🇫🇷France

The Ordinary vs Caudalie

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

The Ordinary and Caudalie are skincare brands founded in Canada and France, respectively. The Ordinary is known for serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while Caudalie is cherished for its botanical serums, refreshing toners, nourishing moisturizers, delicate eye products, and more, all elevated by antioxidant-rich grapevine extracts. The former fits dry skin and dry sensitive skin best, and the latter suits oily skin and dry skin best by balancing excess oil while replenishing essential moisture. They differ primarily in their core ingredients and geographic origins, offering distinct approaches to targeted concerns like acne, dark spots, and aging.

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

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Caudalie is a French skincare brand founded in 1995.

en.wikipedia.orgen.caudalie.compitchbook.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Caudalie products

People Say

The OrdinaryCaudalie
  • Redness and sensitivity Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum”
    • “calms my redness — Caudalie Grape Water”
  • Acne clearing and blemish reduction 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”
    • “cleared my hormonal acne — Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Gel Cleanser”
  • Skin smoothing and texture improvement Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Caudalie Instant Detox Mask”
  • Great value and affordable 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%”
  • Pleasant scent and refreshing aromas Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “smells like a spa — Caudalie Beauty Elixir”
    • “gives a glass-skin look — Caudalie Beauty Elixir”
    • “wakes up my skin — Caudalie Beauty Elixir”
  • Hydration and plumping effects Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Provides intense hydration, smooths fine lines, and gives the skin an even, radiant appearance. — Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream”
    • “intense hydration — Caudalie Grape Water”
    • “skin feels plump — Caudalie Resveratrol-Lift Firming Cashmere Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Texture and pilling issues under makeup Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “tacky finish — Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum”
    • “does not remove make-up — Caudalie Vinoclean Instant Foaming Cleanser”
    • “Incompatible with my makeup. — Caudalie Premier Cru The Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • High price point and value concerns Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “expensive — Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum”
  • Unpleasant scent or fragrance issues 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”
    • “smell is strong — Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Toner”
  • Stinging, harshness and irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “burns my eyes — Caudalie Beauty Elixir”
    • “bit dry for daily use — Caudalie Vinopure Purifying Toner”
    • “woke up swollen — Caudalie Vinoperfect Brightening Eye Cream”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

The Ordinary vs Caudalie routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Caudalie routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Caudalie routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Caudalie: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and superior routine fit across most skin types, while Caudalie is often praised for refreshing aromas and hydration effects. The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance, whereas 8 of Caudalie's products contain added fragrance.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Caudalie?

The Ordinary is often a better choice for budget-conscious shoppers and acne clearing, while Caudalie is frequently preferred for pleasant scents and hydration effects.

The Ordinary or Caudalie for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for dry skin, offering a Superior routine compared to Caudalie's High fit on the products on this page. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and hydration signs.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

The Ordinary or Caudalie: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Caudalie offer cleansers, but the products on this page show that The Ordinary achieves a High routine fit for dry skin and dry sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Caudalie?

The Ordinary offers much better affordability and value across the products on this page compared to Caudalie, as high pricing is a frequent complaint for Caudalie while budget-friendly pricing is a key benefit of The Ordinary.

Between The Ordinary and Caudalie, which brand offers a better routine fit for dry sensitive skin?

The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit for dry sensitive skin, whereas Caudalie has a high fit. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides great value and affordable pricing, while every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

How do the fragrance options and ingredients differ between The Ordinary and Caudalie products?

Every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas 8 of 20 Caudalie products on this page list added fragrance. Key ingredients across the products for both brands include hyaluronic acid and squalane.

Which brand performs better regarding skin smoothing, texture improvement, and reducing redness?

The Ordinary does better regarding skin smoothing and texture improvement, while both brands perform equally on redness and sensitivity.

The Ordinary or Caudalie for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and Caudalie achieve a Superior routine fit for oily skin. The products on this page help manage oil and blemishes effectively with targeted active ingredients.

The Ordinary or Caudalie: which moisturizer is better?

When comparing moisturizers, both brands offer strong options, but The Ordinary achieves a Superior routine fit for dry skin while Caudalie achieves a High fit. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides great value and affordability, whereas Caudalie is frequently cited for its high price point.

The Ordinary or Caudalie for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for sensitive skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Caudalie's High fit level. The products on this page list no fragrance, which helps minimize potential irritation.

The Ordinary or Caudalie for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a better choice for acne-prone skin, as the products on this page help with acne clearing and blemish reduction better than Caudalie. Reviewers also note that The Ordinary offers great value and affordable pricing for its serums.

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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