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The Ordinary vs Clarins

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

The Ordinary and Clarins are two distinct skincare brands offering targeted serums, nourishing moisturizers, and refreshing toners to address various complexions. The Canadian brand centers its formulations around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit dry, dry sensitive, acne-prone, and mature skin, whereas the French brand harnesses soothing shea and replenishing squalane for sensitive and mature skin, as well as acne-prone types. While the former relies on science-driven actives for targeted concerns like dark spots and fine lines, the latter utilizes natural elements to provide gentle, harmonious care.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Clarins is a French skincare brand founded in 1954 and owned by Famille C (Groupe Clarins).

groupeclarins.comen.wikipedia.orghappi.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Clarins products

People Say

The OrdinaryClarins
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “eliminated armpit odor — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “absorbs immediately — Clarins Double Serum Eye”
    • “sinks in immediately — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “keeps skin moist — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
    • “woke up with baby soft skin — Clarins Multi-Active Nuit”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and Price 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%”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
  • Soothing and Calming Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “deflates morning bags — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “No irritation at all — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “doesn't make me greasy — Clarins Double Serum Light Texture”
  • Glow and Radiance Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “skin looks brighter immediately — Clarins Cryo-Flash Cream-Mask”
    • “Gives off the most stunning natural radiance I've ever come across. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “eyes look more open — Clarins Total Eye Lift”
    • “tight, bright and shiny — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “way too expensive — Clarins Double Serum”
  • Strong Scent and Fragrance 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”
    • “smells like perfume — Clarins Multi-Active Jour”
  • Sticky and Greasy Residue Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “sat on top of skin — Clarins Double Serum”
    • “Described as having a sticky, gel-like texture. — Clarins Beauty Flash Balm”
    • “Texture too thick and heavy — Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Ineffective Results and Performance Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Didn't do anything special — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “didn't see a lift — Clarins Total Eye Lift”

The Ordinary vs Clarins routines for dry skin

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The Ordinary vs Clarins routines for oily skin

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The Ordinary vs Clarins routines for combination skin

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Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Clarins: which is better?

The Ordinary is generally better for budget-friendly routines, acne control, and fragrance-free formulations, while Clarins is often preferred for luxurious textures, hydration, and glow-boosting results. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers superior value and blemish-clearing serums, whereas Clarins excels in providing rich, hydrating moisturizers and glowing finishes.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Clarins?

The Ordinary offers better value and acne control with fragrance-free formulas, whereas Clarins provides more luxurious textures and glowing hydration with frequent fragrances. The products on this page show that The Ordinary fits dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, and dark-spot skin at a superior level, while Clarins reaches a high level for most of these skin types.

The Ordinary or Clarins for dry skin?

For dry skin, The Ordinary provides a Superior routine fit compared to Clarins, which offers a High fit. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and moisture retention for dry skin types.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clarins: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary offers a better cleanser option on this page, specifically the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser, which has a High fit level for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, oily skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, oily acne-prone skin, and acne-prone skin. In comparison, Clarins cleansers like the Hydrating Gentle Foaming Cleanser have more limited High fit levels, such as for dry and sensitive skin, while others like the Gentle Foaming Cleanser fit sensitive skin at only an Average level.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Clarins?

The Ordinary offers more affordable products compared to Clarins, standing out for its great value serums. Reviewers frequently note high price points as a drawback for Clarins while praising the budget-friendly nature of The Ordinary.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, The Ordinary or Clarins?

The Ordinary offers more fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In contrast, only 1 of 24 products on the Clarins page lists no fragrance.

The Ordinary or Clarins for fading dark spots?

The Ordinary is generally better for fading dark spots as its products on this page excel in dark spot fading and offer superior fit for skin with dark spots. Additionally, ingredients like niacinamide in The Ordinary's range help reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Clarins for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a better choice for sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Clarins's High fit level. Furthermore, every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, while almost all Clarins products contain fragrance.

The Ordinary or Clarins: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers better value, while Clarins is often praised for its hydrating and glowing moisturizers. Hyaluronic acid helps provide anti-aging and antioxidant effects in skin care formulations.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clarins for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Clarins offer a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, but The Ordinary is generally preferred for acne and blemish control. The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, whereas Clarins formulas often include added fragrance.

The Ordinary or Clarins for mature skin?

The Ordinary is better suited for mature skin than Clarins, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Clarins' High fit level. Both brands include retinol-based products that help stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged skin.

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

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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