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The Ordinary vs Biore

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

The Ordinary and Biore are two distinct skincare lines offering targeted solutions for diverse complexions. The Canadian brand centers its serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, suiting dry and dry sensitive skin best, while the Japanese brand is beloved for thoughtful sunscreens, cleansers, masks, and makeup removers that favor sensitive and oily skin. Both collections address specific concerns through standout formulations like niacinamide, mandelic acid, lactic acid, charcoal, and rich oils. Ultimately, they differ in their foundational approaches, with the North American label focusing on deeply hydrating and barrier-supporting acid treatments, and the Asian counterpart prioritizing refreshing sun and cleansing care.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Biore is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by Kao Corporation.

biore.comkao.com

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

Popular The Ordinary vs Biore products

People Say

The OrdinaryBiore
  • High protection and application Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Gets the gunk out — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
    • “Face feels squeaky clean — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
    • “SPF 50+ PA++++ — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Redness and acne reduction Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “Helped clear my blackheads — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
  • 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%”
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “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”
    • “feels like a moisturizer — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Gentle application Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Minimal effort required — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
    • “No greasy film, leaves skin fresh, rinses easily. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “Works in shower, effective on wet hands/face. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “no irritation at all — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Makeup compatibility Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “primer-like — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Removes waterproof mascara, eyeliner, foundation. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “Makeup sits beautifully on top — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Stinging and irritation Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Made my skin peel — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
  • Texture and pilling issues Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Too liquidy, thin consistency, messy application. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “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 alcohol — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • 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”
    • “caused cystic acne — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Caused breakouts, closed comedones, cystic acne. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Biore: which is better?

The Ordinary is generally better for hydration, dark spots, and acne reduction, while Biore excels in high protection, gentle application, and makeup compatibility. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Biore?

The Ordinary provides a much wider selection of products on this page and achieves a superior routine fit across almost all skin types compared to Biore. Reviewers note that The Ordinary does better for hydration, plumping, redness reduction, and great value, while Biore excels in high protection, gentle application, and makeup compatibility.

The Ordinary or Biore for dry skin?

The Ordinary provides a Superior routine fit for dry skin, whereas Biore offers a High routine fit. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Biore: which cleanser is better?

The Ordinary performs better for cleansing, featuring cleansers such as the Glucoside Foaming Cleanser and Glycolipid Cream Cleanser that fit dry skin, sensitive skin, and oily skin at a High level. Biore offers cleansers like the Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser, which fits dry and sensitive skin only at a Low level.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Biore?

The Ordinary is more affordable, offering great value and pricing across the products on this page compared to Biore.

Which brand has been around longer, The Ordinary or Biore?

Biore has been around longer than The Ordinary, having been founded in Japan in 1980 compared to The Ordinary's founding in Canada in 2016.

Do any products from The Ordinary or Biore contain fragrance?

Every product on the pages for both The Ordinary and Biore lists no fragrance in its ingredients.

Which brand performs better for hydration and plumping?

The Ordinary performs better for hydration and plumping based on reviewer themes. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Biore for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for oily skin, offering superior routine fit compared to Biore's high fit. Review themes show that The Ordinary does better for redness and acne reduction as well as great value and pricing. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

The Ordinary or Biore for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Biore reach a Superior Lovi fit for sensitive skin. The Ordinary offers a wide range of products on this page without any fragrance and features key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which helps hydrate the skin.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Biore for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for acne-prone skin, offering a Superior routine fit compared to Biore's High routine fit. The products on this page for The Ordinary provide targeted redness and acne reduction, whereas Biore focuses more on high protection and application.

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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