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The Ordinary vs Neutrogena

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

The Ordinary and Neutrogena are accessible skincare brands that offer thoughtful selections of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more. The Canadian brand centers its formulations around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit sensitive skin and dry sensitive skin best, while the American brand features glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and dimethicone to serve mature skin and skin with dark spots. Both lines rely on overlapping hydrating compounds, yet they differ in their specific targeted ingredients and the particular skin profiles they accommodate.

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

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Neutrogena is an American skincare brand founded in 1930 and owned by Kimberly-Clark Corporation since 2026.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Neutrogena products

People Say

The OrdinaryNeutrogena
  • Improves Skin Texture and Pores Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Skin is looking smoother — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Skin looked plumper and radiant — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “It also hydrates my skin. This cream has been so easy to add to my routine. — Neutrogena Retinol Regenerating Cream”
    • “Quenches dry skin instantly — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value for Money and Pricing 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%”
    • “great price point — Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover”
  • Lightweight and Non-Greasy Texture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky residue — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel”
    • “absorbs instantly — Neutrogena COLLAGEN BANK Moisturizer”
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Friendly Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “leaves skin soft and balanced — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “love that it has no scent — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “calms my acne prone skin — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Clears Acne and Blemishes Often MentionedNot 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”
  • Skin Irritation and Stinging Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Made my face very red — Neutrogena HYDRO BOOST WATER CREAM”
    • “Burning sensation — Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream”
    • “stings my eyes badly — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Packaging and Quantity Concerns Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “The 50ml tube runs out way too fast. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Wish it came in a pump — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Eye holes are too small — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hydrogel Mask”
  • Pilling and Makeup Application Issues Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “balls up under foundation — Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen”
    • “doesn't remove mascara — Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Sticky or Tacky Finish Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Left a tacky feeling on my skin. — Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hyaluronic Acid Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs Neutrogena routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 814.57 · 90% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · SAR 854.76 · 69% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Neutrogena routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 867.55 · 92% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · SAR 811.22 · 70% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Neutrogena routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 981.41 · 92% fitBuy Neutrogena routine · SAR 817.79 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Neutrogena: which is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary achieves superior routine fit across all skin types compared to Neutrogena. The Ordinary focuses on affordable and gentle serums that improve skin texture and clear acne, whereas Neutrogena is recognized for its deeply hydrating and lightweight moisturizers.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Neutrogena?

The Ordinary offers better value, texture-smoothing, and acne-clearing serums, while Neutrogena excels in deep hydration and lightweight moisturizers. Lovi rates the routine fit for The Ordinary as Superior across all skin types on this page, whereas Neutrogena achieves a High or Average fit.

The Ordinary or Neutrogena for dry skin?

For dry skin, Lovi finds The Ordinary to be a Superior match, whereas Neutrogena is rated Average. The products on this page from The Ordinary help deliver deep moisture with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Neutrogena: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary is better for cleansers, as Lovi rates its Glycolipid Cream Cleanser as superior for dry skin and high for oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin, whereas Neutrogena features mixed ratings across its cleansers.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Neutrogena?

The Ordinary is more affordable on this page, as reviewers often mention its affordable and great value serums. Lovi rates its value for money and pricing as better than Neutrogena.

Which brand is better for fading dark spots, The Ordinary or Neutrogena?

The Ordinary is better for fading dark spots, as Lovi rates its routine as Superior compared to High for Neutrogena on this page. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Do The Ordinary products contain fragrance, and how does that compare to Neutrogena?

The products on this page from The Ordinary list no fragrance. In comparison, most Neutrogena products also have no fragrance, though four items on that page do include it.

Which brand has a better routine fit for mature skin?

The Ordinary has a better routine fit for mature skin, achieving a Superior fit compared to Neutrogena's High fit on the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Neutrogena for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit, while Neutrogena has an Average fit. The products on this page from The Ordinary provide acne-clearing and texture-smoothing serums, whereas Neutrogena reviewers sometimes note a sticky finish or skin irritation.

The Ordinary or Neutrogena: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Neutrogena, which achieves an average fit.

The Ordinary or Neutrogena for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, Lovi finds The Ordinary has a superior routine fit compared to Neutrogena. The products on this page from The Ordinary list no fragrance.

The Ordinary or Neutrogena for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Lovi rates The Ordinary Superior and Neutrogena High. The products on this page from The Ordinary offer affordable serums that help clear acne.

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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