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The Ordinary vs Minimalist

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

The Ordinary and Minimalist are science-focused skincare brands that offer effective serums, moisturizers, and cleansers built around proven ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, squalane, and salicylic acid. The Canadian brand centers its formulations on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, making it particularly well-suited for sensitive and dry sensitive skin. Meanwhile, the Indian brand specializes in targeted sunscreens, moisturizers, and cleansers that suit acne-prone and oily skin best. While both lines provide high-performing solutions for specific concerns such as dark spots, acne, and aging, they differ fundamentally in their regional origins, foundational ingredients, and ideal skin types.

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

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Minimalist is an Indian skincare brand founded in 2020 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2025.

m.economictimes.comunilever.combeminimalist.copersonalcareinsights.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Minimalist products

People Say

The OrdinaryMinimalist
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “very moisturizing — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “calmed it when my skin was super irritated — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Great value and affordable 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%”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't make skin feel tight — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “zero smell — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Matte finish and oil control Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “perfect moisturizer for oily skin — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “keeps skin oil-free for hours — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “controlled my sebum production — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Texture smoothing and improvement Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly and doesn't feel greasy — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Sticky finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “sticky after application feel — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
  • Pilling under makeup Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “pills under makeup — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • 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 chemicals — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Drying formulas Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “incredibly drying — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “dried out skin — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 814.57 · 90% fitBuy Minimalist routine · SAR 740.96 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for oily skin

Buy Minimalist routine · SAR 1,201.67 · 94% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · SAR 867.55 · 92% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for combination skin

Buy Minimalist routine · SAR 1,033.81 · 93% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · SAR 981.41 · 92% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Minimalist: which is better?

The Ordinary provides a Superior routine fit for dry skin, sensitive skin, and mature skin, whereas Minimalist fits acne-prone skin, oily skin, and combination skin with a Superior routine level.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Minimalist?

The Ordinary offers a significantly larger variety of products with superior value and texture smoothing, whereas Minimalist focuses on lightweight absorption, matte finish, and oil control. Both brands feature fragrance-free formulations across the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for dry skin?

For dry skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit while Minimalist has a High fit. The Ordinary offers products on this page that are particularly beneficial for dry skin, such as the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser which has a Superior fit level for dry skin.

The Ordinary or Minimalist: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary offers a wider selection of cleansers on this page, including the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser and Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, which achieve High fit levels for dry and oily skin types.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Minimalist?

The Ordinary offers better value, as affordable and great value serums are often noted by reviewers for the products on this page.

Which brand performs better for hydration and plumping according to reviewer themes?

Minimalist performs better for hydration and plumping according to reviewer themes.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership compare between The Ordinary and Minimalist?

The Ordinary was founded in 2016 in Canada and has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021, whereas Minimalist was founded in 2020 in India and is owned by Unilever PLC as of 2025.

Which brand scores higher for routine fit when dealing with oily acne-prone skin?

Minimalist scores higher for routine fit when dealing with oily acne-prone skin, achieving a Superior level compared to The Ordinary's High level.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for sensitive skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Minimalist's High. The products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients.

The Ordinary or Minimalist: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Minimalist offer effective moisturizers, with The Ordinary achieving a Superior routine fit for dry skin while Minimalist achieves a High fit level. The Ordinary provides several moisturizing options featuring ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, which help hydrate the skin and may improve skin texture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022Drug Delivery, 2017

The Ordinary or Minimalist for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, both brands offer routines with a Superior Lovi fit level. Reviewers on the products on this page often mention that The Ordinary provides 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

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