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The Ordinary vs CeraVe

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

The Ordinary and CeraVe are two widely recognized skincare lines offering accessible serums, cleansers, and moisturizers built around reliable ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. The Canadian brand centers its offerings on targeted treatments featuring squalane, niacinamide, and mandelic acid that suit dry skin, dry sensitive skin, acne-prone skin, and mature skin. Meanwhile, the American brand emphasizes soothing formulations with essential ceramides that benefit acne-prone skin and dry skin alike. While both harness hydrating agents to improve barrier function and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, they differ primarily in their formulation focus, with the former favoring potent single-ingredient actives and the latter prioritizing comprehensive barrier restoration.

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

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CeraVe is an American skincare brand founded in 2005 and owned by L'Oréal since 2017.

en.wikipedia.orghappi.comloreal-finance.comcerave.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs CeraVe products

People Say

The OrdinaryCeraVe
  • Gentle and safe for sensitive skin Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “doesn't leave face tight — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “no burning sensation — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
    • “no redness after washing — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Great value and affordable price Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “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%”
    • “reasonably priced — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
  • Improves skin texture and smoothness 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%”
    • “difference in my skin's texture is noticeable — CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy finish Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Absorbs into skin without residue — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Sinks right into your skin — CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Sinks in immediately — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Clears acne and fades dark spots Mostly MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “lightened dark spots — CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum”
  • Deep hydration and moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Saved my dry winter skin — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “woke up with plump skin — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “cured my dry patches — CeraVe Eye Repair Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Skin irritation, stinging, and burning Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “Stung my raw skin — CeraVe Moisturising Cream”
    • “burns my damaged skin — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “Face feels like it's on fire — CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Sticky or heavy residue finish Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “too sticky — CeraVe Healing Ointment”
    • “hard to spread — CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream”
    • “left a sticky film — CeraVe Hydrating Toner”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Pilling and makeup application struggles Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “doesn't take off mascara — CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser”
    • “pills and rolls — CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum”
    • “doesn't remove mascara — CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”

The Ordinary vs CeraVe routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · £90.51 · 97% fitBuy CeraVe routine · £78.52 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs CeraVe routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · £120.07 · 93% fitBuy CeraVe routine · £185.98 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs CeraVe routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · £134.25 · 92% fitBuy CeraVe routine · £145.74 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or CeraVe: which is better?

The products on this page show that both brands offer great options, though The Ordinary is a better fit overall across most skin types. CeraVe tends to do better for deep hydration, lightweight finishes, and being gentle on sensitive skin, while The Ordinary offers better value, texture improvement, and acne clearing.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and CeraVe?

The Ordinary offers a Superior routine fit across nearly all skin types with affordable, single-ingredient serums, whereas CeraVe delivers deep hydration and barrier repair with ceramide-dominant formulas. Reviewers note that the products on this page by The Ordinary excel at clearing acne and improving texture, while CeraVe is praised for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers.

The Ordinary or CeraVe for dry skin?

Both brands offer solid options for dry skin, though Lovi rates routine fit for dry skin as Superior for The Ordinary and High for CeraVe. The products on this page help deliver deep hydration with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

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

The Ordinary or CeraVe: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and CeraVe offer cleansers well-suited for various skin types, but CeraVe is generally noted for gentle, non-stripping hydration while the products on this page for The Ordinary provide great value and targeted care. For instance, the Hydrating Facial Cleanser from CeraVe achieves a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas The Ordinary offers affordable options like the Squalane Cleanser.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or CeraVe?

The Ordinary offers better affordability and great value serums on the products on this page.

Between The Ordinary and CeraVe, which brand is better suited for improving skin texture and smoothness?

The Ordinary does better for improving skin texture and smoothness according to the review themes on this page.

How do The Ordinary and CeraVe compare when it comes to deep hydration and moisture?

When it comes to deep hydration and moisture, CeraVe does better than The Ordinary. The products on this page help restore the skin barrier with ceramides, while hyaluronic acid helps draw in moisture and improve overall skin hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Which brand performs better for clearing acne and fading dark spots, The Ordinary or CeraVe?

The Ordinary performs better for clearing acne and fading dark spots among the products on this page. Reviewers note that the brand excels specifically at clearing acne and fading dark spots.

The Ordinary or CeraVe for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a superior fit for oily skin on the products on this page compared to CeraVe, which is a high fit. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers better options for clearing acne and fading dark spots, while CeraVe is praised for lightweight, non-greasy moisturizers and gentle cleansers.

The Ordinary or CeraVe: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and CeraVe offer moisturizers on the products on this page that are well-regarded, with The Ordinary achieving a Superior routine fit for dry skin and CeraVe achieving a High fit level. The Ordinary products on this page help provide great value and deep hydration, while CeraVe products on this page are known for lightweight, non-greasy finishes and barrier repair lipids that may alleviate dryness.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or CeraVe for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary fits sensitive skin with a Superior routine level, while CeraVe reaches a High level on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers great value and effective serums, whereas CeraVe is praised for being gentle and safe for sensitive skin.

The Ordinary or CeraVe for acne-prone skin?

Both brands offer an equal Superior routine fit level for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. The Ordinary provides acne-clearing serums and fades dark spots better, while CeraVe features effective cleansers for acne and oil.

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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