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The Ordinary vs Minimalist

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

The Ordinary and Minimalist are accessible skincare brands that offer targeted serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and sunscreens built around ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane. The Canadian brand centers its offerings on dry and dry sensitive skin, utilizing hydrating and barrier-supporting formulas, while the Indian brand suits oily and mature skin best. Both labels provide specialized options for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and aging, differing primarily in their geographic origins, parent companies, and specific formulation approaches.

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

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Minimalist is an Indian skincare brand founded in 2020 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2025.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Minimalist products

People Say

The OrdinaryMinimalist
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “very moisturizing — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “calmed it when my skin was super irritated — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Great value and affordable 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%”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't make skin feel tight — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “zero smell — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Matte finish and oil control Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “perfect moisturizer for oily skin — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “keeps skin oil-free for hours — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “controlled my sebum production — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Texture smoothing and improvement Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly and doesn't feel greasy — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Sticky finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “sticky after application feel — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
  • Pilling under makeup Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “pills under makeup — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • 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”
    • “smells like chemicals — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Drying formulas Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “incredibly drying — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “dried out skin — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Minimalist: which is better?

Both brands offer great value, but Minimalist often provides lighter absorption and better oil control, while The Ordinary stands out for texture-smoothing serums and lower prices.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Minimalist?

The Ordinary offers a much larger variety of affordable individual serums and treatments, whereas Minimalist focuses on specialized multi-ingredient formulations that reviewers note provide lighter absorption and better oil control. Both brands feature fragrance-free products on this page and achieve equal routine fit levels for most skin types.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Minimalist provide a Superior routine fit for dry skin. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers great value and affordable price, while Minimalist delivers better hydration and plumping.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Minimalist?

The Ordinary does better for great value and affordable price. Reviewers on the page note that its serums offer great value and an affordable price.

Which brand performs better for acne-prone skin, The Ordinary or Minimalist?

Minimalist performs better for acne-prone skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to The Ordinary's High fit level.

Do products from The Ordinary and Minimalist contain fragrance?

Every product from The Ordinary and Minimalist on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which brand is owned by Unilever PLC?

Minimalist is owned by Unilever PLC, while The Ordinary is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Minimalist provide a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin. The Ordinary features a wide range of fragrance-free products on this page that help maintain gentleness, while Minimalist is often noted by reviewers for being gentle and non-irritating.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for acne-prone skin?

Minimalist fits acne-prone skin better, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to The Ordinary's High fit level.

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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