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The Ordinary vs FRE

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

The Ordinary and FRE are two skincare options designed to support varying complexions through thoughtful, ingredient-focused formulations. The Canadian brand offers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, which best suit dry and oily acne-prone skin. Meanwhile, FRE is widely loved for its targeted product types and nourishing formulas that suit acne-prone skin best, including its standout Argan Oil. While both brands gently balance the complexion, the former relies on science-backed single actives like niacinamide, mandelic acid, and lactic acid, whereas the latter utilizes gentle, effective compositions to care for the skin.

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 FRE products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular The Ordinary vs FRE products

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or FRE: which is better?

The products on this page from The Ordinary offer a much wider selection across more skin types than FRE. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

What is the difference between The Ordinary and FRE?

The Ordinary offers a large range of products that fits dry skin, oily acne-prone skin, and mature skin, whereas FRE has only one product on this page with an Argan Oil fitting dry sensitive skin at a High level. The products on this page for The Ordinary are often praised for being affordable and great value serums, while also offering texture-smoothing and acne-clearing benefits.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or FRE?

The products on this page from The Ordinary are widely praised by reviewers as affordable and great value serums, whereas FRE has only one argan oil product listed without brand-focused routines or cost highlights.

Which causes fewer breakouts, The Ordinary or FRE?

The products on this page from The Ordinary help with breakouts through dedicated acne-clearing serums, whereas FRE features only a single argan oil product on its page. Lovi rates The Ordinary at a High fit for acne-prone skin, while FRE has an average fit for that skin type.

When was The Ordinary founded and who owns it compared to FRE?

The Ordinary was founded in 2016 in Canada and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021, whereas FRE was also founded in 2016 but is owned independently.

Do any products from The Ordinary or FRE contain fragrance?

Every product on this page for both The Ordinary and FRE lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

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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