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The Ordinary vs Clinique

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

The Ordinary and Clinique are esteemed skin-care brands owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. The Canadian brand offers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, whereas the American brand is widely loved for its thoughtful range of moisturizers, serums, makeup removers, and eye products combining hyaluronic, glycerin, and caffeine. Both brands suit dry skin and oily skin best, though they differ through distinct ingredient profiles and targeted formulations for acne, dark spots, and aging. Ultimately, the Canadian brand relies on squalane to increase epidermal thickness, while its counterpart utilizes caffeine to protect against UV radiation.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Clinique is an American skincare brand founded in 1968 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.combusinesswire.comglossy.co

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Clinique products

People Say

The OrdinaryClinique
  • Great value and price 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%”
    • “lasts forever — Clinique all about clean”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “never irritated my eyes — Clinique All About Eyes”
    • “No stinging eyes — Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm”
    • “doesn't dry out — Clinique all about clean”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Improves skin texture 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 feels silky smooth — Clinique Smart Clinical Repair Wrinkle Correcting Serum”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “sinks in immediately — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “sinks in instantly — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel”
    • “Absorbs quickly without feeling sticky — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Keeps my dry patches at bay all day — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
    • “skin feels soft and smooth — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “glass skin look — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • 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”
  • Pricey or expensive for brand Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “jar is too small for the cost — Clinique moisture surge”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “feels sticky to the touch — Clinique moisture surge”
    • “feels a bit sticky — Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Causes breakouts Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “gave me cystic acne — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “Woke up with whiteheads on my chin — Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+”
  • Skin irritation and stinging Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Face stung and became red — Clinique Clarifying Lotion 2”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for dry skin

Buy Clinique routine · S$253.28 · 95% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · S$164.78 · 92% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for oily skin

Buy Clinique routine · S$486.90 · 94% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · S$393.06 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Clinique routines for combination skin

Buy Clinique routine · S$382.80 · 94% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · S$289.36 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Clinique: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and prices for the products on this page, whereas Clinique scores higher for overall routine fit across most skin types. For instance, Lovi rates Clinique as Superior for oily, combination, sensitive, and acne-prone skin, while The Ordinary is rated High for those skin types.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Clinique?

The Ordinary focuses on affordable, targeted single-ingredient serums that help clear acne and smooth texture, while Clinique emphasizes lightweight, hydrating moisturizers and gentle cleansers. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides great value, whereas Clinique is often seen as more expensive.

The Ordinary or Clinique for dry skin?

For dry skin, both The Ordinary and Clinique achieve a Superior routine fit level. The products on this page for both brands feature key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin that help hydrate the skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clinique: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page for The Ordinary offer a better value cleanser option, as the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser achieves a High fit level for dry and sensitive skin while maintaining an affordable price point. Clinique also features gentle options like the Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser, but reviewers frequently note a higher price point for the brand.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Clinique?

The Ordinary provides better value and is more affordable, as confirmed by reviewers on the Lovi page. The products on this page offer budget-friendly options compared to Clinique's higher price point.

Which brand has better hydration and plumping benefits, The Ordinary or Clinique?

Clinique is better for hydration and plumping, as its moisturizers help provide deep hydration and smoothing benefits. Additionally, topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clinique: which brand is better for skin with dark spots?

Clinique is better for skin with dark spots, as Lovi rates its overall routine fit as Superior compared to High for The Ordinary. Additionally, reviewers note that Clinique offers better hydration and plumping benefits.

The Ordinary or Clinique for oily skin?

Clinique is better suited for oily skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to The Ordinary's High fit level.

The Ordinary or Clinique: which moisturizer is better?

Both brands offer moisturizers for different needs, with The Ordinary performing well for value and the products on this page providing options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA which features key ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Hyaluronic acid helps maintain skin hydration, as supported by studies.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Clinique for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both brands offer good options, with Clinique achieving a Superior routine fit compared to The Ordinary's High fit. The products on this page for both brands list no fragrance in their ingredients, which helps minimize potential irritation.

The Ordinary or Clinique for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary offers better value and results for acne-prone skin on the products on this page, with reviewers noting it clears acne and blemishes effectively. Lovi rates The Ordinary's routine fit as High for acne-prone skin.

The Ordinary or Clinique for mature skin?

Both The Ordinary and Clinique have a Superior routine fit for mature skin. The Ordinary offers affordable active serums and anti-aging treatments, while Clinique provides nourishing creams and targeted correctors.

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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