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The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea

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

The Ordinary and Dr. Althea are distinct skincare options rooted in different traditions. The Canadian brand offers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, which suit sensitive skin and dry sensitive skin best. Conversely, the Korean brand is widely loved for its thoughtfully crafted moisturizers, cleansers, makeup removers, and serums driven by gentle formulas that suit acne-prone skin and dry skin best. Both provide targeted solutions, with the former emphasizing potent single ingredients and the latter delivering a steady, soothing experience through reliable formulations.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Dr. Althea is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2014 and owned by The Pure Lab Co., Ltd..

doctoraltheaglobal.comdoctoralthea.co.kr

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea products

People Say

The OrdinaryDr. Althea
  • Gentle and non-irritating formula Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't dry out my face — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “skin doesn't feel stripped — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Texture smoothing and glow improvement Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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%”
    • “Melts instantly — Dr. Althea Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm”
  • Great value and price Mostly MentionedNot 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%”
  • Redness reduction and soothing Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “calms redness — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “instantly calms irritated skin — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “perfect for sensitive skin — Dr. Althea Amino Acid Gentle Bubble Cleanser”
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “hydrating but light — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “consistently hydrated mornings — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
    • “feels hydrated — Dr. Althea Amino Gel Cleanser”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight absorption and texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs beautifully — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Breakouts and purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “broke me out — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “gave me cystic acne — Dr. Althea Barrier Cream”
  • Makeup pilling and compatibility issues Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “pills under makeup — Dr. Althea 345 Relief Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “leaves a tacky film — Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 814.57 · 90% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · SAR 722.37 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 867.55 · 92% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · SAR 982.49 · 90% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Dr. Althea routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 981.41 · 92% fitBuy Dr. Althea routine · SAR 814.63 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which is better?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea are great choices, as each brand offers superior routine fit levels for multiple skin types. The Ordinary provides exceptional value and focuses on texture smoothing, while Dr. Althea excels in gentle hydration and soothing redness.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Dr. Althea?

The Ordinary offers a wider range of targeted active serums with high value, whereas Dr. Althea focuses more on gentle, soothing, and hydrating moisturizers and cleansers. Both brands provide fragrance-free products on this page and achieve superior routine fit levels for acne-prone skin, dry skin, oily skin, and mature skin.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea are great for dry skin, as Lovi rates their routines as Superior for this skin type. The Ordinary features a wide range of affordable, hydrating products with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, while Dr. Althea offers soothing and hydrating moisturizers that help improve skin comfort.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which cleanser is better?

Dr. Althea helps provide gentler and more soothing cleansers, while The Ordinary offers great value with products on this page like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser and Glucoside Foaming Cleanser that fit dry and oily skin well.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Dr. Althea?

The Ordinary is more affordable, as reviewers on the page frequently praise its great value and price.

Between The Ordinary and Dr. Althea, which brand performs better for hydration and plumping according to review themes?

Dr. Althea performs better for hydration and plumping according to review themes. Hyaluronic acid helps provide moisturizing benefits in the products on this page.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

How do the routine fit levels for oily acne-prone skin compare between The Ordinary and Dr. Althea?

For oily acne-prone skin, Lovi rates Dr. Althea as Superior and The Ordinary as High. Review themes show that Dr. Althea also tends to do better for redness reduction and soothing, while The Ordinary offers great value and price.

Which brand is rated better for redness reduction and soothing based on reviewer feedback?

Dr. Althea is rated better for redness reduction and soothing based on reviewer feedback. Both brands list no fragrance in the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea are well-suited for oily skin, with Lovi routine fit levels reaching Superior for both brands. Niacinamide helps control excess oil, and hyaluronic acid helps maintain moisture balance without clogging pores.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea offer highly rated moisturizers, with The Ordinary providing exceptional options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan and Dr. Althea featuring soothing choices such as the 345 Relief Cream. Reviewers note that Dr. Althea excels particularly in hydration and plumping, while The Ordinary is known for great value.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary fits sensitive skin better, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior while Dr. Althea's is High. Reviewers also mention The Ordinary more often for being gentle and non-irritating.

The Ordinary or Dr. Althea for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Dr. Althea achieve a superior routine fit for acne-prone skin on this page, but they take different paths. Dr. Althea features gentle cleansers and soothing moisturizers that reviewers mostly praise, while The Ordinary offers a wide range of popular acne-clearing serums.

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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