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The Ordinary vs FRE

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

The Ordinary and FRE are two skincare lines built around distinct targeted formulas and nourishing ingredients. The Canadian brand offers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more, featuring hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to fit dry skin and dry sensitive skin best. Meanwhile, FRE is widely loved for its targeted product types and nourishing formulas that suit acne-prone skin best, owing to their gentle and effective compositions. These thoughtful formulations work to gently balance and support the complexion while differing in their core ingredient approaches.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs FRE products

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or FRE: which is better?

The products on this page from The Ordinary fit dry, dry sensitive, and sensitive skin best, while FRE has a much more limited lineup. The Ordinary offers affordable and gentle serums that help with hydration, acne, and dark spots.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and FRE?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers a wide variety of affordable treatments, serums, and cleansers best fitting dry, dry sensitive, and sensitive skin types, whereas FRE features a single argan oil product with High Lovi fit for dry sensitive skin and Average fit for dry skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or FRE?

The products on this page from The Ordinary are widely recognized by reviewers as affordable and offering great value, whereas FRE features a more limited range with only one product listed. Lovi gives The Ordinary High to Superior fit levels across several skin types like dry and sensitive skin, while FRE shows lower compatibility.

When was The Ordinary founded and who owns it compared to FRE?

The Ordinary was founded in 2016 in Canada and has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021, whereas FRE was also founded in 2016 but is independently owned.

What do reviewers commonly say about the texture and pricing of The Ordinary serums?

Reviewers commonly note that the products on this page include texture-smoothing serums and affordable, great-value serums.

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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