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The Ordinary vs Garnier

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

The Ordinary and Garnier are two accessible skincare brands with distinct philosophies rooted in their respective heritages. The Canadian line relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane across its serums, moisturizers, and cleansers to suit dry skin and dry sensitive skin best, while the French label features glycerin and salicylic acid within effective makeup removers, serums, and masks to suit acne-prone skin and oily acne-prone skin best. Although both offer targeted solutions for dark spots, aging, and blemishes, the first brand emphasizes individual active ingredients for customized routines, whereas the second brand provides reliable everyday results through formulated blends.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Garnier is a French skincare brand founded in 1904 and owned by L'Oréal since 1965.

en.wikipedia.orgloreal.comgarnierusa.comafrica.garnier.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Garnier products

People Say

The OrdinaryGarnier
  • Great value and affordable pricing Mostly MentionedSometimes 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%”
    • “huge bottle for cheap — Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water”
  • Skin smoothing and texture improvement 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%”
    • “my skin is baby smooth — Garnier 3in1 Clay Anti-Spot Wash Scrub Mask”
  • Brightens tired eyes and skin Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Instantly brightens the face — Garnier Vitamin C Face Wash”
    • “My face is glowing this morning — Garnier Vitamin C Sheet Mask”
    • “woke up glowing — Garnier Vitamin C Brightening Night Serum”
    • “looks more awake — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
  • Acne and blemish clearing 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”
    • “stubborn blackheads gone — Garnier Pure Active 3-in-1 Charcoal Mask”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs immediately — Garnier Express Aclara”
    • “Sinks straight into the skin — Garnier Vitamin C Brightening Serum”
    • “sinks in immediately — Garnier Vitamin C Eye Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “leaves my skin radiant and clear — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “doesn't leave skin feeling dry — Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water with Vitamin C”
  • Skin irritation, stinging, and burning Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “stings really bad upon application — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “burned my face — Garnier Express Aclara”
    • “burning sensation — Garnier Pure Active 3-in-1 Charcoal Mask”
  • Sticky and tacky finish Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Leaves a sticky residue — Garnier Vitamin C Sheet Mask”
    • “leaves a tacky film — Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water”
    • “Felt a bit tacky afterwards — Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • 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”
    • “dark circles returned after washing — Garnier Vitamin C Eye Cream”
    • “didn't remove sun spots — Garnier Express Aclara”

The Ordinary vs Garnier routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · $109.78 · 97% fitBuy Garnier routine · $115.08 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Garnier routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · $207.87 · 93% fitBuy Garnier routine · $209.55 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Garnier routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · $219.97 · 93% fitBuy Garnier routine · $216.21 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Garnier: which is better?

The Ordinary is a superior choice overall, offering better value, acne clearing, and hydration across the products on this page. Lovi finds The Ordinary provides a Superior routine fit for dry skin, while Garnier is Average. Topical ascorbic acid helps brighten photoaged skin.

Experimental Dermatology, 2003

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Garnier?

The Ordinary is a Canadian brand offering fragrance-free formulas that excel in value and hydration, while Garnier is a French brand providing popular options like micellar water and vitamin C serums. Lovi rates The Ordinary as a Superior fit for dry, combination, sensitive, and mature skin types on the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Garnier for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better choice for dry skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Garnier's Average. Hyaluronic acid helps bind moisture to the skin to improve hydration.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Garnier: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers cleansers like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser with high fit levels for dry and sensitive skin, whereas Garnier features face washes that may cause caution for dry skin types.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Garnier?

The Ordinary is more affordable, as the products on this page offer great value pricing compared to Garnier.

The Ordinary or Garnier: which brand has fragrance-free products?

The Ordinary is the better choice for fragrance-free options because every single product on the products on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In contrast, Garnier offers a mix, with half of the products on this page containing added fragrance.

The Ordinary or Garnier: which is better for mature skin?

The Ordinary is a better choice for mature skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Garnier's High fit level. The products on this page help improve skin texture and smooth out signs of aging effectively.

The Ordinary or Garnier for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for oily skin, whereas Garnier reaches a High fit level on the products on this page. Niacinamide helps regulate sebum production and reduce oiliness.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Garnier for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary fits sensitive skin better, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior while Garnier reaches High. Every product from The Ordinary on this page lists no fragrance, which helps reduce the risk of irritation.

The Ordinary or Garnier for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, The Ordinary provides superior routine fit compared to Garnier. Review themes show that The Ordinary offers better acne and blemish clearing through the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Garnier for skin with dark spots?

The Ordinary is a better choice for skin with dark spots because the products on this page achieve a Superior routine fit for this concern, compared to Garnier which reaches a High fit level. Furthermore, reviewers note that The Ordinary delivers better results for dark spot fading and general skin smoothing.

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

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