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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 well-regarded skincare brands that offer distinct approaches to daily care through serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and more. The Canadian brand centers its formulations on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to best suit dry and sensitive skin, while the American brand relies on glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol to favor combination and acne-prone skin. Both lines utilize nourishing ingredients to support the skin barrier, but they differ significantly in their targeted treatments and foundational chemistries.

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

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which is better?

The Ordinary offers superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Cetaphil, while both brands provide equal superior routine fit for acne-prone skin and combination skin. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides better affordability, skin texture improvement, and acne-clearing serums.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Cetaphil?

The Ordinary and Cetaphil differ mainly in their formulation focus and review ratings, with The Ordinary being known for affordable value and skin texture improvement, while Cetaphil is noted for providing gentle, non-stripping cleansers and hydration. The Ordinary offers products on this page that achieve a Superior routine fit across all listed skin types, whereas Cetaphil achieves a Superior routine fit for combination and acne-prone skin and a High routine fit for others.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit while Cetaphil has a High fit level. Reviewers indicate that The Ordinary excels at skin texture improvement and acne and blemish clearing, whereas Cetaphil is often noted for lightweight and non-greasy products.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which cleanser is better?

When comparing cleansers, The Ordinary and Cetaphil both offer effective options, with Cetaphil being particularly known for its gentle, non-stripping cleansers while the products on this page help maintain skin hydration.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary provides more affordable and great value serums among the products on this page compared to Cetaphil.

Which brand has more products with no fragrance, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary has more products on this page with no fragrance, as every single one of its products lists no fragrance in its ingredients, compared to 26 out of 27 products for Cetaphil.

How do the founding years and parent companies of The Ordinary and Cetaphil compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., whereas Cetaphil was established in the United States in 1947 and is owned by Galderma Group AG.

Which brand performs better for skin texture improvement according to reviewer themes?

The Ordinary performs better for skin texture improvement according to reviewer themes, while Cetaphil excels in hydration and moisture.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and Cetaphil as High. Reviewers note that Cetaphil is gentle on sensitive skin, while The Ordinary offers affordable value.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page for The Ordinary offer a high routine fit for dry skin, including options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA which is rated Superior for dry skin. Cetaphil also features moisturizers with strong ratings, such as its Rich Hydrating Night Cream which is rated Superior for dry skin.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil have a Superior fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary is better for acne and blemish clearing, while Cetaphil is praised for gentle, non-stripping cleansers.

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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