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The Ordinary vs Allies of Skin

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

The Ordinary and Allies of Skin are skincare brands offering distinct approaches to targeted daily routines. The Canadian brand centers its serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and oily acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, Allies of Skin is loved for its thoughtful range of moisturizers, serums, and eye products built around hardworking ingredients like niacinamide, fitting dry, sensitive, and uneven skin types. While both brands address similar concerns through effective formulations, they differ through the former's single-ingredient focus and the latter's restorative, multi-action blends.

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

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Allies of Skin products

People Say

The OrdinaryAllies of Skin
  • Skin Texture Improvement and Smoothing 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%”
    • “Woke up looking well-rested — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
  • Hydration and Plumping Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “nourished and hydrated — Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream”
    • “more like a spray serum — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
    • “Skin feels hydrated — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Great Value and Pricing 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 Formulation Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Best retinol for sensitive skin — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
    • “feels super soothing, doesn't trigger redness — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
  • Acne Clearing and Blemish Reduction Often MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “Dramatic impact on acne — Allies of Skin Retinal & Peptides Repair Night Cream”
  • Lightweight Absorption and Texture Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “sinks easily into damp skin — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
    • “Absorbs instantly without sticky feeling — Allies of Skin Peptides & Antioxidants Firming Daily Treatment”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • High Price Point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Pricey — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
  • Sticky and Tacky Finish Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “didn't like how sticky face feels — Allies of Skin Molecular Saviour Probiotics Treatment Mist”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Stinging and Skin Irritation Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Slightly irritating... when I first started — Allies of Skin Copper Tripeptide & Ectoin Advanced Repair Serum”
    • “rashes popped up on my neck — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”
    • “stings my eyes — Allies of Skin Peptides & Omegas Firming Eye Cream”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Slow or Ineffective Results Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “not a miracle worker overnight — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Didn't do anything special — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “still not impressed with the results — Allies of Skin Tranexamic & Arbutin Advanced Brightening Serum”

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Allies of Skin: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and superior skin texture improvement, while Allies of Skin excels in hydration, plumping, and lightweight absorption. Both brands provide fragrance-free options, though reviewers note that Allies of Skin carries a higher price point and may cause initial irritation.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Allies of Skin?

The Ordinary offers great value and effective acne-clearing serums, whereas Allies of Skin excels in hydration and plumping with gentle, effective moisturizers. The Ordinary is best for dry skin, oily acne-prone skin, and mature skin, with all products on this page listing no fragrance.

The Ordinary or Allies of Skin: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer well-regarded moisturizers, but they serve different needs and price points. The Ordinary is frequently praised for great value and effective hydration, featuring options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA which Lovi rates as Superior for dry skin. Allies of Skin specializes in gentle, effective moisturizers that excel in hydration and plumping, though reviewers often note a high price point.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Allies of Skin?

The Ordinary offers much better value and pricing across the products on this page, whereas reviewers frequently note Allies of Skin for its high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, The Ordinary or Allies of Skin?

The Ordinary does better for acne clearing and blemish reduction among the products on this page. Reviewers frequently praise The Ordinary for affordable acne-clearing serums.

How do the brands compare on skin texture improvement according to reviewers?

Reviewers note that The Ordinary does better on skin texture improvement and smoothing.

Which brand performs better for hydration and plumping based on review themes?

Allies of Skin performs better for hydration and plumping among the products on this page according to the review themes.

What are the primary differences in the key ingredients used across the products of each brand?

The products on this page from The Ordinary commonly feature hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, whereas Allies of Skin focuses its range primarily around niacinamide.

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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