The Ordinary vs Minimalist_ Contemporaries or a Copycat Case.pdf

The Ordinary vs Minimalist: from product formulas to marketing controversies to copying allegations, here’s who truly wins the skincare showdown in our opinion

1. The Ordinary vs Minimalist:
Contemporaries or a Copycat Case

The spider-man pointing at each other meme has gone beyond the realms of just
being a meme to a full-blown reality for The Ordinary and Minimalist. As two leading
brands in the self-care industry with ingredient-driven, reasonably priced products,
they are bound to share some similarities. But the devil is in the details.

2. For a leading Branding Agency in Ahmedabad, this is more than just a skincare
debate; it’s a fascinating study in brand strategy. Both brands dominate the beauty
industry, but their approaches to marketing and development are fundamentally
different. This competition reveals a tale of localized market dominance versus a
global branding strategy, and we’re here to help you decide which is superior
Table of Contents
●​The Ordinary vs Minimalist: Know your brands
●​Allegations of Copying and How Minimalist Responded
●​Product Philosophy and Transparency
●​Pricing and Accessibility
●​Social Media Presence and Community Building
●​Final Thoughts
●​FAQs
The Ordinary vs Minimalist: Know your brands

3. With its science-based formulas, simple packaging, and affordable prices, The
Ordinary has long been a disruptor in the skincare industry. It was introduced in 2016
by the Canadian parent company DECIEM. They emphasised transparency, putting
the active ingredients on display and informing customers about what they were
putting on their skin which immediately led to a cult following.

4. Enter Minimalist, a domestic competitor that debuted in 2020 with a strikingly similar
strategy: ingredient-first marketing, minimalist branding, and reasonably priced
formulations. Minimalist has successfully carved out a niche for itself by catering to
Indian skin concerns, climate and consumer habits, despite the controversy
surrounding its resemblance to The Ordinary and accusations of imitation. This has
allowed Minimalist to capitalise on the controversy and gain a massive valuation of ₹
3000 Crore.
Allegations of Copying and How Minimalist Responded

5. When Minimalist debuted in 2020, several digital critics accused it of shamelessly
stealing The Ordinary’s packaging, product ideas, and ingredient-driven branding.
The resemblance in bottle shape, labelling design, and formula composition was
hard to overlook and provoked discussions around uniqueness in Indian D2C brands.
The backlash worsened on social media platforms like Reddit and Instagram, where
people referred to Minimalist as “The Ordinary’s Indian twin” or even straight up “a
copy”.
Minimalist’s co-founder Mohit Yadav had to speak out. He said that The Ordinary had
influenced their initial packaging and strategy but stood by the reason for the brand
to be: offering high-quality, science-based skincare at affordable prices to Indian
customers. He reiterated that although the visual aesthetic may have felt familiar,
formulations were designed around Indian skin issues, humidity levels and costs.
By speaking out about the controversy and not staying silent, Minimalist redefined
the story: from “copycat” to “local innovator filling an unserved gap”. But the
allegations still persist, the lines of ethical business ideals get blurry day by day and
as a digital marketing agency, we need to start the tough conversations.

6. Product Philosophy and Transparency
The Ordinary, under DECIEM, has become synonymous with radical transparency.
Their packaging is clinical and minimal, yet potent, listing key ingredients and
percentages clearly, such as “Niacinamide 10 % + Zinc 1 %,” with most of their
products priced under Rupees 800. Due to this accessibility and clarity, DECIEM(The
parent company) reports sales of 8 million units in a single year, up from 2 million in
its first three years combined.
Source: Allure.

7. Minimalist brought the same ingredient-first mindset to India, with their ‘desi’ twist for
local context. Its labels highlight ingredient names and percentages, often citing
suppliers and clinical trial outcomes for transparency. While inspired by The
Ordinary’s model, Minimalist formulated its products to address skin concerns
common in India, such as hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone, and sun damage,
which are more prevalent due to the climate. It also focused on educating the Indian
audience that was new to the concept of active skincare, using simple,
science-backed content to build trust and cut through the “marketing fluff” common in
the Indian beauty industry. This approach of “transparency by choice” was applied to
everything from product pages to social media content, making complex science
accessible and relatable to local consumers. The price range too was moulded in
favour of the Indian mindset because the global ingredient-first brands (like The
Ordinary) are premium imports. Minimalist’s “desi twist” is making those
science-backed formulations available at Indian-friendly price points without
compromising transparency
The results have been really impressive. Minimalist reported revenue growth from
₹21 crore in FY21 to ₹184 crore in FY23, a staggering 70 % year-on-year increase.
Pricing and Accessibility

8. The main reason why Minimalist was able to dominate the market so easily even
though there was a good presence of The Ordinary was because of the pricing range
and ease of access. The Ordinary remains affordable in most markets but becomes
expensive in India due to import duties. Minimalist’s local production gives it an edge
in price, availability, and freshness of stock.
Although The Ordinary has caught up to Minimalist in the price factor, there will
always be a home advantage for Minimalist. Locally manufactured brands like
Minimalist benefit from lower freight, quicker restocking, local pack sizing and closer
control over distribution. That tends to translate into steadier availability on local
marketplaces and more aggressive retail pricing or promotions. Minimalist’s rapid
revenue growth and scale in India also allow it to invest heavily in distribution and
promotions, which supports shelf presence and frequent stock replenishment. For
context, Minimalist reported a large jump in turnover in FY22, reflecting rapid scale
up across channels.
Source: Entrackr
Brand Origin USP
Avg. Price
Range
Reach

9. he Ordinary Canada Science-backed, single-ingredient
ormulas
500–₹1,500 0+ countries
Minimalist ndia ransparent, affordable,
ndian-formulated skincare
299–₹699 ndia + select
markets
Social Media Presence and Community Building
Minimalist: Educate First, Earn Trust Next
Minimalist took an unconventional path in Indian skincare, ignoring the flashy
celebrity endorsements for radical transparency and ingredient-centric storytelling.
Their signature move has been “Ingredient Spotlight Launches”, where they tease
new active ingridients ahead of launch, generating buzz and setting expectations
through education rather than hype.
Here’s how Minimalist smartly announced their Retinol serum with the help of the
“Ingridient Spotlight” strategy

10. This post teased a new Active ingredient by not mentioning the full name, the leadup
being a fully fledged reveal reel that was posted after 2 weeks of this post
Their packaging reinforces this approach by providing ingredient percentages and
clear explanations. Basically building credibility through clarity.
Furthermore, Minimalist scaled rapidly through content-led growth. While other
brands splurge on discount-driven campaigns, Minimalist focused on blogs, explainer
reels, and IG carousels that teach users how niacinamide, salicylic acid, or vitamin C
work, and why they matter. This educational-first strategy helped the brand grow from
zero to over ₹100 crore in eight months and to sidestep traditional marketing entirely,
building a ₹360 crore business purely through consumer trust and repeat purchases.
The Ordinary: Science via Storytelling, Community via Credibility
On the global stage, The Ordinary cemented its cult status with its no-gimmicks,
clinical aesthetics, all packaged with scientific clarity. Products are labeled
straightforwardly (e.g., “Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”), avoiding marketing fluff in
favor of truth. This radical transparency rooted their brand as science-first and
value-driven.

11. Their social media presence backs this ethos with a strong educational layer. On
TikTok, they amassed over 1.3 million followers and 16 million likes by leaning into
ingredient science, explaining molecular structures, and running educational contests
like TikTok Q&A, which drove serious engagement and trust.
Rather than celebrity glamour, The Ordinary turned to authentic micro-influencers,
skincare forums, and fan-driven communities—such as Deciem Enthusiasts—fueling
word-of-mouth growth. Their staff even act as ambassadors, making
behind-the-scenes and research feel human and accessible.
Feature Minimalist The Ordinary
nfluencer
ngagement
Actively collaborates with influencers
nd highlights UGC.
everages organic reviews and
ndorsements from global dermatologists
nd influencers.
ducational
ocus
ducates and demystifies skincare
cience for a wider audience
mphasises detailed ingredient information
nd scientific explanations.
Community
Building
Builds community through influencer
ollaborations, content, and relatable
ps.
osters community interaction through online
orums and encourages customer reviews.

12. Social Media
Strategy
More engagement-focused, using reels
nd social media to simplify routines.
Relies more on established skincare
uthority and educational content.
arget Audience Millennials and Gen Z seeking effective,
entle, and accessible solutions.
ngredient-savvy skincare enthusiasts who
ppreciate potent formulas
anguage &
one
riendly, informative, and accessible
anguage.
Clinical and somewhat indifferent, using
more complex scientific terminology.
While both brands champion transparency and science-backed skincare, Minimalist
leans towards an engaging, localised, and influencer-driven social media presence,
aiming to simplify skincare for a wider, more accessible audience in India. The
Ordinary, on the other hand, embraces a more global and clinical approach,
empowering skincare enthusiasts with detailed ingredient knowledge and fostering
community through fan groups and online forums, according to bigblue.co. Both
approaches have proven effective in building loyal communities and achieving
significant success in the skincare market.
Final Thoughts

13. The Ordinary and Minimalist both provide comparable results for many of the same
skin issues, originality is still a strong differentiator. Minimalist has picked up steam
due to its price point and availability, but the brand’s success has been
overshadowed by controversy over how much the company resembles The Ordinary.
The Ordinary, on the other hand, created its ground with innovation and honesty.
Pioneering ingredient-driven skincare years before it went mainstream. As observed
in the service of a branding agency in Ahmedabad, genuine reach typically comes
from creating trends instead of chasing them.