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The Ordinary vs Estée Lauder

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

The Ordinary and Estée Lauder are two skincare brands owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. The former is a Canadian line founded in 2016 known for serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the latter is an American brand founded in 1946 beloved for its comprehensive range of moisturizers, serums, eye products, cleansers, and more. Both brands suit oily, acne-prone skin best, though the Canadian brand also fits dry skin and the American brand suits mature skin. They differ in their targeted offerings, with the Canadian brand focusing on specific acids and the American brand addressing both aging concerns and excess sebum through formulations like the Micro Essence Treatment Lotion, DayWear Moisturizer, and Futurist Peptide-Power Serum Primer.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Estée Lauder is an American skincare brand founded in 1946 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc..

en.wikipedia.orgelcompanies.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Estée Lauder products

People Say

The OrdinaryEstée Lauder
  • Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “skin drinks it up immediately — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “The formula is incredibly hydrating and leaves my skin feeling smooth. — Estée Lauder Re-Nutriv”
    • “texture is dreamy — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Gel-Creme”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Texture and Pores Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “skin feels like a baby's bottom — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “silky smooth — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Value and Price Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “lasts forever — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “eliminated armpit odor — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “can't beat the price — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
  • Additional Benefits and Performance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “Nature's botox — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “included SPF 15 is ideal for mild sun exposure — Estée Lauder DayWear Moisturizer”
    • “stronger — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Lightweight and Fast Absorbing Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Absorbs quickly into the skin — Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+”
    • “watery — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Acne and Blemish Control 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”
  • High Price Point Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “way too expensive for the size — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
  • Inconsistent Results or Formula Issues Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “no change in pigment — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “didn't notice any difference — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair”
    • “just expensive water — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
  • Pilling, Sticky, or Heavy Finish Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “tacky film — Estée Lauder Micro Essence Treatment Lotion”
    • “Leaves a greasy film behind — Estée Lauder Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”

The Ordinary vs Estée Lauder routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · S$164.78 · 92% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · S$189.84 · 85% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Estée Lauder routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · S$393.06 · 89% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · S$423.46 · 79% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Estée Lauder routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · S$289.36 · 88% fitBuy Estée Lauder routine · S$319.36 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and superior performance for acne and blemish control, while Estée Lauder delivers deeper hydration. Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior for dry skin routines and Estée Lauder as High for the same skin type.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Estée Lauder?

The Ordinary offers better value and acne control, whereas Estée Lauder provides deeper hydration. The Ordinary is rated as having a Superior routine fit for dry skin, mature skin, and oily acne-prone skin on the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better choice for dry skin because the products on this page achieve a Superior routine fit compared to the High fit of Estée Lauder. Hyaluronic acid helps bind moisture to the skin.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that both brands offer cleansers with high fit levels for various skin types, but reviewers note that Estée Lauder provides gentle and non-drying cleansers while highlighting a high price point. The Ordinary cleansers help provide great value, though the Squalane Cleanser has a low fit for acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Estée Lauder?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers better value, whereas reviewers note that Estée Lauder has a high price point.

Which brand has a stronger fragrance across its products?

Estée Lauder has a stronger fragrance across its products, as 2 of the 14 products on its page list fragrance in their ingredients, while every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and Estée Lauder have a High routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers great value and acne-clearing serums, while Estée Lauder provides deep hydration and a lightweight feel.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder: which moisturizer is better?

For moisturizers, The Ordinary provides a superior routine fit for dry skin on this page, while Estée Lauder offers deep hydration and rich options like Revitalizing Supreme+. The Ordinary is known as affordable and great value, whereas Estée Lauder frequently features a high price point.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer products on this page that may suit sensitive skin well. Lovi rates the routine fit for sensitive skin as High for both The Ordinary and Estée Lauder.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a better choice for acne-prone skin because the products on this page excel in acne and blemish control. Lovi rates The Ordinary's routine fit for acne-prone skin as High, and reviewers often note its acne-clearing serums.

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder for mature skin?

The Ordinary provides a Superior routine fit for mature skin, whereas Estée Lauder has a High routine fit for mature skin. Retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

The Ordinary or Estée Lauder for oily acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for oily acne-prone skin, offering a Superior routine compared to Estée Lauder's High fit level.

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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