value and price is an area where it outperforms Clarins.

Which brand has products that are entirely fragrance-free, The Ordinary or Clarins?

The products on this page from The Ordinary are entirely fragrance-free, whereas almost all Clarins products contain fragrance.

How do the founding years and origins of The Ordinary and Clarins compare?

The Ordinary was founded in 2016 in Canada and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., while Clarins was founded earlier in 1954 in France and is owned by Famille C.

Which brand performs better for hydration and moisture according to review themes?

Clarins performs better for hydration and moisture according to the review themes on this page.

The Ordinary or Clarins for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for oily skin, offering a Superior routine compared to Clarins' Average routine level. The products on this page from The Ordinary provide fragrance-free options that help manage oily skin effectively.

The Ordinary or Clarins: which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary offers better value with its affordable moisturizers like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, which has a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Clarins products on this page often come with a high price point and strong fragrance. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clarins for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary offers a Superior fit for sensitive skin on this page, whereas Clarins has a High fit level. Reviewers note that The Ordinary products on this page are generally gentle and non-irritating, and every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

The Ordinary or Clarins for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering superior routine performance compared to Clarins. The products on this page help with acne-clearing serums and soothing benefits.

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