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The Ordinary vs Clinique

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

The Ordinary and Clinique are distinct skincare brands under The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. umbrella that offer targeted solutions for varied complexions. The Canadian brand centers on serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners featuring hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry skin and dry sensitive skin best. Conversely, the American brand is widely loved for its moisturizers, serums, makeup removers, and eye products incorporating hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and caffeine, which suit dry sensitive skin and oily skin. While both rely on shared hydrating ingredients to support skin health, they differ in their specific formulations and targeted approach to individual skincare concerns.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Clinique products

People Say

The OrdinaryClinique
  • Great value and price 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%”
    • “lasts forever — Clinique all about clean”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No stinging eyes — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “doesn't dry out — Clinique all about clean”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Improves skin texture 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 feels silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
    • “Absorbs quickly without feeling sticky — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “skin feels soft and smooth — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “glass skin look — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Clears acne and blemishes Often MentionedNot 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”
  • Pricey or expensive for brand Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “feels sticky to the touch — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “feels a bit sticky — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • 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”
    • “Woke up with whiteheads on my chin — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
  • Skin irritation and stinging Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Face stung and became red — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Clinique: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and texture improvement, whereas Clinique excels in hydration and gentle formulations. Across the products on this page, The Ordinary provides superior routine fit for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, skin with dark spots, and dry sensitive skin, while Clinique achieves a high fit for dry sensitive skin.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Clinique?

The Ordinary offers superior value and targets texture and blemishes, whereas Clinique is known for lightweight hydration and gentle formulations. Lovi rates The Ordinary as having a Superior routine fit for most skin types on the products on this page, while Clinique reaches a High fit level.

The Ordinary or Clinique for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for dry skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Clinique's High. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clinique: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer cleansers on this page, but they cater to different needs with different fit levels. For instance, The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser has a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas Clinique All About Clean cleanser has a Warning fit for dry skin and dry sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Clinique?

The Ordinary is more affordable than Clinique, as the brand is noted for offering great value and budget-friendly serums.

Which brand has a better routine fit for dry sensitive skin?

The Ordinary has a superior routine fit for dry sensitive skin compared to Clinique, which has a high fit. The Ordinary features targeted ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane which help improve skin hydration.

Molecules, 2009Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clinique for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for sensitive skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Clinique's High rating. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers great value, while Clinique is praised for being gentle and effective.

The Ordinary or Clinique: which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary offers superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Clinique. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clinique for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering superior routines on this page compared to Clinique's average fit. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides affordable acne-clearing serums, whereas Clinique is more often associated with a higher price point.

The Ordinary or Clinique for mature skin?

Both The Ordinary and Clinique fit mature skin well, with routine fit levels of Superior for The Ordinary and High for Clinique. The Ordinary offers great value and effective texture-smoothing and dark-spot-fading serums, while Clinique is praised for its hydrating moisturizers.

The Ordinary or Clinique for skin with dark spots?

The Ordinary is the better choice for skin with dark spots, as the products on this page achieve a Superior fit level for this concern. Additionally, niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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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