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The Ordinary vs Cetaphil

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

The Ordinary and Cetaphil are accessible skincare brands that offer reliable cleansers, moisturizers, serums, and more, built around key ingredients like glycerin, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. While the Canadian brand fits dry skin and dry sensitive skin best with targeted acids and squalane, the American brand suits combination skin and acne-prone skin best through balanced, skin-friendly compositions. Both brands nourish the skin effectively, with glycerin increasing hydration and barrier function, while their distinct active ingredients address concerns such as dark spots, wrinkles, and aging signs.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Cetaphil products

People Say

The OrdinaryCetaphil
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Affordable value Mostly MentionedRarely 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%”
    • “Bar lasts a long time — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
  • Hydration and moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft, not tight. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “absorbs quickly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Skin texture improvement Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “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%”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Acne and blemish clearing Often MentionedRarely 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”
    • “Helps to remove pimple and acne. — Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser”
  • Skin irritation and stinging Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “burns my face now — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “new formula burns — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “burned my face — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Unpleasant scent 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”
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
  • Sticky and tacky finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “leaves a tacky finish — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
    • “feels tacky — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which is better?

The Ordinary offers superior routine fit for dry, sensitive, and mature skin types on the products on this page, while Cetaphil is known for gentle, non-stripping cleansers and hydrating moisturizers. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides affordable value and skin texture improvement, whereas Cetaphil is appreciated for being gentle on sensitive skin.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Cetaphil?

The Ordinary focuses on affordable serums for skin texture and dark spots where Lovi fit is Superior, whereas Cetaphil focuses on gentle cleansers and moisturizers where Lovi fit is High.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for dry skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Cetaphil's High level. The Ordinary features a range of products that helps hydrate dry skin, backed by studies on key ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer cleansers that fit sensitive, dry, and oily skin types well, but reviewers note that Cetaphil cleansers are generally more gentle and non-stripping. The Ordinary products on this page are known for their affordable value and focus on specific skin concerns.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary offers more affordable value compared to Cetaphil, as supported by reviewer feedback on the products on this page.

Between The Ordinary and Cetaphil, which brand is better for improving skin texture?

The Ordinary does better for skin texture improvement compared to Cetaphil. Reviewers often mention its texture-smoothing serums as a key benefit on this page.

Which brand performs better for dry sensitive skin: The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary performs better for dry sensitive skin, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to Cetaphil's High fit level.

Which of the two brands offers products with a fragrance-free option across almost all items?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer fragrance-free options across almost all of the products on this page, as every item listed for The Ordinary and all but one product for Cetaphil are formulated without fragrance.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary achieves a Superior routine fit, whereas Cetaphil achieves a High routine fit. The products on this page for The Ordinary are well suited for managing oily skin, with reviewers noting benefits like acne-clearing serums.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer great moisturizers, with The Ordinary rated Superior for dry skin compared to Cetaphil's High fit level. The Ordinary products on this page are fragrance-free, whereas Cetaphil generally focuses on providing gentle, hydrating, non-greasy moisture across its range.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Cetaphil's High fit on this page.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil have a High fit level for acne-prone skin. The Ordinary offers affordable serums that help with acne-clearing and texture-smoothing.

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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