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The Ordinary vs Shiseido

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

The Ordinary and Shiseido are prominent skincare brands that offer serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and more. The Canadian brand centers its formulations around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit dry skin and oily acne-prone skin best, while the Japanese brand relies on glycerin to provide gentle yet effective daily care for sensitive skin and mature skin. Through these meticulous lines, the former provides targeted treatments like niacinamide and mandelic acid, whereas the latter offers thoughtful daily essentials such as softening lotions and smoothing creams.

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

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Shiseido is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1872 and owned by Shiseido Company, Limited.

corp.shiseido.comen.wikipedia.orgmarketscreener.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Shiseido products

People Say

The OrdinaryShiseido
  • Hydration and Moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Immediate sensation of comfort — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “skin feels plump, soft and nourished, eliminates dryness, bouncy feel — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Skin feels more hydrated — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “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%”
  • Texture Smoothing and Improvement 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%”
    • “smoothes rough skin — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Radiance and Brightening Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Skin looks brighter, more radiant, and "glowy." — Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate”
    • “faded pimple marks — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
    • “Eyes look more awake — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “tight, bright and shiny — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Luxurious Texture Not notedOften Mentioned
    • “silky smooth, rich but non-greasy, absorbs quickly, melts into skin — Shiseido VITAL PERFECTION”
    • “Velvety, rich cream texture — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
    • “Velvety texture — Shiseido FUTURE SOLUTION LX”
  • Lightweight Texture Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Airy-soft texture — Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel Cream”
    • “Sinks right into the skin — Shiseido Activating Essence”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • High Price Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Very expensive for the size — Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Smoothing Eye Cream”
  • Fragrance and Scent Issues 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”
    • “old lady smell — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
  • Pilling and Makeup Compatibility Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “slightly tacky — Shiseido Eudermine Revitalizing Essence”
    • “A little too much (too greasy) — Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Stinging and Irritation Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Caused some irritation — Shiseido Bio-Performance Advanced Super Revitalizing Cream”
    • “caused red bumpy rash — Shiseido Clarifying Cleansing Foam”
    • “caused red rash — Shiseido Treatment Softener”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

The Ordinary vs Shiseido routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · S$164.78 · 92% fitBuy Shiseido routine · S$256.58 · 74% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Shiseido routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · S$393.06 · 89% fitBuy Shiseido routine · S$355.43 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Shiseido routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · S$289.36 · 88% fitBuy Shiseido routine · S$355.43 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Shiseido: which is better?

The Ordinary is a better choice for shoppers seeking affordable value and texture-smoothing benefits, while Shiseido is superior for deep hydration and luxurious textures. The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas Shiseido provides an Average fit for it.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Shiseido?

The Ordinary offers better value and texture smoothing with fragrance-free products, whereas Shiseido provides deeper hydration and luxurious textures with higher prices. For dry skin and mature skin, the products on this page show that routine fit is Superior for The Ordinary and High or Average for Shiseido.

The Ordinary or Shiseido for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for dry skin, offering a superior routine compared to Shiseido's average fit for dry skin.

The Ordinary or Shiseido: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers better value, while Shiseido cleansers are noted for deep-cleansing and efficient performance.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Shiseido?

The Ordinary provides much better value and price, whereas reviewers frequently note Shiseido for its high price point.

Between The Ordinary and Shiseido, which brand is better for mature skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Shiseido's High fit on this page.

How do the fragrance options differ between The Ordinary and Shiseido products?

The Ordinary products on this page list no fragrance in their ingredients, whereas the majority of Shiseido products on this page contain fragrance.

Which brand performs better for hydration and moisture, The Ordinary or Shiseido?

Shiseido performs better for hydration and moisture, while the products on this page for The Ordinary offer better value and price. Hyaluronic acid helps provide deep hydration across both brands, although topical hyaluronic acid supports skin quality and aging signs as well.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Shiseido for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and Shiseido offer a High routine fit for oily skin based on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides better value and price, while Shiseido offers luxurious textures and deep hydration.

The Ordinary or Shiseido: which moisturizer is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers moisturizers with a Superior routine fit for dry skin, while Shiseido moisturizers provide an Average routine fit for dry skin. Shiseido products on this page frequently contain fragrance, whereas every product on The Ordinary page lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

The Ordinary or Shiseido for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Shiseido offer a High routine fit for sensitive skin. The Ordinary features fragrance-free formulas across the products on this page, while Shiseido includes fragrance in 15 of its 20 products.

The Ordinary or Shiseido for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Shiseido offer a high routine fit for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. The Ordinary features fragrance-free options with ingredients like niacinamide, which helps control pigmentation and skin aging.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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

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