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The Ordinary vs RoC

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

The Ordinary and RoC are accessible skincare brands offering diverse serums, moisturizers, and cleansers built around proven ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and retinol. The Canadian brand centers its formulations on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, making it particularly well suited for dry skin, sensitive skin, and targeted concerns like acne, dark spots, and aging. Meanwhile, the French brand relies on glycerin and retinol to deliver deeply nourishing care that best serves mature skin and dry skin. Both lines differ through their distinct heritage and active profiles, inviting readers to weigh specific ingredient benefits against individual hydration and anti-aging goals.

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

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RoC is a French skincare brand founded in 1957 and owned by Bridgepoint Group plc since 2024.

en.wikipedia.orgprnewswire.combeautymatter.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs RoC products

People Say

The OrdinaryRoC
  • Skin Texture Smoothing Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “diminished my forehead lines — RoC Derm Correxion Fill + Treat Serum”
    • “face looked smoother — RoC Daily Resurfacing Disks”
  • Great Value and 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%”
    • “Worth the price — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Hydration and Plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin is no longer dry — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream”
    • “Areas stay hydrated all day — RoC Multi Correxion Hydrate + Plump Eye Cream”
    • “My skin looks smoother and hydrated. — RoC Derm Correxion Contour Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Gentle and Non-Irritating Formula Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “doesn't leave my skin feeling tight — RoC BARRIER RENEW® GEL-TO-FOAM CLEANSER”
    • “No irritation for me — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Effective Wrinkle and Fine Line Reduction Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “wrinkles look less deep — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “Fine lines definitely softer — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “crow's feet are fading — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum”
  • Matte and Non-Greasy Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs nicely — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
    • “Absorbs easily and quickly — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly without residue — RoC Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Unpleasant Scent and Fragrance Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “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 — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
  • Skin Irritation and Harshness Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “ruined moisture barrier — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “Caused breakouts — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “caused redness and burning — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “caused redness and stinging — RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream”
  • Sticky and Tacky Finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “slightly tacky feel — RoC Multi Correxion Revive + Glow Daily Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs RoC routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs RoC routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs RoC routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or RoC: which is better?

Both The Ordinary and RoC offer great options depending on your skincare goals, with The Ordinary providing better value and RoC excelling in hydration and wrinkle reduction. Retinol helps reduce signs of aging by stimulating collagen accumulation in aged skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Archives of Dermatology, 2007

What is the difference between The Ordinary and RoC?

Both The Ordinary and RoC offer great options, but The Ordinary provides superior value while RoC excels in wrinkle reduction and matte finishes. Reviewers note that RoC may cause skin irritation, whereas The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance.

The Ordinary or RoC for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and RoC achieve a Superior routine fit level for dry skin. The Ordinary features fragrance-free options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA and Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, while RoC offers hydrating choices such as BARRIER RENEW AM MOISTURIZER SPF 30 and Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin moisture and anti-aging signs in both brands.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or RoC: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page for The Ordinary and RoC both offer high fits for cleansers across skin types. The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser is gentle and suits dry to oily skin, while the RoC Barrier Renew Gel-to-Foam Cleanser also helps clean effectively.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or RoC?

The Ordinary provides better value and pricing among the products on this page.

Which brand has more products containing added fragrance, The Ordinary or RoC?

The products on this page from RoC have more items containing added fragrance, with 10 of 12 listing no fragrance and two containing it, while The Ordinary lists no fragrance in any of its products.

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

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021. RoC was founded earlier in France in 1957 and is currently owned by Bridgepoint Group plc as of 2024.

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

RoC performs better for hydration and plumping among the products on this page. Reviewers often mention its hydrating and soothing eye products.

The Ordinary or RoC for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit while RoC has a High routine fit, making The Ordinary the better choice on this page. Retinol helps reduce signs of aging in skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

The Ordinary or RoC: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and RoC offer great moisturizers, and Lovi rates their routines for dry skin as Superior for both brands. The Ordinary features fragrance-free options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, while RoC includes formulas like Retinol Correxion Line Smoothing Max Hydration Cream that help reduce wrinkles and fine lines.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

The Ordinary or RoC for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both The Ordinary and RoC are great choices, with Lovi fit levels of Superior and High respectively. The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance, which helps minimize irritation, while RoC offers hydrating options with ingredients like glycerin.

The Ordinary or RoC for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and RoC achieve a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary features affordable acne-clearing serums, while RoC provides non-greasy and lightweight formulas.

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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