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The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea

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

The Ordinary and Dr. Althea are skincare brands founded in Canada in 2016 and Korea in 2014, respectively. The Canadian line offers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the Korean brand is beloved for thoughtful moisturizers, gentle cleansers, effective makeup removers, and nourishing serums driven by soothing formulas. Both suit dry skin best, though the former also fits dry sensitive skin, and the latter suits acne-prone skin. They differ in their specific offerings, as the first brand provides specialized treatments like Niacinamide, Mandelic Acid, and Lactic Acid for acne, dark spots, and mature skin, while the second offers standout solutions such as the Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser, 345 Relief Cream, and Vitamin C Boosting Serum.

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

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Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea products

People Say

The OrdinaryDr. Althea
  • Gentle and non-irritating formula Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Texture smoothing and glow improvement 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”
    • “skin looks smoother and brighter — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “Melts instantly — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
  • Great 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%”
  • Redness reduction and soothing Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “calms redness — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “instantly calms irritated skin — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “perfect for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “consistently hydrated mornings — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “feels hydrated — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight absorption and texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Breakouts and purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “broke me out — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “gave me cystic acne — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Makeup pilling and compatibility issues Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “pills under makeup — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “leaves a tacky film — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which is better?

Both brands are great, but The Ordinary is better for budget-friendly routines and dark spot fading, while Dr. Althea does better with gentle, soothing moisturizers and lightweight hydration.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Dr. Althea?

The Ordinary is a Canadian brand known for affordable, targeted serums with High to Superior fit levels for dry and sensitive skin, whereas Dr. Althea is a South Korean brand focusing on gentle, soothing moisturizers and cleansers that perform best for acne-prone and mature skin.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea are a Superior fit for dry skin, offering gentle moisturizers and cleansers that help hydrate and soothe dry complexions.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which cleanser is better?

Dr. Althea does better for gentle cleansers on the products on this page. Lovi rates the Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser from Dr. Althea as a Superior fit for acne-prone, oily, combination, and dry skin, and High for sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Dr. Althea?

The Ordinary does better for great value and price among the products on this page.

Which brand performs better for hydration and plumping according to review themes?

Dr. Althea performs better for hydration and plumping according to the review themes on this page.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of The Ordinary and Dr. Althea compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and has been owned by The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021, whereas Dr. Althea was founded in South Korea in 2014 and is owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd.

Which brand has fewer issues with makeup pilling and compatibility?

The Ordinary does better than Dr. Althea on makeup pilling and compatibility, since Dr. Althea reviewers sometimes note makeup pilling and compatibility issues.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for oily skin?

The Ordinary is the better fit for oily skin, achieving a Superior routine fit level compared to Dr. Althea's High level.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea offer great moisturizers, with The Ordinary featuring options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA and Dr. Althea featuring the popular 345 Relief Cream. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine level compared to Dr. Althea's High level. The products on this page for The Ordinary are formulated without fragrance.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea achieve a Superior routine fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. The Ordinary features a wide range of popular acne-clearing serums, while Dr. Althea is known for gentle cleansers and soothing 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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