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The Ordinary vs Trilogy

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

The Ordinary and Trilogy are distinctive skincare lines offering thoughtful serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners. The Canadian brand centers its formulas on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit dry and dry sensitive skin best, while the other is deeply loved for its gentle cleansers and moisturizers well suited for dry, balanced, and sensitive skin types. For specific concerns, the first features targeted solutions like Niacinamide, Mandelic Acid, and Lactic Acid, whereas the second offers standout items such as the Vitamin C Ceramide Night Cream, Rosehip Cream Cleanser, and Line Smoothing Day Cream.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Trilogy products

People Say

The OrdinaryTrilogy
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “Keeps skin moisturized — Trilogy Vitamin C Ceramide Night Cream”
    • “Leaves skin thoroughly moisturised — Trilogy Line Smoothing Day Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Skin smoothing and texture improvement 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%”
    • “Noticeable difference — Trilogy Line Smoothing Day Cream”
  • Value for money and pricing 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%”
  • Gentle and non-irritating Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Trilogy Rosehip Cream Cleanser”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
  • Finish and texture feel Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “Not greasy — Trilogy Line Smoothing Day Cream”
  • Creamy and rich texture Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Silky cream consistency — Trilogy Rosehip Cream Cleanser”
    • “Luxuriously rich — Trilogy Vitamin C Ceramide Night Cream”
  • Stinging, harshness and irritation Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Sting my skin a little — Trilogy Vitamin C Ceramide Night Cream”
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Sticky and tacky finish Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Does leave that kind of residue — Trilogy Vitamin C Ceramide Night Cream”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Trilogy: which is better?

The Ordinary is often preferred for skin smoothing, texture improvement, and value for money, while Trilogy tends to be favored for hydration, plumping, and a creamy texture. Lovi rates The Ordinary with High or Superior fits across a wide range of products for dry, sensitive, and dry sensitive skin types.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Trilogy?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers better value for money and skin smoothing, while Trilogy provides superior hydration, plumping, and a creaminess that may feel richer. Reviewers note that Trilogy is gentler, but it may also cause stinging or irritation in some cases.

The Ordinary or Trilogy: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers more cleanser options with varying fit levels across skin types, such as the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser which has a superior fit for dry skin, whereas Trilogy features a single Rosehip Cream Cleanser with a high fit for sensitive and dry sensitive skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Trilogy?

The Ordinary offers better value for money and pricing than Trilogy for the products on this page.

Which causes fewer breakouts, The Ordinary or Trilogy?

The products on this page by The Ordinary focus heavily on acne-clearing serums, whereas Trilogy does not center its range on blemishes. Lovi rates several of The Ordinary products with a Superior fit for acne-prone skin.

Between The Ordinary and Trilogy, which brand offers a better selection of serums for fading dark spots?

The Ordinary offers a much better selection of serums for fading dark spots, with several products achieving a Superior fit level for skin with dark spots. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of The Ordinary and Trilogy compare?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., while Trilogy was founded in 2002 and is owned by CITIC Capital Holdings Limited.

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

The Ordinary has more fragrance-free products than Trilogy because every single product on The Ordinary's page lists no fragrance in its ingredients, whereas Trilogy only has one out of three products that is fragrance-free.

The Ordinary or Trilogy: which moisturizer is better?

When it comes to moisturizers, Trilogy tends to do better for hydration and plumping, whereas the products on this page from The Ordinary are often praised for value and pricing.

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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