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The Ordinary vs Dermalogica

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

The Ordinary and Dermalogica are well-regarded skincare brands that offer serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and more. The Canadian brand centers its formulations around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit dry and oily acne-prone skin best, while the American brand enriches its targeted products with hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and salicylic acid to care for sensitive, dry, oily, and aging skin. Both brands differ in their approaches, as the former relies on ingredients like squalane to increase epidermal thickness and collagen production, whereas the latter utilizes science-driven components like salicylic acid to reduce acne lesion counts.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Dermalogica is an American skincare brand founded in 1986 and owned by Unilever since 2015.

en.wikipedia.orgcosmeticsbusiness.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Dermalogica products

People Say

The OrdinaryDermalogica
  • Value 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%”
    • “little goes a long way — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Saved my dry skin — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “super hydrating — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
    • “skin feels hydrated — Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Skin texture smoothing 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 smooth as silk — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “gentle enough for daily use — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “doesn't strip skin — Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel”
    • “helps calm and nourish my skin — Dermalogica Stabilizing Repair Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “blends seamlessly — Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50”
    • “Absorbs quickly... not greasy — Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream”
    • “Sinks in beautifully — Dermalogica Super Rich Repair”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Acne clearing and blemish control Often MentionedRarely 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”
    • “doesn't clog pores — Dermalogica Active Moist”
  • High price point Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “hefty price tag — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • 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 puke — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
  • Stinging and irritation Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “burns immediately — Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque”
    • “caused severe peeling — Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant”
    • “Prickle sensation — Dermalogica Blackhead Clearing Fizz Mask”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Breakouts and skin reactions 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”
    • “Cystic acne flare-ups — Dermalogica Precleanse”

The Ordinary vs Dermalogica serums and treatments

The Ordinary vs Dermalogica moisturizers

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Dermalogica: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value, acne-clearing serums, and skin texture smoothing, while Dermalogica does better with hydration, gentle care, lightweight absorption, and soothing moisturizers. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Dermalogica?

The Ordinary provides better value and pricing, whereas Dermalogica excels in hydration, plumping, and lightweight absorption according to the review themes on this page. Lovi shows that both brands offer high fit levels for various skin types across their products.

The Ordinary or Dermalogica: which cleanser is better?

When comparing cleansers from the products on this page, both The Ordinary and Dermalogica offer high or superior Lovi fit levels for various skin types. Reviewers frequently note that Dermalogica provides gentle and non-stripping cleansers, while The Ordinary offers great value.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Dermalogica?

The Ordinary is more affordable than Dermalogica, providing high-value and budget-friendly serums. Review themes highlight value and pricing as an advantage for The Ordinary.

Which causes fewer breakouts, The Ordinary or Dermalogica?

Dermalogica is the better choice for avoiding breakouts, as The Ordinary has reviews noting it causes breakouts and skin reactions. Dermalogica does better on acne clearing and blemish control review themes.

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of The Ordinary and Dermalogica compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., while Dermalogica was founded in the United States in 1986 and is owned by Unilever.

Which brand offers better skin hydration and plumping according to reviewer themes?

According to reviewer themes, Dermalogica does better with hydration and plumping than The Ordinary.

The Ordinary or Dermalogica: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, The Ordinary is better for value and pricing, while Dermalogica is better for intense hydration and soothing benefits. Reviewers note that The Ordinary products on this page offer great affordability, whereas Dermalogica products on this page excel in delivering non-greasy, textured hydration.

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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