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The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea

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

The Ordinary and Dr. Althea are distinct skincare options, with the Canadian brand founded in 2016 offering targeted serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the Korean brand founded in 2014 is widely loved for its thoughtfully crafted moisturizers, cleansers, makeup removers, and serums featuring gentle, nourishing formulas. Both lines suit dry skin and dry sensitive or mature skin best, though the former relies on ingredients like squalane to increase epidermal thickness and collagen production, and the latter offers soothing hydration and care through standout solutions like the 345 Relief Cream. Ultimately, they differ through the former's specific acid and vitamin treatments for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin versus the latter's harmonious ingredients supporting a balanced and healthy complexion.

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

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Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea products

People Say

The OrdinaryDr. Althea
  • Gentle and non-irritating formula Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Texture smoothing and glow improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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%”
    • “Melts instantly — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
  • Great value and price 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%”
  • Redness reduction and soothing Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “calms redness — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “instantly calms irritated skin — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “perfect for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “consistently hydrated mornings — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “feels hydrated — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight absorption and texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Breakouts and purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “broke me out — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “gave me cystic acne — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Makeup pilling and compatibility issues Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “pills under makeup — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “leaves a tacky film — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and texture-smoothing results, while Dr. Althea provides superior redness reduction and soothing care.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Dr. Althea?

The Ordinary offers a wider range of targeted serums with great value, while Dr. Althea focuses on gentle, soothing formulas that help with hydration and lightweight absorption. Lovi rates The Ordinary superior for dry sensitive skin and skin with dark spots, and both brands equal for dry skin and mature skin.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea offer a Superior routine fit for dry skin. The Ordinary features key hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin, while Dr. Althea provides soothing and hydrating moisturizers.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which cleanser is better?

When it comes to cleansers, both brands offer strong options, but Dr. Althea is often noted by reviewers for exceptionally gentle and soothing formulas. Meanwhile, the products on this page from The Ordinary provide great value and a wide variety of cleansers tailored to different skin types.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Dr. Althea?

The Ordinary offers better value and price according to reviewers on this page.

Between The Ordinary and Dr. Althea, which brand has more options for fading dark spots based on routine fit?

The Ordinary has more options for fading dark spots, as Lovi rates its routine fit for skin with dark spots as Superior, whereas Dr. Althea achieves a High fit level.

Which brand performs better for texture smoothing and glow improvement?

The Ordinary performs better for texture smoothing and glow improvement, offering targeted options like its texture-smoothing serums. Clinical findings show that vitamin C derivatives help improve photoaged skin, supporting brightening effects.

Experimental Dermatology, 2003

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of The Ordinary and Dr. Althea compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. In comparison, Dr. Althea was founded in South Korea in 2014 and is owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for sensitive skin?

Lovi finds that The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, while Dr. Althea has a High fit. Reviewers say that Dr. Althea does better for a gentle and non-irritating formula, whereas The Ordinary offers great value.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer strong moisturizers, with The Ordinary delivering superior routine fit levels for dry skin while Dr. Althea provides highly rated soothing and hydrating options like the 345 Relief Cream. Hyaluronic acid helps improve hydration and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea are well-suited for acne-prone skin, with Lovi rating their routines at High and equal levels. The Ordinary products on this page help clear blemishes and smooth texture, while Dr. Althea provides gentle and soothing cleansers and 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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