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The Ordinary vs SkinCeuticals

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

The Ordinary and SkinCeuticals are prominent skincare brands offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and other formulations. Both suit dry skin and dry sensitive skin best through key ingredients like glycerin, which significantly increases skin hydration and barrier function, hyaluronic acid, which lengthens the duration of wrinkle reduction, and squalane or dimethicone. While the Canadian brand focuses on affordable single-ingredient staples, the American brand is loved for its advanced, targeted formulations.

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

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SkinCeuticals is an American skincare brand founded in 1994 and owned by L'Oréal since 2005.

loreal.comskinceuticals-za.compitchbook.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs SkinCeuticals products

People Say

The OrdinarySkinCeuticals
  • Smoothes 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”
    • “definitely gave me a glass skin texture — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
    • “pores appeared less noticeable — SkinCeuticals P-Tiox”
  • Clears acne and blemishes 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”
    • “cystic acne shrinking — SkinCeuticals Blemish + Age Defense”
  • Great 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%”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Hydrated my skin beautifully. — SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2”
    • “Pure hydration in a bottle — SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel”
    • “skin feels super hydrated — SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight absorption Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly — SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense Serum”
    • “absorbs very quickly — SkinCeuticals P-Tiox”
    • “sank in quickly — SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “No irritation at all — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Perfect starting strength — SkinCeuticals Retinol 0.3”
  • High price point Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Too pricey for the hype — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “feels tacky — SkinCeuticals H.A. Intensifier”
    • “slight tackiness — SkinCeuticals P-Tiox”
    • “sticky residue — SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Slow or no results Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “not a miracle worker overnight — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Didn't do anything special — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “haven't noticed much change on the deeper lines — SkinCeuticals P-TOX”
  • Stinging and irritation Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “caused redness — SkinCeuticals P-Tiox”
    • “I tried a sample of this stuff and it make my face so red! — SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2”
    • “burned my eyes — SkinCeuticals A.G.E. Advanced Eye”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

The Ordinary vs SkinCeuticals routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs SkinCeuticals routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs SkinCeuticals routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or SkinCeuticals: which is better?

Both brands offer fantastic options, as the products on this page provide an equal level of routine fit for dry, oily, combination, mature, dark spot-prone, and dry sensitive skin. The Ordinary helps clear acne and offers great value, while SkinCeuticals provides lightweight absorption and hydration.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and SkinCeuticals?

The Ordinary offers budget-friendly products with standout performance for acne and gentle care, whereas SkinCeuticals specializes in higher-priced formulas known for hydration and lightweight absorption.

The Ordinary or SkinCeuticals for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and SkinCeuticals offer a Superior routine fit for dry skin. The Ordinary features affordable and fragrance-free options like the Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA moisturizer, while SkinCeuticals provides hydrating products such as the Hydrating B5 Gel and Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2.

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

The Ordinary or SkinCeuticals: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and SkinCeuticals offer cleansers on this page that rate high or superior for many skin types, with The Ordinary noted for great value and SkinCeuticals offering lightweight hydration.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or SkinCeuticals?

The Ordinary offers much greater value and affordability for shoppers, while SkinCeuticals is frequently noted for its high price point.

Which brand is better for sensitive skin, The Ordinary or SkinCeuticals?

The Ordinary fits sensitive skin better than SkinCeuticals, offering a Superior routine compared to SkinCeuticals' High level. Reviewers note that The Ordinary is gentle and non-irritating, and every product on its page lists no fragrance.

Do The Ordinary products have fragrance like SkinCeuticals does?

Every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas SkinCeuticals includes fragrance in 3 of its 37 products on this page.

How do the routines for dry skin compare between The Ordinary and SkinCeuticals?

Both The Ordinary and SkinCeuticals offer a superior routine fit for dry skin. The Ordinary routines on this page feature products like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA and Glycolipid Cream Cleanser, while SkinCeuticals routines incorporate options such as Soothing Cleanser Foam and Hydrating B5 Gel.

The Ordinary or SkinCeuticals for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and SkinCeuticals offer a Superior routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides great value and acne-clearing benefits, while SkinCeuticals delivers lightweight absorption and hydration.

The Ordinary or SkinCeuticals: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and SkinCeuticals offer moisturizers on this page that achieve a Superior fit for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, and oily skin.

The Ordinary or SkinCeuticals for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary offers a superior routine for sensitive skin, whereas SkinCeuticals provides a high fit. Reviewers note that The Ordinary delivers gentle and non-irritating serums across the products on this page.

The Ordinary or SkinCeuticals for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering a Superior routine compared to SkinCeuticals' High fit level. The Ordinary products on this page help clear acne and blemishes while providing great value, whereas reviewers note that SkinCeuticals has a higher price point and can cause stinging or irritation.

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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