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The Ordinary vs Beauty of Joseon

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

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.

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Beauty of Joseon is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2019.

kbeautywiki.combeautymatter.comprnewswire.comgoodai-global.com

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

The OrdinaryBeauty of Joseon
  • 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

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$155.67 · 97% fitBuy Beauty of Joseon routine · CA$154.90 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Beauty of Joseon routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$198.33 · 92% fitBuy Beauty of Joseon routine · CA$200.29 · 81% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Beauty of Joseon routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$187.44 · 93% fitBuy Beauty of Joseon routine · CA$177.86 · 82% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and superior acne-clearing serums, while Beauty of Joseon provides better hydration and gentler formulas across the products on this page. Both brands are free of added fragrance, but reviewers note that Beauty of Joseon helps deliver deep hydration while The Ordinary may cause pilling.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon?

The Ordinary offers better value and superior acne control across the products on this page, while Beauty of Joseon provides superior hydration, gentle formulas, and lightweight textures.

The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon for dry skin?

For dry skin, both brands work well, but The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit compared to Beauty of Joseon's High fit level. The Ordinary products on this page offer great value and strong hydration options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that both brands offer cleansers with high Lovi fit levels for most skin types, but Beauty of Joseon stands out for its hydrating makeup removers like the Ginseng Cleansing Oil, while The Ordinary offers more affordable everyday cleansing options.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers better value and pricing compared to Beauty of Joseon.

Between The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon, which brand is better for dark spots?

The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit for skin with dark spots compared to Beauty of Joseon. Both brands provide effective targeted treatments, such as niacinamide, which helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do the founding years and corporate ownership of The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon compare?

Both The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon were founded in 2016, with The Ordinary based in Canada and Beauty of Joseon in South Korea. While The Ordinary has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021, Beauty of Joseon has been owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2019.

Which brand performs better for hydration and moisture according to reviewers?

Beauty of Joseon performs better for hydration and moisture according to reviewers.

The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, The Ordinary provides a Superior routine fit, while Beauty of Joseon offers a High routine fit. Reviewers note that Beauty of Joseon is better known for gentle formulas, whereas the products on this page from The Ordinary list no fragrance in their ingredients.

The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon: which moisturizer is better?

The Ordinary offers a better moisturizer fit for dry skin, rating as Superior compared to Beauty of Joseon's High level. The products on this page from The Ordinary provide deep hydration and moisture with key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Beauty of Joseon for acne-prone skin?

Both The Ordinary and Beauty of Joseon achieve a High fit level for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. The Ordinary offers better acne and blemish control, while Beauty of Joseon provides a gentler formula.

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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