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SKIN1004 vs The Ordinary

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

SKIN1004 and The Ordinary are accessible skincare labels that offer distinct approaches to daily routines through targeted formulations. SKIN1004, a Korean brand founded in 2012, features gentle toners, moisturizers, sunscreens, and masks built around centella asiatica, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide to suit sensitive and dry skin best. Conversely, the Canadian brand The Ordinary, established in 2016, provides effective serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners centered on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane for dry and dry sensitive skin. While both share a focus on hydration and skin health, they differ in origin, primary ingredient philosophies, and product formats.

SKIN1004 is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2012 and owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2024.

mk.co.krpitchbook.comtracxn.comgoodai-global.com

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

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This page compares some of the most popular SKIN1004 and The Ordinary products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular SKIN1004 vs The Ordinary products

People Say

SKIN1004The Ordinary
  • Hydration and soothing Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “calmed my angry skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner”
    • “Gives my dehydrated skin a moisture surge — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “Eliminated redness on my easily irritated skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Lightweight texture Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “sunk in like a dream — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum”
    • “Texture is on the thinner side... surprisingly lightweight. — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil”
    • “absorbs like water — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner”
    • “Sinks in immediately — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
  • Value and pricing Rarely NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “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%”
    • “huge bottle — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner”
  • Exfoliation and smoothing Sometimes NotedMostly Mentioned
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “never had any reaction to it with my sensitive skin — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “skin feels baby butt smooth — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “skin feels super soft — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
  • Acne-safe and acne-clearing Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “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”
    • “didn't cause new breakouts — SKIN1004 Hyalu-Cica Moisture Cream”
  • Subtle glow and brightening Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Dark spots have faded noticeably — The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA”
    • “helped lighten post-acne scars — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “dark scars are clearer within 2 weeks — The Ordinary Mandelic Acid 10% + HA”
    • “skin looks brighter immediately — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Cleansing Gel Foam”
  • Sticky or tacky finish Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “left my skin medium tacky — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Light Gel Cream”
    • “Left a slightly greasy feeling — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Watergel Sheet Ampoule Mask”
    • “feels tacky in high humidity — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Scent and fragrance issues Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “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 wet dog — SKIN1004 Zombie Pack”
  • Insufficient moisture Sometimes NotedRarely Noted
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “not enough for dry skin — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Poremizing Light Gel Cream”
  • Minor irritation and stinging Rarely NotedSometimes Noted
    • “caused tiny bumps — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Toning Toner”
    • “Stung my face — SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Quick Calming Pad”
    • “subtle sting — SKIN1004 Probio-Cica Bakuchiol Eye Cream”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”

SKIN1004 vs The Ordinary routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

SKIN1004 vs The Ordinary routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 96% fit

SKIN1004 vs The Ordinary routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary: which is better?

Both SKIN1004 and The Ordinary are strong skincare brands, with SKIN1004 fitting best for sensitive, dry, and oily skin, while The Ordinary offers superior routines for dry, dry sensitive, mature skin, skin with dark spots, combination, and sensitive skin. Reviewers note that SKIN1004 excels in hydration, soothing, and lightweight textures, whereas The Ordinary provides affordable value, acne-clearing serums, and effective exfoliation and smoothing.

What is the difference between SKIN1004 and The Ordinary?

SKIN1004 focuses on soothing hydration with ingredients like Centella asiatica, while The Ordinary offers affordable targeted treatments for exfoliation and dark spots.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary for dry skin?

For dry skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit while SKIN1004 has a High routine fit on this page. Reviewers note that the products on this page for The Ordinary offer great value and effective exfoliation, whereas SKIN1004 excels in hydration and soothing.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary: which cleanser is better?

Both brands offer solid cleansing options, but they serve different preferences since SKIN1004 is praised for gentle soothing while The Ordinary is noted for effective exfoliation and value. For dry sensitive skin, Lovi rates the Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Cleansing Gel Foam as Superior and the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser as Superior.

Which is more affordable, SKIN1004 or The Ordinary?

The Ordinary is more affordable, as reviewers on this page frequently praise its products for offering great value and budget-friendly pricing.

Between SKIN1004 and The Ordinary, which brand is better for addressing dark spots?

The Ordinary outperforms SKIN1004 for targeting dark spots, as the products on this page achieve a Superior Lovi fit level for this concern compared to SKIN1004's High fit level. Ingredients like niacinamide help reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppress melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

How do the founding years and corporate owners of SKIN1004 and The Ordinary compare?

SKIN1004 was founded in South Korea in 2012 and is owned by Goodai Global Inc. since 2024, whereas The Ordinary was founded in Canada in 2016 and is owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

Which brand performs better for exfoliation and skin smoothing according to reviewers?

According to reviewers, The Ordinary performs better for exfoliation and skin smoothing.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary for oily skin?

Both SKIN1004 and The Ordinary offer options for oily skin, but The Ordinary achieves a Superior routine fit compared to SKIN1004's High fit level. The Ordinary products on this page stand out for acne-clearing and exfoliation benefits, while SKIN1004 focuses more on hydration and soothing.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary: which moisturizer is better?

Both SKIN1004 and The Ordinary offer great moisturizers, with SKIN1004 focusing on lightweight, soothing hydration using Centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid, while The Ordinary provides targeted barrier support and moisture options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and wound healing.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary for sensitive skin?

Both SKIN1004 and The Ordinary fit sensitive skin well, with Lovi fit levels of High for SKIN1004 and Superior for The Ordinary.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary for acne-prone skin?

Both SKIN1004 and The Ordinary achieve a High routine fit level for acne-prone skin on the products on this page. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers acne-clearing serums, while SKIN1004 delivers soothing and lightweight toners.

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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