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The Ordinary vs Minimalist

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

The Ordinary and Minimalist are popular skincare lines offering targeted serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and sunscreens built around ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane. The Canadian brand centers its formulations on hydration and barrier support, suiting dry and oily acne-prone skin best, while the Indian brand focuses heavily on protective sunscreens, gentle moisturizers, and cleansers for combination and oily acne-prone complexions. Both lines distinguish themselves through transparent, science-driven approaches, though they differ in their specific ingredient pairings and geographic origins.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Minimalist is an Indian skincare brand founded in 2020 and owned by Unilever PLC since 2025.

m.economictimes.comunilever.combeminimalist.copersonalcareinsights.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Minimalist products

People Say

The OrdinaryMinimalist
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “very moisturizing — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “calmed it when my skin was super irritated — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Great value and affordable 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%”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “doesn't make skin feel tight — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “zero smell — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “great for sensitive skin — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Matte finish and oil control Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “perfect moisturizer for oily skin — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “keeps skin oil-free for hours — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
    • “controlled my sebum production — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Texture smoothing and improvement Mostly MentionedNot noted
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly and doesn't feel greasy — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Sticky finish Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “sticky after application feel — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”
  • Pilling under makeup Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “pills under makeup — Minimalist SPF 50 Sunscreen”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • 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 chemicals — Minimalist Salicylic Acid + LHA 2% Face Cleanser”
  • Drying formulas Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “incredibly drying — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “dried out skin — The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG”
    • “not moisturizing enough — Minimalist Vitamin B5 10% Moisturizer”

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · S$164.78 · 92% fitBuy Minimalist routine · S$270.56 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for oily skin

Buy Minimalist routine · S$506.77 · 94% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · S$393.06 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Minimalist routines for combination skin

Buy Minimalist routine · S$369.20 · 96% fitBuy The Ordinary routine · S$289.36 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Minimalist: which is better?

The Ordinary is superior for dry skin and affordability, whereas Minimalist excels in lightweight hydration and oil control. Both brands feature fragrance-free products on this page.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Minimalist?

The Ordinary provides great value and affordable price along with texture smoothing serums, while Minimalist delivers better hydration and plumping, gentle and non-irritating formulas, and matte finish and oil control.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for dry skin?

The Ordinary is Superior for dry skin, while Minimalist has a High routine fit. The Ordinary offers great value and affordable price for the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Minimalist: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser provides superior or high Lovi fit levels across most skin types, making it a well-rounded option compared to Minimalist. Reviewers note that the products on this page generally offer fragrance-free formulations for both brands.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Minimalist?

The Ordinary is more affordable, offering popular and great value serums among the products on this page.

Which brand is better for skin with dark spots, The Ordinary or Minimalist?

Minimalist is better for skin with dark spots, as Minimalist is rated Superior for this skin type while The Ordinary is rated High. Niacinamide may help reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

Do products from The Ordinary or Minimalist contain added fragrance?

Every product on the Minimalist and The Ordinary pages lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which company is older and where was it founded?

The Ordinary is older, having been founded in Canada in 2016, whereas Minimalist was founded in India in 2020.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, The Ordinary fits well, while Minimalist is rated as having a Superior routine fit.

The Ordinary or Minimalist: which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit for dry skin with its moisturizers like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, whereas Minimalist provides better hydration and plumping overall.

The Ordinary or Minimalist for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, Lovi routine fit is High for The Ordinary and Superior for Minimalist. Reviewers report that Minimalist does better for hydration and plumping, gentle and non-irritating care, matte finish and oil control, and lightweight absorption.

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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