The Ordinary vs CeraVe: Actives vs Basics, and How to Use Both

Use CeraVe for the basics and The Ordinary for targeted actives. CeraVe makes complete, fragrance-free cleansers, moisturizers and SPF lotions built on ceramides; The Ordinary makes cheap single-ingredient serums with the strength printed on the label, such as Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% for $6.00. Most people get the best value by combining them: a CeraVe cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen, plus one The Ordinary serum.

Before you add a serum to your routine, you can scan its barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check it against your skin type. Pori flags ingredients; it doesn't diagnose skin conditions.

Below we compare who owns each brand, how their approaches differ, and their niacinamide, retinoid and moisturizer options, then show how to build a routine from both. We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are from cerave.com and theordinary.com (US) as of November 2026.

Who owns The Ordinary and CeraVe?

The Ordinary belongs to DECIEM, which Brandon Truaxe founded in 2013. The Ordinary launched in 2016 with plain bottles and very low prices. Estée Lauder first invested in DECIEM in 2017, became majority owner in 2021, and bought the remaining shares on May 31, 2024 for about $860 million, so The Ordinary is now a wholly owned Estée Lauder brand.

CeraVe belongs to L'Oréal. CeraVe says dermatologists helped develop its first products in the US in 2005, and L'Oréal agreed to buy it from Valeant Pharmaceuticals in January 2017 as part of a $1.3 billion deal. Both sell directly from their own US websites. Our The Ordinary skincare guide and CeraVe skincare guide cover each range in depth.

What is the main difference between The Ordinary and CeraVe?

The difference is the job each brand does best.

• The Ordinary sells actives. Each product is named after its lead ingredient and its percentage, so "Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%" tells you exactly what you are buying. Its range is mostly serums, at prices that usually sit under $13. Each product page lists what not to combine it with.
• CeraVe sells basics. Almost every product carries three ceramides (NP, AP and EOP) plus cholesterol, often with niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. It makes cleansers, moisturizers and SPF lotions that work as finished steps, and most of its core range is fragrance-free. It doesn't print ingredient percentages outside its Drug Facts labels.

In practice that means The Ordinary is strongest in the middle of a routine and CeraVe at the start and end. The overlap is growing: The Ordinary now adds ceramides to its Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, and CeraVe sells a retinol serum.

How do The Ordinary and CeraVe compare product by product?

Ingredient lists change, so check the label on the bottle you buy.

Which niacinamide is better, The Ordinary or CeraVe?

If you want niacinamide as a treatment for shine, enlarged-looking pores or blemishes, The Ordinary's Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is the direct option. You know the dose, it costs $6.00 for 30 ml, and the brand says it suits all skin types. The brand also cites an eight-week study of 35 people for its non-comedogenic claim. The one rule on its product page is to keep it in a separate routine from vitamin C. A 10% dose can sting some sensitive skin, so patch test it first. Our Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% review covers the evidence.

CeraVe uses niacinamide as a supporting ingredient. It appears in the Foaming Facial Cleanser, the AM SPF lotions and the PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion, where it sits fourth on the list after water, glycerin and caprylic/capric triglyceride. That is a low-effort way to get some niacinamide every day without an extra step. If your skin is sensitive and you mainly want calm, hydrated skin, CeraVe PM Lotion may be all the niacinamide you need. If you are targeting oiliness, add the serum. Our guide to niacinamide benefits explains what the ingredient can and cannot do, and best niacinamide serum compares more options.

Which retinoid is better, The Ordinary or CeraVe?

The Ordinary gives you more control. It sells retinol at 0.2%, 0.5% and 1% in a water-free squalane base, and its product page says to start at 0.2%, move to 0.5%, and only then try 1%. For people prone to sensitivity, it suggests Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion, built on hydroxypinacolone retinoate, instead. The brand says to refrigerate its retinol once opened and use it within three months, to avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and to keep it apart from direct acids, direct vitamin C, copper peptides and other retinoids.

CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum is the simpler package. It pairs encapsulated retinol with niacinamide, ceramides and licorice root extract, is fragrance-free, and is aimed at post-acne marks and rough texture. CeraVe doesn't disclose the retinol percentage, so you can't step up strength within the product. At $21.99 it also costs about twice as much as The Ordinary's options. Our Resurfacing Retinol Serum review explains what the label suggests.

Whichever you choose, use it at night, start two or three nights a week, and wear sunscreen every morning. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that retinoids can irritate at first and take time to show results. Our retinol for beginners guide has a schedule, and peeling from retinol covers the first weeks.

Which moisturizer is better, The Ordinary or CeraVe?

For dry skin, CeraVe. Moisturizing Cream combines ceramides, cholesterol, hyaluronic acid and petrolatum, carries the National Eczema Association seal, and lists from $14.99. It is the richer of the two. Our Moisturizing Cream review has the details.

For oily, combination or normal skin on a tight budget, The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA is hard to beat at $6.70. It is a plain, fragrance-free cream built on amino acids, sodium PCA, glycerin and hyaluronic acid, which mimic the skin's own water-binding molecules. Very dry skin will likely want something richer on top. Our NMF + HA review covers it. CeraVe PM Lotion ($19.99) sits between the two: light, oil-free and with ceramides and niacinamide, which is why it is a common partner for retinoids.

How do you build a routine from The Ordinary and CeraVe?

Let CeraVe handle cleansing, moisturizing and sun protection, and add one The Ordinary active at a time. Layer from thinnest to thickest, as our guide on how to layer serums explains.

Oily or acne-prone skin

1. Morning: CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, CeraVe AM SPF 50.
2. Evening: CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion two or three nights a week, CeraVe PM Lotion.

At list price this costs $15.99 + $6.00 + $19.99 + $12.10 + $19.99 = $74.07, and each bottle lasts weeks to months.

Dry skin

1. Morning: CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser or just water, Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, CeraVe AM SPF 30.
2. Evening: CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. Add Retinol 0.2% in Squalane once your skin is settled.

Sensitive skin

Start with CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser, Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 and CeraVe Moisturizing Cream or PM Lotion, plus sunscreen. If your skin stays calm for a month, try Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion once a week. Skip strong acids at first.

Two rules keep this safe. Add one new product every two weeks or so, so you can tell what helps and what irritates. And keep the actives apart as The Ordinary's pages advise: niacinamide in the morning, retinoid at night, and no acid on retinoid nights. Our list of skincare ingredients not to mix covers other pairs.

Is The Ordinary or CeraVe cheaper?

Per bottle, The Ordinary. Its core serums and moisturizer list from $6.00 to $12.10 on theordinary.com, against $14.99 to $21.99 for the CeraVe face products we checked on cerave.com, as of November 2026. The comparison isn't quite like for like, since CeraVe sells larger cleansers and creams that serve as whole steps. The cheapest sensible routine mixes both, as above.

So, The Ordinary or CeraVe: who should pick which?

• Pick CeraVe if you want a simple, fragrance-free routine that works without research, if your skin is dry or eczema-prone, or if you want a daily SPF moisturizer.
• Pick The Ordinary if you want to target one concern with a known dose of one ingredient, such as niacinamide for oiliness or a retinoid for texture, and you are happy to read each product's "do not use with" list.
• Use both in most cases, with CeraVe as the base and one The Ordinary active on top.

For other comparisons, see The Ordinary vs The INKEY List, CeraVe vs Cetaphil and CeraVe vs Neutrogena, or read serum vs moisturizer vs essence to see where each step fits. You can browse serums and moisturizers in our catalogue.