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The Ordinary vs darrow

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

The Ordinary and darrow are two distinct skincare lines offering targeted formulas for daily routines. The Canadian brand centers its serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and dry sensitive skin best, while the dermatological brand darrow is deeply loved for its gentle cleansers and rigorously tested formulas that suit sensitive, oily, and acne-prone skin best. Although both prioritize skin health through careful composition, the former utilizes specific acids and hydration agents to address wrinkles, hydration, barrier function, and dark spots, whereas every daily step from the latter helps restore natural skin balance.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs darrow products

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or darrow: which is better?

The Ordinary offers a much wider range of products that Lovi rates as High or Superior for dry, sensitive, and dry sensitive skin types, whereas darrow only lists a single cleanser on this page. The Ordinary products on this page frequently feature ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, which help hydrate the skin and reduce pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between The Ordinary and darrow?

The Ordinary offers a large range of fragrance-free skincare products on this page that fit dry, dry sensitive, and sensitive skin best, while darrow features a single cleanser with lower fit levels for those skin types. The Ordinary provides many specialized options for concerns like dark spots and acne, whereas darrow focuses on its Actine cleanser.

The Ordinary or darrow: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary offers multiple cleansers, such as the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser, where Lovi rates the fit as High for dry skin and oily skin. In contrast, darrow features the Actine cleanser, where Lovi rates the fit as only Caution for dry skin and Low for sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or darrow?

The products on this page from The Ordinary are often noted by reviewers as affordable and offering great value. By comparison, darrow features only one cleanser on this page and does not share affordability highlights.

When were The Ordinary and darrow founded and who owns them?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021. Darrow was founded in 1969 and is owned by Pierre Fabre.

Do products from The Ordinary and darrow contain fragrance?

Every product from The Ordinary on this page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, and darrow products on this page also list no fragrance.

Which brand offers a cleanser rated as High for dry skin, The Ordinary or darrow?

The Ordinary offers cleansers rated as High for dry skin, such as the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser and Glucoside Foaming Cleanser, whereas darrow's cleanser is rated as Caution for dry skin.

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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