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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 popular 2016 skincare brands offering serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners that fit dry skin and dry sensitive skin best. The Canadian brand centers its formulations on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to lengthen wrinkle reduction, increase barrier function, and boost collagen production. Conversely, the Korean brand builds its offerings around niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid to decrease hyperpigmentation, reduce acne lesions, and maintain skin clarity. While both brands successfully address acne-prone skin, dark spots, and mature skin through targeted top-rated products, they differ fundamentally in their signature ingredient philosophies and regional heritage.

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

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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 · CA$155.67 · 97% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · CA$333.73 · 96% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$198.33 · 92% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · CA$315.33 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · CA$187.44 · 93% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · CA$300.34 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Some By Mi: which is better?

Both brands offer strong options, but The Ordinary is better for affordability and value, while Some By Mi provides better lightweight absorption and hydration. For oily acne-prone skin, Some By Mi achieves a Superior Lovi fit level compared to High for The Ordinary.

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

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing, whereas Some By Mi provides more lightweight absorption and hydration and plumping for the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary has fewer issues with unpleasant scents, while Some By Mi may cause a strong or medicinal scent.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi fit dry skin at a Superior level based on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides great value, while Some By Mi offers better hydration and plumping.

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

Both brands offer effective cleansers, but The Ordinary has an edge for affordability and value across the products on this page. Some By Mi cleansers are often noted for providing deep pore cleansing.

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

The Ordinary is more affordable and provides great value serums, whereas Some By Mi is not noted for pricing advantages on this page.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a superior fit for oily skin, whereas Some By Mi has a high fit. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers better value and pricing, while Some By Mi provides more lightweight absorption.

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

Both brands offer moisturizers that help hydrate and nourish the skin effectively, with choices like The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA and Some By Mi Beta Panthenol Repair Cream showing strong performance for dry and sensitive skin. Reviewers note that Some By Mi products often provide excellent texture moisturizers, while The Ordinary is frequently praised for offering great value and pricing.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi fit sensitive skin at a Superior level for the products on this page. Reviewers note that both brands provide gentle options, and their routines are equally suitable for sensitive skin.

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

Both brands offer an equal fit level for acne-prone skin, as their routines on this page are rated High for this skin type. Reviewers note that both brands provide effective acne-clearing treatments.

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

Both brands offer solid options for oily acne-prone skin, with Lovi fit levels reaching High for The Ordinary and Superior for Some By Mi. Some By Mi excels particularly in lightweight absorption and hydration for this skin type.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for mature skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi achieve a Superior routine fit for mature skin. Reviewers often mention that the products on this page help with skin smoothing textures and complexion brightening.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for skin with dark spots?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi fit skin with dark spots well, as Lovi rates both brands at a Superior level for this concern. Niacinamide may help reduce pigmentation by suppressing melanosome transfer, an ingredient featured across products on this page.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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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