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The Ordinary vs Estée Lauder

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

The Ordinary and Estée Lauder are two distinct skincare lines under the same parent company, offering targeted approaches tailored to different needs. The Canadian brand centers its serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and dry sensitive skin best while also addressing acne-prone, dark-spot, and mature concerns with specific formulas. Meanwhile, the American brand provides a comprehensive range of moisturizers, serums, eye products, and cleansers expertly formulated with hydrating hyaluronic acid and glycerin to suit acne-prone and mature skin through nourishing properties and standout solutions. Ultimately, while both utilize key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin to enhance hydration and barrier function, they differ in their foundational product range, specific targeted formulations, and overall skin type focus.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Estée Lauder is an American skincare brand founded in 1946 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Estée Lauder products

People Say

The OrdinaryEstée Lauder
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up immediately — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “The formula is incredibly hydrating and leaves my skin feeling smooth. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
    • “texture is dreamy — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Texture and Pores Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “skin feels like a baby's bottom — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “silky smooth — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Value and Price Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “eliminated armpit odor — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
  • Additional Benefits and Performance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Nature's botox — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “included SPF 15 is ideal for mild sun exposure — Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturizer”
    • “stronger — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Absorbs quickly into the skin — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
    • “watery — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedNot 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”
  • High Price Point Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “way too expensive for the size — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Inconsistent Results or Formula Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “didn't notice any difference — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “just expensive water — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Pilling, Sticky, or Heavy Finish Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “tacky film — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
    • “Leaves a greasy film behind — Estée Lauder Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”

The Ordinary vs Estée Lauder routines for dry skin

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The Ordinary vs Estée Lauder routines for oily skin

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The Ordinary vs Estée Lauder routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder: which is better?

The Ordinary is often preferred for value, acne and blemish control, and hydration, while Estée Lauder excels in deep hydration. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers more affordable and effective serums, whereas Estée Lauder products tend to come at a high price point.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Estée Lauder?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers superior or high routine fit across almost all skin types, especially for dry, sensitive, and oily skin, while Estée Lauder achieves a superior fit mainly in specific routines like dry skin sunscreens or acne-prone toners. Reviewers highlight The Ordinary for affordability and effective blemish and dark spot fading, whereas Estée Lauder stands out for deep hydration and luxurious formulas despite a high price point.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder for dry skin?

For dry skin, The Ordinary provides a superior routine fit compared to Estée Lauder, which has an average routine fit on this page. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and moisture levels.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers better value, while Estée Lauder excels in deep hydration. For cleansers, The Ordinary provides options like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser with a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas Estée Lauder features cleansers like the Advanced Night Cleansing Gelée with a High fit for acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Estée Lauder?

The Ordinary offers better value and affordability for the products on this page, whereas reviewers frequently note that Estée Lauder has a high price point.

Between The Ordinary and Estée Lauder, which brand is better suited for mature skin?

The Ordinary is better suited for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Estée Lauder's High fit on the products on this page. Topical retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation and improve the appearance of naturally aged skin.

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

Do The Ordinary and Estée Lauder products contain added fragrance?

The products on this page by The Ordinary list no added fragrance in their ingredients, whereas Estée Lauder includes fragrance in 2 of its 14 products on this page.

Which brand performs better when it comes to hydration and moisture according to review themes?

According to the review themes on this page, Estée Lauder performs better than The Ordinary when it comes to hydration and moisture.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary provides a superior routine fit compared to Estée Lauder, which offers an average routine fit.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers superior routine fit levels for dry skin compared to Estée Lauder, which has an average fit for dry skin. The Ordinary features multiple moisturizers with a Superior dry skin fit, including Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Estée Lauder's High fit on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides gentle and non-irritating serums, and every product on this page lists no fragrance.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary provides a High routine fit for acne-prone skin, while Estée Lauder offers a High fit as well, making them equal overall. The Ordinary products on this page are noted for acne-clearing serums, whereas Estée Lauder provides gentle and non-drying 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

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