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The Ordinary vs NIVEA

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

The Ordinary and NIVEA are established skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily care. The Canadian brand centers its serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry skin and dry sensitive skin best. Meanwhile, the German brand is dearly loved for its reliable sunscreens, targeted serums, and nourishing moisturizers formulated with skin-smoothing glycerin, fitting oily acne-prone skin and oily skin best. Ultimately, they differ through their core formulations, ingredient combinations, and targeted textures.

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

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NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs NIVEA products

People Say

The OrdinaryNIVEA
  • Great value and price Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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%”
    • “Works better than expensive luxury creams — NIVEA Creme”
  • Smooths skin texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “skin feels squeaky clean and soft — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • Clears acne and blemishes Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “cleared my complexion in 7 days — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
    • “doesn't leave skin dry or stretched — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
    • “skin feels moisturized — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Versatile body and multi-use application Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Use it on face, body, hands, and feet — NIVEA Creme”
    • “Applying is easy, you can use on your face, hands, and body. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “eliminated armpit odor — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Absorbs quickly — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
  • Oily residue Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “sits on top of the skin and does not absorb — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Scent is too overpowering for sensitive noses — NIVEA Creme”
  • Causes breakouts Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “gave me cystic acne — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”

The Ordinary vs NIVEA routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs NIVEA routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs NIVEA routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or NIVEA: which is better?

Both The Ordinary and NIVEA are great choices, but The Ordinary has Superior routine fit across all skin types on this page. Hyaluronic acid helps hydrate and plump the skin.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

What is the difference between The Ordinary and NIVEA?

The Ordinary delivers better overall value and great fits across skin types for the products on this page, while NIVEA stands out for deep hydration and multi-use moisture. Hyaluronic acid helps improve moisture levels and supports skin healing in formulas from both brands.

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

The Ordinary or NIVEA for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi finds The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit and NIVEA has a High routine fit. Hyaluronic acid helps provide hydration and moisture for dry skin types.

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

The Ordinary or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, both The Ordinary and NIVEA offer great options depending on your skin type. The products on this page show that The Ordinary fits dry skin best with a Superior level, while NIVEA offers High fit levels for dry skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or NIVEA?

The Ordinary is more affordable, offering great value and price compared to NIVEA according to the review themes on this page.

Which brand has more products containing fragrance?

NIVEA has more products containing fragrance, with 6 of its 9 products listing fragrance on this page, while every product from The Ordinary lists no fragrance.

How do the founding years and parent companies of The Ordinary and NIVEA compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. In comparison, NIVEA was founded earlier in Germany in 1911 and is owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA.

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

NIVEA performs better for hydration and plumping according to review themes. Lovi gives NIVEA a High routine fit for dry skin, while the products on this page help deliver intense deep hydration.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and NIVEA are good for oily skin, with Lovi giving The Ordinary a Superior fit and NIVEA a High fit. The products on this page help hydrate and smooth the skin without being too heavy.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for sensitive skin?

Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior for sensitive skin, while NIVEA is High. The products on this page from The Ordinary list no fragrance, helping to avoid irritation.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Lovi rates both The Ordinary and NIVEA as having a Superior routine fit. Reviewers say that The Ordinary offers great value and price for its blemish-clearing products, while NIVEA provides versatile multi-use 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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