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The Ordinary vs L'Oreal Paris

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

The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris are respected skincare brands offering diverse serums, moisturizers, and targeted treatments built around hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. The Canadian brand focuses on specialized formulas featuring squalane, niacinamide, and mandelic acid that suit dry, sensitive, and acne-prone skin types, while the French brand provides balanced, non-greasy options like the Revitalift and Age Perfect lines tailored primarily for acne-prone, oily, and mature skin. Ultimately, both makers rely on science-backed components where hyaluronic acid lengthens wrinkle reduction and glycerin enhances barrier function, differing mainly in their specific formulations and targeted 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

L'Oreal Paris is a French skincare brand founded in 1909 and owned by L'Oréal S.A..

en.wikipedia.orgloreal.comloreal-paris.co.ukcosmeticsbusiness.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs L'Oreal Paris products

People Say

The OrdinaryL'Oreal Paris
  • Texture and Absorption Mostly MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “melts into skin — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “glides on easily without residue — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Cream”
    • “skin is a lot smoother — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Night Serum”
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “wake up with soft skin — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling plump and dewy all day. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “Skin feels softer and more supple — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Night Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and Pricing Mostly MentionedSometimes 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%”
  • Brightening and Dark Spots Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin looks luminous — L'Oreal Paris Glycolic Bright”
    • “significant reduction in the appearance of dark spots — L'Oreal Paris Bright Reveal 12% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum”
    • “skin looks glowing — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “Dark spots have faded noticeably — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
  • Acne 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”
    • “After two uses, my pores were clean! — L'Oreal Paris Pure-Clay Mask”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “No irritation at all — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “very gentle, didn't irritate my skin — L'Oreal Paris Bright Reveal 12% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum”
  • Ineffective Results and Conflicts Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “Struggles to get my waterproof mascara off completely. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Used the whole jar but saw no change in wrinkles. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “doesn't do anything about the discoloration — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Cream”
  • Irritation and Stinging Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “retinol can be irritating for sensitive skin — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Pressed Night Cream”
    • “burnt my face after two uses — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Laser Pure Retinol Night Serum”
  • Sticky or Greasy Residue Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Balls up when I try to apply foundation over it. — L'Oreal Paris Revitalift”
    • “felt oily on my face — L'Oreal Paris Age Perfect Cell Renewal Midnight Cream”
    • “feels a little sticky and tacky — L'Oreal Paris Dark Spot Exfoliant Peel”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”

The Ordinary vs L'Oreal Paris routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs L'Oreal Paris routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

The Ordinary vs L'Oreal Paris routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value, acne control, and gentleness for sensitive skin, whereas L'Oreal Paris provides superior hydration, texture, and anti-aging results.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris?

The Ordinary offers better value and helps with acne, whereas L'Oreal Paris provides superior texture and deep hydration. The products on this page for The Ordinary fit dry sensitive skin better with a Superior level compared to High for L'Oreal Paris.

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris are well-suited for dry skin, as the routine fit levels for both brands are Superior. The Ordinary offers fragrance-free products on this page and is favored for sensitive skin, while L'Oreal Paris provides deep hydration and moisturization.

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, The Ordinary provides products on this page that are a Superior fit for dry skin and dry sensitive skin. Meanwhile, L'Oreal Paris offers moisturizers with deep hydration and moisturization mentioned by reviewers. Hyaluronic acid helps maintain skin moisture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris?

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing among the products on this page.

Between The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris, which brand is better suited for managing dark spots?

Both The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris are well-suited for managing dark spots, with Lovi rating their routines as equal at a Superior level for skin with dark spots. Niacinamide, which is featured in products on this page, helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris compare in terms of fragrance inclusion across their products?

The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, whereas half of the L'Oreal Paris products on this page contain fragrance.

Which brand performs better for acne and blemish control according to reviewer themes?

The Ordinary performs better for acne and blemish control according to reviewer themes.

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and L'Oreal Paris offer a superior routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides better acne and blemish control, while L'Oreal Paris excels in texture, absorption, hydration, and moisture.

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to the High fit level of L'Oreal Paris.

The Ordinary or L'Oreal Paris for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, L'Oreal Paris offers a superior routine fit compared to The Ordinary, which has a high fit. Both brands offer products that help manage blemishes, but L'Oreal Paris provides a better overall routine match for this skin type.

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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