The Ordinary vs Beauty of Joseon
The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon are prominent skincare brands founded in 2016 that offer diverse serums, moisturizers, and more built around ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide. The Canadian brand is known for targeted formulas with squalane, serving dry skin and dry sensitive skin best, while the Korean brand is loved for gentle daily care featuring star ingredients like rice and ginseng. Both suit dry skin and sensitive skin, yet they differ in their specific treatments, such as The Ordinary using lactic acid for mature skin and Beauty of Joseon using centella for dark spots.
The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.
Beauty of Joseon is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2019.
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This page compares some of the most popular The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.
Popular The Ordinary vs Beauty of Joseon products
People Say
Texture and Smoothness 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 feels incredibly smooth — Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask”
- “skin feels baby soft — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
Hydration and Moisture Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
- “Saved my dry winter skin — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
- “doesn't dry my skin like other cleansers — Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm”
- “eyes look less tired — Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum”
- “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
Gentle Formula Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
- “no irritation at all — Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum”
- “cleansed my face gently without making my skin feel irritated — Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser”
- “doesn't irritate my sensitive skin — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
- “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
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%”
Lightweight and Non-Greasy Often MentionedOften Mentioned
- “feels like a light moisturizer — Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics”
- “sinks in instantly — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water”
- “sinks in immediately — Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel”
- “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
Acne and Blemish Control Often MentionedSometimes Noted
- “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”
- “reduced my redness significantly — Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum”
Texture Issues and Pilling Often MentionedRarely Noted
- “hard to scoop in winter — Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm”
- “feels slimy — Beauty of Joseon Apricot Blossom Peeling Gel”
- “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 cooking oil — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
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”
- “Broke me out in cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream”
- “gave me cystic acne — Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil”
The Ordinary vs Beauty of Joseon routines for dry skin
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Cleanser
Glycolipid Cream Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$19.70
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Hydrating Toner
Pyunkang Yul Calming Deep Moisture Toner
Morning
A$23.99
-
Moisturizer
Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$19.90
-
SPF
Bioderma Photoderm Mineral Fluide SPF50+
Morning
A$24.49
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Pre-Cleanser
MISSHA Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
Evening · Once a week
A$27.35
-
Serum or Treatment
Lactic Acid 5% + HA
Evening · Once a week
A$13.50
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Nourishing Mask
MEDIHEAL Vita Essential Mask
Once a week
A$28.48
-
Cleanser
Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$28.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Ginseng Essence Water
Morning
A$22.43
-
Moisturizer
Revive Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$26.27
-
SPF
Bioderma Photoderm Mineral Fluide SPF50+
Morning
A$24.49
-
Pre-Cleanser
Ginseng Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
A$33.00
-
Serum or Treatment
Glow Serum
Evening · Once a week
A$16.95
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Nourishing Mask
Centella Asiatica Calming Mask
Once a week
A$31.00
Buy The Ordinary routine · A$192.91 · 96% fit
Buy Beauty of Joseon routine · A$217.64 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit
The Ordinary vs Beauty of Joseon routines for oily skin
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Cleanser
Glucoside Foaming Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$19.70
-
Hydrating Toner
Some By Mi Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Toner
Morning · Once a week
A$34.66
-
Moisturizer
Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$19.90
-
SPF
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen SPF 60
Morning
A$27.99
-
Pre-Cleanser
Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
A$80.43
-
Cleansing Toner
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
Evening
A$14.20
-
Serum or Treatment
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
Evening · Once a week
A$9.50
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Cleansing Mask
Salicylic Acid 2% Masque
Once a week
A$43.90
-
Cleanser
Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$28.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Ginseng Essence Water
Morning · Once a week
A$22.43
-
Moisturizer
Revive Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$26.27
-
SPF
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Clear Skin Dry Touch Sunscreen SPF 60
Morning
A$27.99
-
Pre-Cleanser
Ginseng Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
A$33.00
-
Cleansing Toner
Green Plum Refreshing Toner
Evening
A$27.26
-
Serum or Treatment
Glow Serum
Evening · Once a week
A$16.95
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Cleansing Mask
Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask
Once a week
A$25.16
Buy The Ordinary routine · A$285.78 · 92% fit
Buy Beauty of Joseon routine · A$242.56 · 81% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit
The Ordinary vs Beauty of Joseon routines for combination skin
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Cleanser
Glucoside Foaming Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$19.70
-
Hydrating Toner
Paula's Choice Skin Balancing Pore-Reducing Toner
Morning · Once a week
A$42.00
-
Moisturizer
Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$19.90
-
Pre-Cleanser
Pyunkang Yul Deep Cleansing Oil
Evening · Once a week
A$30.99
-
Cleansing Toner
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
Evening
A$14.20
-
Serum or Treatment
Lactic Acid 5% + HA
Evening · Once a week
A$13.50
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Cleansing Mask
Salicylic Acid 2% Masque
Once a week
A$43.90
-
Cleanser
Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$28.00
-
Hydrating Toner
Ginseng Essence Water
Morning · Once a week
A$22.43
-
Moisturizer
Revive Serum
Morning · Evening · Once a week
A$26.27
-
Pre-Cleanser
Radiance Cleansing Balm
Evening · Once a week
A$29.00
-
Cleansing Toner
Green Plum Refreshing Toner
Evening
A$27.26
-
Serum or Treatment
Glow Serum
Evening · Once a week
A$16.95
-
Enzyme Powder
FANCL Facial Washing Powder
Once a week
A$35.50
-
Cleansing Mask
Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask
Once a week
A$25.16
Buy The Ordinary routine · A$219.69 · 91% fit
Buy Beauty of Joseon routine · A$210.57 · 80% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit
Questions and answers
The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon: which is better?
Both brands are great choices, with The Ordinary offering better value and pricing while Beauty of Joseon delivers superior hydration and moisture. The products on this page help improve skin quality and combat signs of aging using ingredients like hyaluronic acid.
What is the difference between The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon?
The Ordinary provides a superior routine fit for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, mature, dark spot-prone, and dry sensitive skin on the products on this page compared to Beauty of Joseon, and it also offers better value and pricing. Reviewers note that The Ordinary excels in acne and blemish control, while Beauty of Joseon is favored for deep hydration and gentleness.
The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon for dry skin?
For dry skin, both brands work well, with Lovi fit levels showing The Ordinary as Superior and Beauty of Joseon as High. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.
The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon: which cleanser is better?
When comparing cleansers on this page, both The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon offer great options with high or superior Lovi fit levels for most skin types, but Beauty of Joseon stands out for a gentler formula and deeper hydration.
Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon?
The Ordinary offers better value and pricing among the products on this page.
Which brand performs better for hydration and moisture, The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon?
Beauty of Joseon performs better for hydration and moisture, as reviewers on the products on this page frequently mention its deep hydration and moisturization.
Do products from The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon contain added fragrance?
The products on this page from both The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon list no added fragrance in their ingredients.
Which brand is better suited for mature skin, The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon?
The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon for oily skin?
The Ordinary is a superior fit for oily skin compared to Beauty of Joseon based on the routine fit on the products on this page. Reviewers note that the products on this page from The Ordinary provide better acne and blemish control.
The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon: which moisturizer is better?
The products on this page show that both brands offer effective moisturizers, with The Ordinary rated as having a Superior routine fit for dry skin compared to Beauty of Joseon being High. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and reduce signs of aging.
The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon for sensitive skin?
For sensitive skin, both brands work well, but Lovi rates The Ordinary's routine as Superior and Beauty of Joseon's as High. Reviewers note that products on this page from The Ordinary provide great value, while Beauty of Joseon's formulas are especially gentle and non-irritating.
The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon for acne-prone skin?
Both The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon are great options for acne-prone skin, with the products on this page offering high fit levels for this skin type.
Research behind their key ingredients
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Safety evaluation of topical applications of ethanol on the skin and inside the oral cavity
The Effect of Aloe Vera Clinical Trials on Prevention and Healing of Skin Wound: A Systematic Review
Cutaneous photoprotection from ultraviolet injury by green tea polyphenols
Bacterial cellulose membranes as drug delivery systems: an in vivo skin compatibility study
Molecular basis of retinol anti-ageing properties in naturally aged human skin in vivo
Topical palmitoyl pentapeptide provides improvement in photoaged human facial skin
Effects of ascorbic acid on gingival melanin pigmentation in vitro and in vivo
Panax ginseng induces human Type I collagen synthesis through activation of Smad signaling
Vitamin C-squalene bioconjugate promotes epidermal thickening and collagen production in human skin
The moisturizing effects of glycolipid biosurfactants, mannosylerythritol lipids, on human skin
Reduction in the appearance of facial hyperpigmentation by topical N-acetyl glucosamine
Microneedling by dermapen and glycolic acid peel for the treatment of acne scars: Comparative study
Lycopene and Melatonin: Antioxidant Compounds in Cosmetic Formulations
The synergistic effect of retinyl propionate and hydroxypinacolone retinoate on skin aging
Nanostructured Lipid Carrier for Topical Application of N-Acetyl Glucosamine
Supramolecular collagen nanoparticles for anti-wrinkle, skin whitening, and moisturizing effects
Novel beads made of alpha-cyclodextrin and oil for topical delivery of a lipophilic drug
A study of anti-wrinkle functions and improvement of cream with Phaseolus angularis
Topical lycopene emulgel significantly improves biophysical parameters of human skin
The anti wrinkle efficacy of synthetic hexapeptide (Argireline) in Chinese Subjects
Safety of a preservative system containing 1,2-hexanediol and caprylyl glycol
Hippophae rhamnoides oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion improves barrier function in healthy human subjects
A bioactive complex to protect proteins from UV-induced oxidation in human epidermis
Treatment with Ascorbyl Glucoside-Arginine Complex Ameliorates Solar Lentigos
Natural Moisturizing Factor-Enriched Formulations Compared to a Ceramide-Based Cream
Targeting Circadian Rhythm for the Regulation of Skin Collagen Metabolism
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.
-

Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-

Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-

Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-

Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-

Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-

Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-

Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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