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The Ordinary vs Some By Mi

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

The Ordinary and Some By Mi are two 2016-founded skincare brands, owned respectively by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and JKL Partners since 2021. The Canadian brand is known for serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the Korean brand offers similar product types built around niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid. Both brands suit dry sensitive skin, but the former fits dry skin best, whereas the latter best fits skin with dark spots. They differ in their core formulations and specific target concerns, as the former utilizes ingredients that enhance barrier function, hydration, and collagen production, and the latter employs actives that reduce hyperpigmentation, acne lesions, and signs of skin aging.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Some By Mi is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by JKL Partners since 2021.

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Some By Mi products

People Say

The OrdinarySome By Mi
  • Acne clearing and spot treatment Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “scars and hormonal acne faded — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “Reduces pimples — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “cleared my cystic acne — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Acne Clear Foam”
  • Skin texture 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 became smoother — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
    • “Skin feels baby soft — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
  • 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%”
  • Gentle on sensitive skin Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “Zero irritation or redness — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “doesn't strip dry my skin — Some By Mi Super Matcha Pore Clean Clay Mask”
  • Lightweight absorption Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream”
    • “absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Serum”
    • “absorbs instantly — Some By Mi Yuja Niacin Anti Blemish Serum”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Hydration and plumping Sometimes NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Lasts 100 hours as claimed — Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream”
    • “Absorbs quickly — Some By Mi Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum”
    • “Leaves a nice glow — Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Unpleasant scent and fragrance 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”
    • “overwhelming citrus fragrance — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
  • 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”
    • “gave me cystic acne — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “Zits appeared initially — Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner”
  • Stinging and irritation Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “stings really bad upon application — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “stings my eyes — Some By Mi V10 Hyal Air Fit Sunscreen”
    • “burned my skin — Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum”

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$192.91 · 96% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · A$222.98 · 93% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$285.78 · 92% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · A$301.59 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · A$219.69 · 91% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · A$224.16 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Some By Mi: which is better?

Both brands are great choices, as The Ordinary provides better pricing and value, while Some By Mi offers more lightweight absorption. For dry skin, the products on this page help deliver superior hydration and plumping.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Some By Mi?

The Ordinary offers better value and superior routines for mature skin, while Some By Mi provides more lightweight absorption and hydration for the products on this page. Niacinamide in both brands helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi achieve a Superior routine fit for dry skin. The Ordinary features key moisturizing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, while Some By Mi offers products with niacinamide that help hydrate and brighten the complexion.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Some By Mi: which cleanser is better?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer cleansers with high Lovi fit levels for many skin types, though reviewers note that Some By Mi cleansers provide deep pore cleansing while The Ordinary options tend to be gentle and affordable.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Some By Mi?

The Ordinary provides greater affordability and better value among the products on this page compared to Some By Mi. Reviewers often mention its budget-friendly pricing as a key advantage.

Which brand is better for smoothing skin texture, The Ordinary or Some By Mi?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi do an equal job for smoothing skin texture. Reviewers often mention texture-smoothing serums from The Ordinary and skin smoothing textures from Some By Mi.

How do the countries of origin and parent companies differ between The Ordinary and Some By Mi?

The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., whereas Some By Mi was founded in South Korea in 2016 and is owned by JKL Partners. Both brands have been under their current parent companies since 2021.

What are the key active ingredients across the product lines of The Ordinary versus Some By Mi?

The Ordinary features key active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane across its products on this page. In comparison, Some By Mi relies on niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid as its core ingredients.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for oily skin, offering a Superior routine compared to Some By Mi's High fit level. Both brands provide fragrance-free products on this page to help manage excess oil without added scents.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi: which moisturizer is better?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer excellent moisturizers, with The Ordinary achieving a Superior routine fit for dry skin and Some By Mi offering exceptional options like the Beta Panthenol Repair Cream. Niacinamide helps brighten the complexion while ingredients like hyaluronic acid support hydration across the products on this page.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Drug Delivery, 2017

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer a Superior routine fit for sensitive skin, but The Ordinary is typically preferred for value while Some By Mi provides lightweight absorption. Niacinamide helps control pigmentation and skin aging.

Antioxidants, 2021

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi fit acne-prone skin at a High level on this page. Reviewers report that the products on this page provide effective acne-clearing treatments for both brands.

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

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