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Medicube vs The Ordinary

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

Medicube and The Ordinary are two prominent skincare brands founded in 2016 that offer distinct approaches to modern routines. Medicube is a Korean brand known for its curated selection of moisturizers, serums, toners, and masks featuring niacinamide, collagen, and hyaluronic acid, suiting oily and oily acne-prone skin best. Conversely, the Canadian brand focuses on a diverse lineup of serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, which fit sensitive and combination skin most effectively. Ultimately, both labels differ in their regional origins, corporate ownership, and specific formulation philosophies while addressing targeted skin concerns.

Medicube is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by APR Corp..

medicubereviews.co.ukglossy.co

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

This page compares some of the most popular Medicube and The Ordinary products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Medicube vs The Ordinary products

People Say

MedicubeThe Ordinary
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels bouncier and hydrated — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “glass skin — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “woke up with baby soft skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Skin Texture and Smoothing 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%”
    • “gives my skin a smooth, glass-like finish — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
  • Value and Pricing Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “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%”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “faded dark spots — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “active breakouts look less inflamed — Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad”
  • Glow and Radiance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “gave me instant glass skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “woke up with glowing skin — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “healthy, dewy glow — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
  • Pore Care and Cleansing Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Pores drastically reduced — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “Mochi-like foam — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “Removes every trace of oil — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Sticky and Tacky Finish Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “hair sticks to my face — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “feels way too sticky and tacky — Medicube DEEP VITA-C CAPSULE CREAM”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
  • Irritation and Breakouts Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “gave me cystic acne — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “caused redness and sensitivity — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
  • Drying and Stinging Effects Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin feels very tight — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “skin felt very tight — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “Skin feels quite dry after washing — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Packaging and Quantity Concerns Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “The 50ml tube runs out way too fast. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Wish it came in a pump — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “tube is tiny for the price — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”

Medicube vs The Ordinary routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 542.90 · 89% fitBuy Medicube routine · AED 460.76 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Medicube vs The Ordinary routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 833.82 · 91% fitBuy Medicube routine · AED 645.61 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Medicube vs The Ordinary routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 712.46 · 92% fitBuy Medicube routine · AED 552.91 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

Medicube or The Ordinary: which is better?

The Ordinary is superior for oily, combination, sensitive, mature skin, and skin with dark spots, while both brands perform equally well for dry skin, acne-prone skin, and oily acne-prone skin. Medicube stands out for hydration, glow, and pore care, whereas The Ordinary excels in texture-smoothing, acne-clearing, and value.

What is the difference between Medicube and The Ordinary?

The Ordinary delivers superior fits for oily, combination, sensitive, mature, dark spot, and dry sensitive skin types, whereas Medicube provides high fit levels across all of these same skin categories. The products on this page show that The Ordinary excels in texture-smoothing and acne-clearing serums, while Medicube is noted for deep hydration and pore care.

Medicube or The Ordinary for dry skin?

Both Medicube and The Ordinary fit dry skin well, offering high routine fit levels for this skin type. Medicube features deep hydration moisturizers that help deliver moisture, while The Ordinary includes products like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA that help nourish dry skin. Hyaluronic acid helps improve hydration and skin quality.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medicube or The Ordinary: which cleanser is better?

For cleansers, both Medicube and The Ordinary feature products with high fit levels across multiple skin types, such as Medicube's Zero Foam Cleanser and The Ordinary's Glucoside Foaming Cleanser. Medicube tends to excel more in pore care and cleansing overall, while The Ordinary offers great value and gentle options like the Squalane Cleanser.

Which is more affordable, Medicube or The Ordinary?

The Ordinary is more affordable, as reviewers often mention it for providing affordable and great value serums. Medicube, by contrast, frequently receives complaints regarding small quantity and pricing issues.

Medicube or The Ordinary: which brand is better for tackling dark spots and glow?

Medicube is better for glow and radiance, while The Ordinary does better with dark spot fading serums. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do Medicube and The Ordinary compare regarding texture-smoothing and pore care?

The Ordinary outperforms Medicube for skin texture and smoothing, whereas Medicube does better for pore care and cleansing. Reviewers often mention texture-smoothing serums as a strength for The Ordinary.

Medicube or The Ordinary: which products contain fragrance?

Medicube has products on this page containing fragrance, while The Ordinary lists no fragrance in any of its products. Specifically, 23 of the 25 Medicube products are fragrance-free, with only the Collagen Jelly Cream and Deep Vita A Retinol Serum containing fragrance.

Medicube or The Ordinary for sensitive skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for sensitive skin, whereas Medicube has a High fit level for this skin type. The Ordinary also offers fragrance-free products on this page.

Medicube or The Ordinary: which moisturizer is better?

Medicube offers superior moisturizers for mature skin and dry sensitive skin, such as its Collagen Jelly Cream, while The Ordinary provides superior options for dry skin like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA. Both brands offer moisturizers that help deliver deep hydration.

Medicube or The Ordinary for acne-prone skin?

Both Medicube and The Ordinary feature routines that fit acne-prone skin well at a High level. Medicube is focused on oily acne-prone skin, oily skin, and acne-prone 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

How does it fit your skin?

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