🇸🇬Singapore

The Ordinary vs Elemis

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

The Ordinary and Elemis are two distinct skincare lines known for expertly formulated serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners. The Canadian brand centers its offerings around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the British brand enriches its products with glycerin and shea. Both lines suit dry skin best, though the former also fits oily acne-prone skin and the latter favors balanced and sensitive skin. They differ in origin and targeted hydration strategies, as the former utilizes squalane for epidermal thickness and collagen production, whereas the latter relies on shea butter to reduce inflammation and relieve skin pruritus.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Elemis is a British skincare brand founded in 1989 and owned by L'Occitane Group since 2019.

elemis.comau.elemis.comen.wikipedia.org

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Elemis products

People Say

The OrdinaryElemis
  • Texture and Absorption Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “Absorbs almost immediately, and my skin feels well hydrated all day. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “whipped silk feel — Elemis Superfood Midnight Facial”
    • “cloud-light gel formula — Elemis Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Smooths and Refines Skin Texture 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%”
    • “baby soft — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads”
  • Hydration and Moisture Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “The cream really hydrates and my face looks amazing. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “Quenches thirsty skin... immediate improvement. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
    • “skin feels baby soft — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Value and 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%”
  • Other Benefits and Features Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “eliminated armpit odor — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “Nature's botox — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “My neck doesn't sag... plumps my skin to look more youthful. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
  • Gentle and Sensitive Skin Friendly Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “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”
    • “no stinging or redness — Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel”
    • “Feels incredibly gentle and instantly rebalances my skin's pH. — Elemis Balancing Lavender Toner”
  • High Price Point Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Complete waste of money for me. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”
  • Heavy, Thick, or Sticky Texture Issues Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Great product, a bit heavy. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Night Cream”
    • “slightly tacky to touch — Elemis Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask”
    • “leaves white flakes — Elemis Pro-Collagen Advanced Eye Treatment”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Other Complaints and Issues Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “blurry vision — Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm”
    • “tends to flake off — Elemis Pro-Collagen Eye Revive Mask”
    • “slight tingling sensation — Elemis Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Wash”
    • “foams up like soap — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
  • Scent and Fragrance 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”
    • “The smell is very strong... could not handle for long. — Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream”

The Ordinary vs Elemis serums and treatments

The Ordinary vs Elemis moisturizers

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Elemis: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and prices for the products on this page, whereas Elemis excels in hydration, moisture, texture, and absorption. Both brands provide equal fit levels for gentle and sensitive skin, but The Ordinary has an advantage regarding scent and fragrance since every product on its page lists no fragrance.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Elemis?

The Ordinary focuses on targeted, affordable ingredients with fragrance-free formulas, whereas Elemis offers a more luxurious experience with hydrating moisturizers that often include fragrance. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides better value and smooths skin texture well, while Elemis excels in hydration and texture absorption.

The Ordinary or Elemis: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that both The Ordinary and Elemis offer cleansers with high fit levels for oily and dry skin types, though reviewers find that Elemis excels more in overall texture and hydration while The Ordinary offers better affordability and value.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Elemis?

The Ordinary is more affordable, offering affordable and great value serums compared to Elemis, which is noted for a high price point.

Which causes fewer breakouts, The Ordinary or Elemis?

The Ordinary offers acne-clearing serums that reviewers often praise, and several of the products on this page have superior Lovi fit levels for acne-prone skin. Elemis has fewer focused options for breakouts and includes fragrance in most formulas, which may irritate sensitive skin.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, The Ordinary or Elemis?

The Ordinary has more fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients. In contrast, only 4 of the 22 products on the Elemis page are fragrance-free.

Which brand is better for sensitive skin according to the review themes?

According to the review themes, both The Ordinary and Elemis perform equally well for sensitive skin.

What are the main skin types that The Ordinary fits best?

The products on this page for The Ordinary fit dry skin, oily acne-prone skin, and mature skin best.

The Ordinary or Elemis: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Elemis offer effective moisturizers, with The Ordinary featuring fragrance-free options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA and Elemis providing luxurious choices like the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. Reviewers often praise Elemis for its hydration and moisturizing benefits, while highlighting The Ordinary for its great value.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play