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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 that offer serums, cleansers, toners, and moisturizers. The Canadian brand centers its formulations on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit dry and dry sensitive skin, while the Korean brand relies on niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid to support similar skin types. Lovi rates specific products from each for acne, dark spots, and mature skin, with the former owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and the latter by JKL Partners since 2021.

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

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Some By Mi: which is better?

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing on the products on this page, while Some By Mi helps with lightweight absorption and hydration. Both brands are a Superior fit for dry sensitive skin and sensitive skin.

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

The Ordinary offers better pricing and value on the products on this page, while Some By Mi helps with lightweight absorption and hydration. Both brands are gentle on sensitive skin and equally good for acne clearing and spot treatment.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for dry skin?

Both brands offer a Superior routine fit for dry skin, though shoppers note that the products on this page from The Ordinary provide better overall value. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer cleansers well-suited for various skin types on the products on this page. The Ordinary features options like the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser with a High fit for dry and sensitive skin, while Some By Mi offers deep pore cleansing formulas like the Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Low pH Gel Cleanser.

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

The Ordinary provides better value on this page, as affordability and great value serums are a commonly mentioned benefit for the brand. Some By Mi is not highlighted for its pricing in the same way.

Which brand performs better for hydration and plumping, The Ordinary or Some By Mi?

Some By Mi performs better for hydration and plumping based on reviewer feedback. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

How do the founding years and corporate owners of The Ordinary and Some By Mi compare?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi were founded in the same year, 2016. However, they differ in their corporate ownership, with The Ordinary owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and Some By Mi owned by JKL Partners.

Which brand has a better routine fit for mature skin, The Ordinary or Some By Mi?

The Ordinary has a better routine fit for mature skin, achieving a Superior rating compared to Some By Mi's High rating.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit while Some By Mi has a High routine fit. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer moisturizers with a Superior Lovi fit level for dry and dry sensitive skin on the products on this page. Some By Mi also delivers strong results for hydration and plumping.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi have a Superior Lovi fit level for sensitive skin. The products on this page for both brands list no fragrance in their ingredients.

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

For acne-prone skin, both brands work well, but The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit while Some By Mi has a High routine fit on this page. Niacinamide helps reduce skin issues, and the products on this page offer great value.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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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