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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 skincare brands offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and more, built around key ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. The Ordinary suits dry and dry sensitive skin best with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the American brand suits combination and oily acne-prone skin best with nourishing ingredients like panthenol. Both lines differ in their targeted solutions, where the Canadian brand features specialized formulas for acne, dark spots, and mature skin, and the latter brand relies on its thoughtful lineup to balance moisture without congestion.

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 · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% 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?

Both brands are great choices, but The Ordinary is generally better for improving skin texture and clearing acne, while Cetaphil is superior for gentle cleansing and hydration.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Cetaphil?

The Ordinary offers superior value and effectiveness for improving skin texture and clearing acne, while Cetaphil excels in gentle hydration and soothing sensitive skin. Reviewers note that Cetaphil provides lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers, whereas The Ordinary is frequently praised for its affordable, targeted serums.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas Cetaphil has a High fit level. The Ordinary focuses heavily on targeted treatments like hyaluronic acid and natural moisturizing factors to support hydration. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which cleanser is better?

When it comes to cleansers, both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer great options, but Cetaphil is generally known for being especially gentle on sensitive skin. The Ordinary features affordable cleansers like the Squalane Cleanser and Glycolipid Cream Cleanser, while Cetaphil provides widely praised gentle formulas like the Gentle Skin Cleanser and Daily Facial Cleanser.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary offers more affordable value among the products on this page compared to Cetaphil, as supported by reviewer feedback.

Which brand performs better for improving skin texture, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary performs better for improving skin texture.

Do products from The Ordinary or Cetaphil contain fragrance?

The products on this page from The Ordinary list no fragrance. Most products on this page from Cetaphil also list no fragrance, except for the Oily Skin Cleanser.

Which brand is better suited for addressing skin with dark spots?

The Ordinary is better suited for addressing skin with dark spots because the products on this page achieve a Superior routine fit for that skin type compared to Cetaphil's High fit. Topical niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for oily skin, whereas Cetaphil has a High fit level. The Ordinary offers products on this page that help with oil control and texture improvement.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer great moisturizers, but The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit for dry skin on this page while Cetaphil is High. Cetaphil moisturizers are frequently praised for providing hydration and moisture with a non-greasy feel.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for sensitive skin, whereas Cetaphil is a High fit.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil are well-suited for acne-prone skin, with the products on this page achieving a High fit level for this skin type.

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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