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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 well-regarded skincare brands that offer everything from cleansers and moisturizers to serums. The Canadian brand centers its approach on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to nourish dry and dry sensitive skin, whereas the American brand uses glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol to support acne-prone and combination skin. While both rely on glycerin to boost hydration, the first brand pairs targeted acids with specific skin types for issues like dark spots, acne, and aging, while the second brand utilizes distinct serums, creams, and scrubs for similar 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

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 · 95% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which is better?

The Ordinary provides superior results for skin texture improvement and dark spot fading among the products on this page, whereas Cetaphil does better for gentleness on sensitive skin and hydration. Both brands achieve a Superior routine fit for dry, oily, combination, and sensitive skin types.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Cetaphil?

The Ordinary offers superior affordable value and skin texture improvement, whereas Cetaphil does better with gentle, non-stripping cleansers and hydrating, non-greasy moisturizers.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for dry skin?

For dry skin, both brands work well, but Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and Cetaphil as High. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides great value and improves texture, while Cetaphil offers gentle hydration.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer cleansers that fit oily skin at a High level and dry sensitive skin at a High level. The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance, and Cetaphil cleansers also generally avoid fragrance.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary offers more affordable value compared to Cetaphil. Reviewers frequently mention The Ordinary for its affordable and great value serums.

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

The Ordinary is better for skin texture improvement because review themes on the page show it outperforms Cetaphil in that area. Furthermore, the products on this page for The Ordinary offer strong options like texture-smoothing serums that reviewers often mention.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary has more fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas Cetaphil includes fragrance in one of its products on the page.

How do the founding years and corporate owners of The Ordinary and Cetaphil compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., whereas Cetaphil was founded in the United States in 1947 and is owned by Galderma Group AG.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit, while Cetaphil has a High routine fit. Reviewers say that The Ordinary provides affordable value and improves skin texture, whereas Cetaphil offers gentle, non-stripping cleansers and hydrating, non-greasy moisturizers.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page for The Ordinary offer superior dry skin hydration, while Cetaphil is known for gentle, hydrating, non-greasy moisturizers.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is Superior for sensitive skin, while Cetaphil has a High routine fit on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers affordable value and skin texture improvement, whereas Cetaphil is praised for being gentle on sensitive skin.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for acne-prone skin?

Cetaphil is better for acne-prone skin because the products on this page achieve a Superior routine fit for that skin type compared to a High fit for The Ordinary.

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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