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The Ordinary vs Dermalogica

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

The Ordinary and Dermalogica are distinct skincare lines, with the Canadian brand offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the American brand is known for targeted serums, nourishing moisturizers, gentle cleansers, and purifying masks formulated with star ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and salicylic acid. Both brands suit dry skin best, though the former also fits dry sensitive skin, and the latter suits oily acne-prone skin through balancing, moisture-rich formulations. Their key ingredients deliver proven benefits, as hyaluronic acid lengthens the duration of wrinkle reduction, glycerin increases skin hydration and barrier function, and squalane increases epidermal thickness and collagen production, while salicylic acid reduces acne lesion counts. They differ primarily in their approaches and standout treatments, offering distinct options for acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Dermalogica is an American skincare brand founded in 1986 and owned by Unilever since 2015.

en.wikipedia.orgcosmeticsbusiness.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Dermalogica products

People Say

The OrdinaryDermalogica
  • Value and pricing 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%”
    • “little goes a long way — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Saved my dry skin — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “super hydrating — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
    • “skin feels hydrated — Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Skin texture smoothing 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 smooth as silk — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “gentle enough for daily use — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “doesn't strip skin — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”
    • “helps calm and nourish my skin — Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “blends seamlessly — Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50”
    • “Absorbs quickly... not greasy — Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream”
    • “Sinks in beautifully — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Acne clearing and blemish control 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”
    • “doesn't clog pores — Dermalogica Active Moist”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “hefty price tag — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • 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 puke — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Stinging and irritation Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “burns immediately — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
    • “caused severe peeling — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “Prickle sensation — Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Breakouts and skin reactions 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”
    • “Cystic acne flare-ups — Dermalogica Precleanse”

The Ordinary vs Dermalogica routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Dermalogica routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

The Ordinary vs Dermalogica routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Dermalogica: which is better?

The Ordinary provides better value and pricing on the products on this page, while Dermalogica is better for hydration and plumping. Lovi rates routine fit for dry skin as equal at Superior for both brands.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Dermalogica?

The Ordinary offers better value and superior pricing for the products on this page, whereas Dermalogica excels in hydration, plumping, and gentle formulas. Lovi rates The Ordinary as a Superior fit for dry sensitive skin, while Dermalogica is a High fit.

The Ordinary or Dermalogica for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Dermalogica are a Superior fit for dry skin based on the products on this page. Lovi rates the routine fit for dry skin as Superior for The Ordinary and Superior for Dermalogica.

The Ordinary or Dermalogica: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Dermalogica offer cleansers with strong fit levels across various skin types, but shoppers looking for value generally prefer The Ordinary. Dermalogica focuses more on gentle, non-stripping hydration in its cleansers.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Dermalogica?

The Ordinary is more affordable than Dermalogica, as value and pricing are highlighted as a key advantage for the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Dermalogica for dark spots?

For dark spots, Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and Dermalogica as High. Reviewers note that The Ordinary does better for dark spot fading and value, while Dermalogica is praised for intense hydration and soothing moisturizers.

The Ordinary or Dermalogica for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds The Ordinary to have a Superior routine fit compared to Dermalogica's High fit. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers better value and acne-clearing serums for this skin type.

The Ordinary or Dermalogica: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Dermalogica offer highly rated moisturizers, with Lovi giving top ratings to products from both lines depending on your skin type. The Ordinary features options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA which is rated Superior for dry skin, while Dermalogica provides rich choices such as Stabilizing Repair Cream which is also rated Superior for dry and sensitive skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Dermalogica for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary fits sensitive skin with a Superior routine level, which is higher than Dermalogica's High level. Reviewers state that The Ordinary is gentle and non-irritating, while Dermalogica is noted for stinging and irritation.

The Ordinary or Dermalogica for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Dermalogica are a High fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary does better for acne clearing and blemish control.

The Ordinary or Dermalogica for dry sensitive skin?

Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and Dermalogica as High for dry sensitive skin. The Ordinary features key hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid across the products on this page to help retain moisture.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Dermalogica for oily acne-prone skin?

For oily acne-prone skin, Lovi finds that The Ordinary has a High fit level and Dermalogica has a Superior fit level. Reviewers report that Dermalogica does better for hydration and plumping, while The Ordinary does better for value and pricing.

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

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