🇬🇧United Kingdom

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil

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

The Ordinary and Cetaphil are two distinct skincare brands offering a range of targeted serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and more. The Canadian brand centers its formulations around ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, making it best suited for dry skin and dry sensitive skin. Meanwhile, the American brand relies on glycerin, niacinamide, and panthenol to create gentle options that suit combination skin and sensitive skin best. While both utilize hydration-boosting glycerin, the former focuses on specialized acid treatments for various aging and textural concerns, whereas the latter is widely loved for soothing daily essentials that nurture the moisture barrier.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Cetaphil is an American skincare brand founded in 1947 and owned by Galderma Group AG.

en.wikipedia.orgcetaphil.co.uk

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Cetaphil products

People Say

The OrdinaryCetaphil
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “The only thing my reactive skin tolerates. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “No breakouts since switching to this. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “cleans without stripping — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Affordable value Mostly MentionedRarely 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%”
    • “Bar lasts a long time — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
  • Hydration and moisture Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “cleared up flaky skin — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “healed my dry patches — Cetaphil Moisturising Cream”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft, not tight. — Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight and non-greasy Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs instantly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “Absorbs quickly into skin without residue — Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion”
    • “absorbs quickly — Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Skin texture 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%”
    • “Skin felt softer after one use — Cetaphil Gentle Exfoliating SA Cleanser”
  • Acne and blemish clearing Often MentionedRarely 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”
    • “Helps to remove pimple and acne. — Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser”
  • Skin irritation and stinging Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “burns my face now — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “new formula burns — Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser”
    • “burned my face — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • 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”
    • “Overpowering masking fragrance — Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar”
  • Sticky and tacky finish Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “leaves a tacky finish — Cetaphil Vitamin C Serum”
    • “feels tacky — Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · £90.51 · 97% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · £92.66 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · £120.07 · 93% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · £191.77 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Cetaphil routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · £134.25 · 92% fitBuy Cetaphil routine · £172.93 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which is better?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil are top skincare brands, with The Ordinary offering superior value and targeted treatments while Cetaphil excels in gentle, hydrating care. Reviewers note that The Ordinary products on this page help improve skin texture and clear blemishes, whereas Cetaphil cleansers and moisturizers are praised for being gentle and non-stripping on sensitive skin.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Cetaphil?

Both brands offer gentle options, but The Ordinary has products on this page that are more affordable and better for acne and skin texture, whereas Cetaphil is known for being extra gentle on sensitive skin and providing rich hydration.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for dry skin?

Both brands offer strong options for dry skin, though Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and Cetaphil as High for a dry-skin routine. The Ordinary features fragrance-free formulas with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid and squalane, while Cetaphil provides hydrating, non-greasy moisturizers and gentle cleansers that help soothe sensitive skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer cleansers that fit sensitive, acne-prone, and oily skin at a High level on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Cetaphil excels with gentle, non-stripping cleansers, while The Ordinary offers affordable value.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary offers more affordable value than Cetaphil according to reviewer feedback on the products on this page.

Which brand performs better for improving skin texture, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary performs better for improving skin texture, offering texture-smoothing serums that reviewers often mention as a key benefit. Cetaphil also provides products on this page that help with skin care, but reviewers note that it can sometimes cause texture and residue issues.

How do the founding years and parent companies of The Ordinary and Cetaphil compare?

The Ordinary was founded in 2016 in Canada and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., while Cetaphil was founded earlier in 1947 in the United States and is owned by Galderma Group AG.

Which brand has more fragrance-free products, The Ordinary or Cetaphil?

The Ordinary has more fragrance-free products, as every product on its page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas Cetaphil includes one product with fragrance.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for oily skin?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil are great options, as Lovi rates both brands as having a Superior routine fit for oily skin. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides better acne-clearing and skin texture improvement, while Cetaphil is praised for offering gentle, non-stripping cleansers and hydrating, non-greasy moisturizers.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Cetaphil offer effective moisturizers, with products on this page for The Ordinary featuring key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane. Lovi gives The Ordinary a Superior fit level for dry skin routines, while Cetaphil achieves a High fit level for dry skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer great options for sensitive skin, but Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and Cetaphil as High for this skin type. Reviewers note that Cetaphil is especially gentle on sensitive skin, while users often praise The Ordinary for affordable and gentle serums.

The Ordinary or Cetaphil for acne-prone skin?

For acne-prone skin, both brands offer good options, though Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and Cetaphil as High overall. The products on this page from The Ordinary are often noted for acne-clearing serums, while Cetaphil is recognized for gentle, non-stripping cleansers.

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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