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The Ordinary vs La Roche-Posay

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

The Ordinary and La Roche-Posay are two well-regarded skincare brands with distinct approaches to daily care. The Ordinary, founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., offers targeted serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane that fit dry skin and dry sensitive skin best. Conversely, La Roche-Posay is a French brand founded in 1975 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. that is loved for its nourishing serums, rich moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and targeted eye products formulated with glycerin, soothing thermal water, and niacinamide to suit mature skin and skin with dark spots best. While the Canadian line excels with single-ingredient formulations like niacinamide, mandelic acid, and lactic acid for specific needs, the French brand relies on carefully balanced active ingredients such as the Anthelios, Pure Vitamin C Cream, and MELA B3 Facial Gel Cleanser.

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

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La Roche-Posay is a French skincare brand founded in 1975 and owned by L'Oréal S.A. since 1989.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs La Roche-Posay products

People Say

The OrdinaryLa Roche-Posay
  • Other Product Benefits and Features Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “eliminated armpit odor — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “deflates morning bags — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “zero scent — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer”
  • Texture Improvement and Smoothing Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “lightweight and absorbs quickly — La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Serum”
    • “Skin feels smoother — La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer”
    • “skin feels plump — La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum”
    • “legs stopped flaking — La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Sensitive Skin Friendly Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Great retinol for beginners — La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum”
    • “Only cream that doesn't sting — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermallergo Eye Cream”
    • “no stinging — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • 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%”
  • Acne Clearing and Prevention Often MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “clears acne blemishes — La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser”
  • Texture and Pilling Issues Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pills like crazy — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer”
    • “Very sticky — La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum”
    • “leaves a tacky residue — La Roche-Posay Hyalu B5 Serum”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Other Product Issues and Inefficiencies Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Turns orange fast — La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C10 Serum”
    • “didn't see any significant improvement — La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Serum”
    • “Weaker retinol product — La Roche-Posay Retinol B3 Serum”
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
  • Skin Irritation and Stinging Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “burned my face — La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Face Moisturizer”
    • “dried my skin out — La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Serum”
    • “burning sensation — La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Packaging and Pump Issues Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “The 50ml tube runs out way too fast. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Wish it came in a pump — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “pump stops working — La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream”

The Ordinary vs La Roche-Posay routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs La Roche-Posay routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

The Ordinary vs La Roche-Posay routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or La Roche-Posay: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and prices on the products on this page, while La Roche-Posay does better with hydration and sensitive-skin friendly moisturizers.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and La Roche-Posay?

The Ordinary offers a more affordable product range with higher overall fit levels across various skin types, while La Roche-Posay tends to provide better hydration and sensitive-skin care. Additionally, The Ordinary is often praised for acne clearing, whereas La Roche-Posay sometimes receives complaints regarding skin irritation and strong fragrance.

The Ordinary or La Roche-Posay for dry skin?

For dry skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit, while La Roche-Posay reaches a High routine fit on this page.

The Ordinary or La Roche-Posay: which cleanser is better?

When it comes to cleansers, both The Ordinary and La Roche-Posay offer products on this page that help clean the skin effectively, with choices like Glycolipid Cream Cleanser for The Ordinary and Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser for La Roche-Posay.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or La Roche-Posay?

The Ordinary offers better affordability and value, as noted in the reviewer feedback on this page.

Between The Ordinary and La Roche-Posay, which brand is better suited for mature skin?

For mature skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit, whereas La Roche-Posay has a High routine fit. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

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

How do the fragrance options compare between The Ordinary and La Roche-Posay products?

The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, whereas 21 of the 35 La Roche-Posay products on this page list no fragrance.

Which brand performs better for addressing skin with dark spots according to the review themes?

The Ordinary performs better for addressing skin with dark spots according to the review themes.

The Ordinary or La Roche-Posay for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary provides a Superior routine fit, whereas La Roche-Posay offers a High fit.

The Ordinary or La Roche-Posay: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, The Ordinary tends to be better for value and pricing, while La Roche-Posay helps provide superior hydration and moisture for sensitive skin.

The Ordinary or La Roche-Posay for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Lovi finds The Ordinary Superior and La Roche-Posay High. Every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance, whereas 21 of the 35 products on the La Roche-Posay page list no fragrance.

The Ordinary or La Roche-Posay for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and La Roche-Posay help acne-prone skin, with routines on this page showing High fit levels. The Ordinary features affordable acne-clearing serums, while La Roche-Posay offers soothing, sensitive-skin friendly moisturizers.

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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