🇸🇦Saudi Arabia

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 two distinct skincare lines offering targeted solutions for diverse complexions. The former delivers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the latter features cleansers, moisturizers, serums, sunscreens, and more formulated with glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol. Both options suit sensitive skin, dry sensitive skin, combination skin, and acne-prone skin through balanced compositions. Ultimately, they differ in their founding heritages, corporate ownership, and specific targeted treatments 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

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

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 814.57 · 90% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · SAR 1,005.89 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 867.55 · 92% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · SAR 1,557.81 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 981.41 · 92% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · SAR 1,277.09 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which is better?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil are great options, as the products on this page provide similar routine fit levels across all skin types. The Ordinary offers superior affordability and blemish clearing, while Cetaphil is known for gentle and hydrating cleansers and moisturizers.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Cetaphil?

The Ordinary and Cetaphil both offer great options, but The Ordinary is especially known for affordable value and skin texture improvement, while Cetaphil is recognized for gentle hydration and non-greasy moisture. The Ordinary products on this page have fragrance-free formulas, and Cetaphil has mostly fragrance-free cleansers and moisturizers with key ingredients like glycerin and niacinamide.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil are great options for dry skin, with routines featuring a Superior fit and a High fit, respectively. The Ordinary provides deeply nourishing and hydrating formulas such as the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser and Natural Moisturizing Factors, while Cetaphil offers exceptionally gentle and non-stripping hydration like the Rich Hydrating Night Cream.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page from Cetaphil are known for being gentle and non-stripping cleansers, while The Ordinary offers cleansers with varying fit levels depending on your skin type. Both brands feature options like the Daily Facial Cleanser and Glucoside Foaming Cleanser that help clean the skin effectively.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary offers more affordable value than Cetaphil for the products on this page.

Which brand performs better for improving skin texture, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary performs better for improving skin texture. Reviewers on the page frequently mention its texture-smoothing serums as a key benefit, and the brand is highlighted as outperforming Cetaphil in skin texture improvement.

Do The Ordinary products or Cetaphil products contain fragrance?

The products on this page from The Ordinary list no fragrance. Most Cetaphil products on this page also list no fragrance, except for the Oily Skin Cleanser, which lists fragrance.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit on this page, while Cetaphil has a High routine fit. The Ordinary excels at acne-clearing and texture-smoothing serums, whereas Cetaphil offers gentle, non-stripping cleansers and lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page show that both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer effective moisturizers, but they cater to different skin needs. The Ordinary features options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA which achieves a Superior fit level for dry skin, while Cetaphil provides rich hydration through items such as the Rich Hydrating Night Cream.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer great options for sensitive skin, but The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit compared to Cetaphil's High fit level. The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance, helping to avoid irritation.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for acne-prone skin, while Cetaphil is a High fit. The Ordinary offers affordable, acne-clearing serums on this page, whereas Cetaphil focuses on gentle, non-stripping cleansers.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play