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The Ordinary vs Shiseido

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

The Ordinary and Shiseido are prominent skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily wellness and targeted care. The Canadian line features serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the Japanese house is adored for nourishing moisturizers, gentle cleansers, protective sunscreens, potent serums, and versatile glycerin formulations. The former brand suits dry skin and dry sensitive skin best, whereas the latter suits mature skin and sensitive skin best with deep moisture and gentle care. Ultimately, they differ in their heritage and specific ingredient focuses, providing tailored solutions for diverse complexions.

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

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Shiseido is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Shiseido products

People Say

The OrdinaryShiseido
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Immediate sensation of comfort — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels plump, soft and nourished, eliminates dryness, bouncy feel — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Skin feels more hydrated — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • 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%”
  • Texture Smoothing and 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%”
    • “smoothes rough skin — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Radiance and Brightening Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looks brighter, more radiant, and "glowy." — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “faded pimple marks — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
    • “Eyes look more awake — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “tight, bright and shiny — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Luxurious Texture Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Velvety, rich cream texture — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Velvety texture — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
  • Lightweight Texture Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Airy-soft texture — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
    • “Sinks right into the skin — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • High Price Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Fragrance and Scent Issues 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”
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Pilling and Makeup Compatibility Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “slightly tacky — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “A little too much (too greasy) — Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Stinging and Irritation Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Caused some irritation — Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream”
    • “caused red bumpy rash — Shiseido Clarifying Cleansing Foam”
    • “caused red rash — Shiseido Treatment Softener”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

The Ordinary vs Shiseido routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Shiseido routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Shiseido routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Shiseido: which is better?

The Ordinary is often preferred for its affordability and value, while Shiseido is noted for deep hydration and luxurious textures. Reviewers mention that the products on this page by The Ordinary help with texture smoothing and dark spot fading, though they can sometimes cause sticky finishes or pilling.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Shiseido?

The Ordinary offers budget-friendly skincare known for texture smoothing and value, whereas Shiseido provides a more luxurious experience focused on deep hydration and radiance.

The Ordinary or Shiseido for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for dry skin, where it reaches a Superior routine fit compared to an Average fit for Shiseido. The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients.

The Ordinary or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary is a better option for cleansers overall, offering formulas that fit dry skin and dry sensitive skin at a Superior level and oily skin at a High level. By comparison, Shiseido cleaners on this page rate lower for dry skin, with some formulas carrying a Caution or Warning level.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Shiseido?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary is generally much more affordable than Shiseido, which reviewers frequently note for its high price point.

Which brand has more products without fragrance, The Ordinary or Shiseido?

The Ordinary has more products without fragrance, as every single product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas only five of Shiseido's products do.

How do the review themes compare regarding texture smoothing versus luxurious feel between The Ordinary and Shiseido?

The Ordinary does better for texture smoothing, while Shiseido does better for a luxurious texture.

What are the founding years and countries of origin for The Ordinary and Shiseido?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016, while Shiseido was founded in Japan in 1872.

The Ordinary or Shiseido for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit compared to Shiseido's high fit. The Ordinary features fragrance-free products on this page, which helps oily skin avoid potential scent irritation.

The Ordinary or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary offers superior moisturizers for dry skin compared to Shiseido, thanks to formulations featuring ingredients like natural moisturizing factors and ceramides that help hydrate effectively.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Shiseido for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary offers a Superior fit for sensitive skin, whereas Shiseido provides a High fit. Review themes note that The Ordinary is less likely to cause fragrance and scent issues because every product on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas Shiseido features strong fragrance in 15 of its 20 products.

The Ordinary or Shiseido for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Shiseido offer a high routine fit for acne-prone skin, but The Ordinary is typically preferred for its targeted acne-clearing serums and affordability. Furthermore, the products on this page by The Ordinary list no fragrance.

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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