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The Ordinary vs Galderma

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

The Ordinary and Galderma are two distinct skincare brands offering specialized approaches to daily routines. The Canadian brand centers its serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners around hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and sensitive skin best while addressing acne, dark spots, and aging through targeted acids and vitamins. Meanwhile, the Swiss brand focuses on potent serums that suit oily and acne-prone skin best, featuring formulas such as Epiduo Gel and Benzac AC for blemishes and mature skin concerns. Ultimately, the two differ in their core product ranges and ideal skin types, giving users tailored options for their specific complexions.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Galderma is a Swiss skincare brand founded in 1981 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.org

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Galderma products

People Say

The OrdinaryGalderma
  • Acne clearance and prevention Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up my skin — Galderma Benzac AC Mild Strength 2.5% Acne Gel”
    • “cystic acne gone — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
    • “stops new pimples — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
  • 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%”
  • Skin texture smoothing and 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 feels smooth — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
  • Redness reduction and soothing Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “no irritation at all — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “angry redness tones down — Galderma Benzac AC 5”
  • Dark spots and scar fading Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Dark spots have faded noticeably — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “helped lighten post-acne scars — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “scars are fading — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy finish Often MentionedNot noted
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Absorbs quickly — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
  • Dryness and peeling Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “incredibly drying — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “dried out skin — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “skin flaking off — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
  • Stinging, burning, and harshness Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “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%”
    • “burns upon application — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “face on fire — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
  • Breakouts and purging Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “got worse first — Galderma Epiduo Gel”
  • Bleaching of fabrics Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “bleached my towel — Galderma Benzac AC 5”
  • Pilling and texture issues Often MentionedNot noted
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Often MentionedNot noted
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs Galderma routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Galderma routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Galderma routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Galderma: which is better?

The Ordinary is a better choice for overall value, texture smoothing, and dry or sensitive skin care, while Galderma excels specifically in effective acne clearance. The Ordinary offers superior routine fit for dry and sensitive skin types.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Galderma?

The Ordinary focuses on a wide range of affordable serums and moisturizers that help smooth texture and fade dark spots, while Galderma specializes in effective acne-clearing treatments like Epiduo Gel. Both brands offer fragrance-free products, but Galderma routines may cause severe dryness and peeling compared to The Ordinary.

The Ordinary or Galderma for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for dry skin, where Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Galderma's High.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Galderma?

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing across the products on this page.

Which brand performs better for skin texture smoothing and improvement?

The Ordinary performs better for skin texture smoothing and improvement based on the reviewer themes on this page.

How do the founding years and countries of origin compare between The Ordinary and Galderma?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016, whereas Galderma was founded in Switzerland in 1981.

Which brand is better suited for fading dark spots and scars?

Both The Ordinary and Galderma provide an equal level for fading dark spots and scars, offering a Superior routine fit for skin with dark spots on the products on this page. Niacinamide may help in reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppressing melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Galderma for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary fits sensitive skin better than Galderma, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Galderma's High fit level.

The Ordinary or Galderma for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Galderma provide options for acne-prone skin, with Galderma focusing heavily on acne clearance and prevention through products on this page like Epiduo Gel and Benzac AC. Reviewers note that Galderma delivers effective acne-clearing serums, though it may cause severe dryness and peeling. The Ordinary offers a wide range of affordable serums and treatments with high to superior Lovi fit levels for acne-prone skin.

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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