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The Ordinary vs NIVEA

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

The Ordinary and NIVEA are established skincare brands offering distinct approaches to daily care. The Ordinary specializes in targeted serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and dry sensitive skin best. Conversely, NIVEA is known for dependable sunscreens, targeted serums, and nourishing moisturizers formulated with hydrating glycerin, suiting sensitive skin and skin with dark spots best. Ultimately, they differ through the Canadian brand's focus on concentrated clinical ingredients like lactic and mandelic acids compared to the German brand's century-long tradition of soothing, barrier-supporting hydration.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

NIVEA is a German skincare brand founded in 1911 and owned by maxingvest GmbH & Co. KGaA since 2004.

beiersdorf.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular The Ordinary vs NIVEA products

People Say

The OrdinaryNIVEA
  • Great value and price Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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%”
    • “Works better than expensive luxury creams — NIVEA Creme”
  • Smooths skin texture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “Makes my face feel smooth and soft. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “skin feels squeaky clean and soft — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • Clears acne and blemishes Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “cleared my complexion in 7 days — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
    • “doesn't leave skin dry or stretched — NIVEA DERMA SKIN CLEAR”
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Smoothed out dry flaky scales on my cheeks overnight — NIVEA Creme”
    • “skin feels moisturized — NIVEA Protect & Moisture Sun Lotion SPF50+”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Versatile body and multi-use application Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Use it on face, body, hands, and feet — NIVEA Creme”
    • “Applying is easy, you can use on your face, hands, and body. — NIVEA Soft”
    • “eliminated armpit odor — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Absorbs quickly — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “It's lightweight on the skin and leaves a bit of subtle sheen. — NIVEA Soft”
  • Oily residue Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “sits on top of the skin and does not absorb — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Leaves a shiny grease layer that doesn't go away — NIVEA Creme”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “Scent is too overpowering for sensitive noses — NIVEA Creme”
  • Causes breakouts 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”
    • “Clogged my pores and caused bad acne — NIVEA Creme”

The Ordinary vs NIVEA routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs NIVEA routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

The Ordinary vs NIVEA routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or NIVEA: which is better?

The Ordinary holds a Superior routine fit for dry skin, dry sensitive skin, oily skin, combination skin, sensitive skin, skin with dark spots, and Lovi fit levels elsewhere, while NIVEA holds a High fit across those same skin types.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and NIVEA?

The Ordinary and NIVEA offer different skincare benefits, with the products on this page for The Ordinary featuring high value and fragrance-free options, while NIVEA provides versatile moisturizers and strong hydration. For routine fit, Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior for dry skin, whereas NIVEA achieves a High fit level.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or NIVEA for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi finds The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit and NIVEA has a High routine fit. The products on this page for The Ordinary offer fragrance-free options and focus heavily on hydration with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps improve skin quality.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or NIVEA: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page from The Ordinary offer superior routine fit for dry skin, while NIVEA provides high routine fit for dry skin. The Ordinary features fragrance-free moisturizers, whereas NIVEA includes formulations with strong fragrance.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or NIVEA?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers better value and price. Review themes highlight that The Ordinary does better for great value and price compared to NIVEA.

Which brand has a stronger fragrance across its products?

NIVEA has a stronger fragrance across the products on this page, as 3 of its 9 products list fragrance while every product from The Ordinary lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi gives The Ordinary a Superior routine fit and NIVEA a High routine fit. The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance, whereas 6 of 9 NIVEA products contain fragrance.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both brands offer good options, though Lovi rates The Ordinary as having a Superior routine fit compared to NIVEA's High fit level. Furthermore, every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance, whereas several NIVEA products contain added fragrance.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and NIVEA are good options for acne-prone skin, as the products on this page for both brands achieve a High fit level for this skin type.

The Ordinary or NIVEA for skin with dark spots?

For skin with dark spots, The Ordinary is the better option because Lovi gives the products on this page a Superior fit compared to NIVEA's High fit. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

The Ordinary or NIVEA for mature skin?

For mature skin, both The Ordinary and NIVEA offer a High routine fit. The products on this page help improve skin quality and signs of aging with ingredients like hyaluronic acid and retinol.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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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