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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 skincare brands founded in 2016. The Canadian brand centers its serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and dry sensitive skin best, while the Korean brand builds its serums, cleansers, toners, and moisturizers around niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid, fitting dry sensitive skin and skin with dark spots best. Both offer targeted solutions for acne-prone, dark spot, and mature skin concerns. The brands differ in ownership, regional origins, and their primary active ingredients.

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 · $109.78 · 97% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · $124.60 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · $207.87 · 93% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · $232.30 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · $219.97 · 93% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · $232.30 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Some By Mi: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing among the products on this page. Both brands are equal in acne clearing, texture smoothing, and gentleness on sensitive skin.

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

The Ordinary offers better pricing and value, whereas Some By Mi provides a more lightweight absorption and hydration across the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for dry skin?

Both brands offer a Superior routine fit for dry skin, with products on this page featuring key ingredients like hyaluronic acid to help maintain moisture. The Ordinary has a fragrance-free formula lineup, while Some By Mi focuses on lightweight hydration.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Both brands offer solid cleansing options, but The Ordinary has an edge for value while Some By Mi focuses on deep pore cleansing. Lovi shows that the cleansers from both brands fit dry skin, sensitive skin, and oily skin at high levels.

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

The Ordinary is more affordable, offering great value serums according to the products on this page. Reviewers note that it excels in pricing compared to Some By Mi.

How do The Ordinary and Some By Mi compare for hydration and plumping benefits?

When it comes to hydration and plumping, Some By Mi does better than The Ordinary. Hyaluronic acid helps bind moisture to the skin, which may improve hydration and plumping across the products on this page.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi perform equally well for smoothing skin texture. Reviewers on this page often mention skin-smoothing textures as a benefit for both brands.

Do products from The Ordinary or Some By Mi contain fragrance in their ingredients?

Products from both The Ordinary and Some By Mi are listed on this page with no fragrance in their ingredients.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for oily skin?

For oily skin, both brands work well, but The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit compared to Some By Mi's High fit.

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

Both brands offer strong options, but The Ordinary is better for simple hydration while Some By Mi helps with brightening and barrier repair. The Ordinary fits dry skin at a Superior level with its Natural Moisturizing Factors formulas, whereas Some By Mi also reaches a Superior level for dry skin using products like its Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for sensitive skin?

Both brands offer an equal fit level for sensitive skin, but The Ordinary may be a better choice if you prefer fragrance-free formulations.

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

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for acne-prone skin, while Some By Mi is a High fit. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides great value and pricing for its 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?

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