🇦🇪United Arab Emirates

The Ordinary vs Biore

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

The Ordinary and Biore are two distinct skincare lines known for thoughtful formulations that support a balanced, refreshed complexion. The Canadian company, founded in 2016, features serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the Japanese brand, established in 1980, is beloved for its sunscreens, cleansers, masks, and makeup removers. Both brands suit sensitive skin best, with the former also fitting combination skin and the latter supporting oily skin through gentle and clarifying options. They differ primarily in their specific target offerings, such as the former relying on hero ingredients like niacinamide, mandelic acid, and lactic acid, whereas the latter relies on standout choices like the UV Aqua Rich, the Makeup Remover Perfect Oil, and the Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Biore is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by Kao Corporation.

biore.comkao.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Biore products

People Say

The OrdinaryBiore
  • High protection and application Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Gets the gunk out — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
    • “Face feels squeaky clean — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
    • “SPF 50+ PA++++ — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Redness and acne reduction Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “Helped clear my blackheads — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
  • Great value 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%”
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “Leaves my face feeling soft and not tight at all. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Finally a cleanser that doesn't sting my face. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “feels like a moisturizer — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Gentle application Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Minimal effort required — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
    • “No greasy film, leaves skin fresh, rinses easily. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “Works in shower, effective on wet hands/face. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “no irritation at all — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Makeup compatibility Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “primer-like — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Removes waterproof mascara, eyeliner, foundation. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “Makeup sits beautifully on top — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Stinging and irritation Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Made my skin peel — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
  • Texture and pilling issues Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Too liquidy, thin consistency, messy application. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Unpleasant scent Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Smells like vinegar — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “smell is unbearable — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “has a slight chemical smell — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “smells like alcohol — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Breakouts and purging Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
    • “broke me out in cysts — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “caused cystic acne — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Caused breakouts, closed comedones, cystic acne. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 542.90 · 89% fitBuy Biore routine · AED 483.12 · 83% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 833.82 · 91% fitBuy Biore routine · AED 822.19 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · AED 712.46 · 92% fitBuy Biore routine · AED 803.83 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Biore: which is better?

The Ordinary is often better than Biore for hydration, value, and reducing redness and acne, while Biore stands out for its high-protection sunscreens and makeup compatibility. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers superior fit levels for combination skin, mature skin, and skin with dark spots.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Biore?

The Ordinary provides a wide range of serums and treatments that fit combination skin at a Superior level, whereas Biore offers targeted options like cleansers and sunscreens that fit the same skin type at a High level. Reviewers note that The Ordinary does better for hydration and plumping, while Biore excels in high protection and application.

The Ordinary or Biore for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Biore fit dry skin well, offering a high routine fit level for this skin type. The Ordinary features key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, which help maintain skin hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Biore: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary offers a wider cleanser selection tailored to various skin types with fit levels reaching High, whereas Biore provides fewer options.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Biore?

The Ordinary does better for great value and pricing among the products on this page.

Which brand has been around longer, The Ordinary or Biore?

Biore has been around longer than The Ordinary, having been founded in Japan in 1980 compared to The Ordinary which was founded in Canada in 2016.

Do products from The Ordinary and Biore contain fragrance?

Both The Ordinary and Biore contain no fragrance in the products on this page.

Which brand does better for redness and acne reduction?

The Ordinary does better for redness and acne reduction. Review themes show that The Ordinary outperforms Biore in reducing redness and acne.

The Ordinary or Biore for oily skin?

The Ordinary is superior for oily skin, whereas Biore has a high routine fit. The Ordinary features targeted oil-control ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid that help reduce excess sebum.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Biore for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Biore fit sensitive skin well, but The Ordinary is rated Superior while Biore is rated Superior as well. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Biore for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Biore offer products that fit acne-prone skin well. The Ordinary provides a routine fit rated as High for acne-prone skin, alongside acne-clearing 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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play