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Anua vs The Ordinary

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

Anua and The Ordinary are distinct skincare lines founded respectively in 2019 and 2016, offering targeted toners, cleansers, serums, and moisturizers. The Korean brand builds its formulations around soothing heartleaf, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to suit dry and oily acne-prone skin, whereas the Canadian brand relies on glycerin, squalane, and hyaluronic acid for dry and dry sensitive skin. Through these unique ingredient profiles, both lines address concerns like dark spots, acne, and maturity while differing in their regional origins and specialized hydration properties.

Anua is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2019 and owned by The Founders Inc..

prnewswire.comkedglobal.comtracxn.comv.daum.net

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

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

Popular Anua vs The Ordinary products

People Say

AnuaThe Ordinary
  • Texture and Pores Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Dissolved my sebaceous filaments immediately — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “Skin feels super smooth — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “complexion feels so plump — Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Acid Capsule 100 Serum”
    • “leaves skin plump — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “Drink of water for my skin — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Affordable Price and Value Not notedMostly 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%”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Significant reduction in hyperpigmentation from acne scarring. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “Gives a nice healthy glow — Anua PEACH 70% NIACINAMIDE SERUM”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “scars lightened up quite a bit — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “melts into skin — Anua Heartleaf Silky Moisture Sun Cream”
    • “Feels like water, not heavy oil — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”
    • “Absorbs quickly without stickiness — Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Sticky or Tacky Finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Left such a gross tacky finish that refused to dry. — Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum”
    • “leaves a tacky finish — Anua BHA 2% Gentle Exfoliating Toner”
    • “tacky finish — Anua Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Breakouts and Acne Concerns Often MentionedRarely 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”
    • “Wrecked my skin barrier — Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil”

Anua vs The Ordinary routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Anua vs The Ordinary routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Anua vs The Ordinary routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

Anua or The Ordinary: which is better?

The Ordinary offers superior routine fit for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, dry sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots, whereas both brands have equal fit for acne-prone and oily acne-prone skin.

What is the difference between Anua and The Ordinary?

Anua products on this page stand out for hydration, moisture, and lightweight, fast-absorbing toners, whereas The Ordinary products on this page offer superior affordability and value. Lovi gives The Ordinary superior routine fit for dry, sensitive, mature, and combination skin types, while both brands achieve high fit levels for acne-prone skin.

Anua or The Ordinary for dry skin?

The Ordinary has a superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Anua. Both brands feature products that help with hydration, utilizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid to support skin moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Anua or The Ordinary: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer solid cleansers for the products on this page, but they cater to different skin needs. The Ordinary features options like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser that helps provide a Superior fit for dry skin, while Anua focuses on heartleaf-infused formulas that help soothe oily and acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Anua or The Ordinary?

The Ordinary is more affordable than Anua, as the products on this page offer affordable price and value.

Anua or The Ordinary: which brand is better for texture and pores?

Both Anua and The Ordinary are equal for texture and pores based on the products on this page.

Anua or The Ordinary for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer solid options for sensitive skin, but Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and Anua as High for this skin type. The Ordinary features a Soothing & Barrier Support Serum, while Anua focuses on calming ingredients like heartleaf across the products on this page.

Anua or The Ordinary: which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Anua. Both brands include key moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin across the products on this page.

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

Anua or The Ordinary for skin with dark spots?

The Ordinary offers a Superior routine fit for skin with dark spots, whereas Anua has a High fit. Ingredients like niacinamide help reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Anua or The Ordinary for mature skin?

The Ordinary is better suited for mature skin on this page, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Anua's High fit. Ingredients like retinol help improve the appearance of aging skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

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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