🇮🇹Italy

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 popular skincare brands that cater to different complexion needs with distinct ingredient philosophies. The Korean line relies on pure centella, hydrating hyaluronic acid, and brightening niacinamide within soothing toners, comforting moisturizers, and reliable sunscreens to suit sensitive and acne-prone skin best. Meanwhile, the Canadian brand utilizes hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane across serums, moisturizers, and cleansers to fit dry and sensitive skin. While both share a focus on gentle efficacy, the former emphasizes botanical calming agents, whereas the latter highlights targeted clinical molecules.

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.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

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 · 99% fit

SKIN1004 vs The Ordinary routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% 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 brands are great choices, but The Ordinary is better for exfoliation, brightening, and value, whereas SKIN1004 stands out for hydration, soothing, and lightweight textures.

What is the difference between SKIN1004 and The Ordinary?

The Ordinary delivers better exfoliation and smoothing while SKIN1004 stands out for hydration and soothing. The Ordinary achieves a Superior routine fit for most skin types, whereas SKIN1004 reaches a High fit across all skin types.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary for oily skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for oily skin, whereas SKIN1004 has a High fit level for this skin type.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary: which cleanser is better?

Both SKIN1004 and The Ordinary offer high-fitting cleansers suited for various skin types on this page. SKIN1004 provides the Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Cleansing Gel Foam with Superior fit levels for dry, dry sensitive, and oily acne-prone skin, while The Ordinary features the Glycolipid Cream Cleanser with a Superior fit level for dry skin.

Which is more affordable, SKIN1004 or The Ordinary?

The Ordinary provides better value and pricing across its range compared to SKIN1004.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary: which brand is better for dark spots?

The Ordinary does better for dark spots. The products on this page help fade dark spots with targeted treatments, and niacinamide may assist in reducing pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Which brand has fragrance-free products, SKIN1004 or The Ordinary?

Both SKIN1004 and The Ordinary offer products on this page that list no fragrance in their ingredients.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary: which brand is better for exfoliation and smoothing?

The Ordinary does better for exfoliation and smoothing because reviewers often mention its texture-smoothing serums. It offers targeted options like glycolic and lactic acid solutions to help refine the skin.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary for sensitive skin?

Both SKIN1004 and The Ordinary achieve a High fit level for sensitive skin, making them good options depending on your specific product preferences. SKIN1004 stands out for hydration and soothing benefits, whereas reviewers note that The Ordinary offers great value.

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary: which moisturizer is better?

Both SKIN1004 and The Ordinary offer moisturizers that help deliver strong hydration, with The Ordinary achieving a Superior routine fit for dry skin compared to SKIN1004 at a High fit level. SKIN1004 focuses on lightweight and soothing formulas with Centella asiatica and hyaluronic acid, whereas The Ordinary provides options like Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA and Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan.

Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2015Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

SKIN1004 or The Ordinary for acne-prone skin?

Both brands are a strong match for acne-prone skin, with Lovi giving SKIN1004 a High fit and The Ordinary a Superior fit. Reviewers specifically praise The Ordinary 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?

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