🇮🇪Ireland

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.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Some By Mi is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by JKL Partners since 2021.

kedglobal.compreqin.comtracxn.com

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 · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Some By Mi: which is better?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi are great brands, with The Ordinary offering better value and Some By Mi providing lighter absorption and hydration. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer, an ingredient featured across the products on this page.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

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

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing, while Some By Mi excels in lightweight absorption and hydration. For routine fit across skin types, The Ordinary is Superior for mature, oily, and combination skin, whereas both brands offer equal levels of fit for dry, sensitive, and acne-prone skin.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi achieve a Superior fit for dry skin through targeted products on this page like moisturizers and cleansers. The Ordinary provides great value, while Some By Mi offers lightweight absorption and hydration.

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

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer cleansers that fit oily, combination, and sensitive skin at a High level on this page. Some By Mi cleanser formulas are mostly mentioned for deep pore cleansing, while products on this page from The Ordinary provide great value and pricing.

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

The Ordinary provides better value and pricing among the products on this page compared to Some By Mi. Reviewers frequently mention The Ordinary for having affordable and great value serums.

Between The Ordinary and Some By Mi, which brand offers better value and pricing?

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing, known for affordable and great value serums among the products on this page.

How do The Ordinary and Some By Mi compare regarding lightweight absorption?

When comparing lightweight absorption, Some By Mi does better than The Ordinary. The products on this page help provide lightweight absorption and smooth textures.

Which brand performs better for mature skin between The Ordinary and Some By Mi?

The Ordinary performs better for mature skin, achieving a superior routine fit compared to the High fit of Some By Mi. The products on this page help support aging skin through key ingredients like retinol, which may stimulate collagen accumulation.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for oily skin?

The Ordinary offers a Superior fit for oily skin, whereas Some By Mi provides a High fit on this page.

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

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer excellent moisturizers tailored to different preferences, with The Ordinary providing great value and Some By Mi delivering lightweight hydration. Reviewers note that the products on this page help maintain moisture, though individual results may vary.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi fit sensitive skin at a Superior level on the products on this page. Reviewers note that both brands offer gentle treatments, though Some By Mi helps with lightweight absorption while The Ordinary provides affordable value.

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

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi fit acne-prone skin well, as the products on this page for both brands achieve a High routine fit level for this skin type. Reviewers report that both brands provide effective acne-clearing treatments.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play