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Medicube vs The Ordinary

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

Medicube and The Ordinary are two prominent skincare brands founded in 2016 that offer distinct approaches to modern routines. The Korean brand features moisturizers, serums, toners, and masks with niacinamide, collagen, and hyaluronic acid to best suit oily and oily acne-prone skin, whereas the Canadian brand focuses on serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more utilizing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane for dry and dry sensitive skin. Both lines address targeted concerns like acne, dark spots, and mature skin through thoughtfully formulated ingredients, differing primarily in their regional origins, corporate ownership, and core formulation philosophies.

Medicube is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by APR Corp..

medicubereviews.co.ukglossy.co

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 Medicube and The Ordinary products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular Medicube vs The Ordinary products

People Say

MedicubeThe Ordinary
  • Hydration and Moisture Mostly MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “skin feels bouncier and hydrated — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “glass skin — Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask”
    • “woke up with baby soft skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Skin Texture and 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 looks smoother and brighter — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “gives my skin a smooth, glass-like finish — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
  • Value and Pricing Not 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%”
  • Acne and Blemish Control Sometimes 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”
    • “active breakouts look less inflamed — Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad”
  • Glow and Radiance Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “gave me instant glass skin — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “woke up with glowing skin — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”
    • “healthy, dewy glow — Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum”
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
  • Pore Care and Cleansing Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Pores drastically reduced — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “Mochi-like foam — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “Removes every trace of oil — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
    • “pores look significantly smaller — The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”
  • Sticky and Tacky Finish Often MentionedOften Mentioned
    • “hair sticks to my face — Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream”
    • “feels way too sticky and tacky — Medicube DEEP VITA-C CAPSULE CREAM”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “feels very sticky — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
  • Irritation and Breakouts Often MentionedSometimes 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”
    • “caused redness and sensitivity — Medicube Zero Pore Pad”
  • Drying and Stinging Effects Sometimes NotedSometimes Noted
    • “Skin feels very tight — Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser”
    • “skin felt very tight — Medicube Zero Pore Blackhead Mud Mask”
    • “Skin feels quite dry after washing — Medicube Red Foam Cleanser”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
  • Packaging and Quantity Concerns Often MentionedRarely Noted
    • “The 50ml tube runs out way too fast. — The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser”
    • “Wish it came in a pump — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Expensive for Ordinary — The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum”
    • “tube is tiny for the price — Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask”

Medicube vs The Ordinary routines for dry skin

See multi-brand routine · 98% fit

Medicube vs The Ordinary routines for oily skin

See multi-brand routine · 95% fit

Medicube vs The Ordinary routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

Medicube or The Ordinary: which is better?

Medicube is better for hydration, glow, and pore care among the products on this page, while The Ordinary offers better value, skin smoothing, and acne and blemish control. Lovi rates The Ordinary as having a superior routine fit for dry, oily, combination, sensitive, and dry sensitive skin.

What is the difference between Medicube and The Ordinary?

Medicube is best for deep hydration and pore care, while The Ordinary excels in texture-smoothing and acne-clearing serums at a more affordable price. For skin routines, Lovi rates The Ordinary as superior for dry, oily, combination, and sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots, whereas Medicube fits these skin types well at a high level.

Medicube or The Ordinary for dry skin?

For dry skin, the products on this page show that The Ordinary achieves a Superior routine fit while Medicube reaches High. Hyaluronic acid helps bind moisture to the skin, supporting hydration.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

Medicube or The Ordinary: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers a superior fit for dry and sensitive cleansers, while Medicube delivers a high fit for oily and acne-prone skin.

Which is more affordable, Medicube or The Ordinary?

The Ordinary offers better value, as the products on this page are noted by reviewers for being affordable and providing great value.

Which brand performs better for skin texture and smoothing, Medicube or The Ordinary?

The Ordinary performs better for skin texture and smoothing. Reviewers frequently mention its texture-smoothing serums.

How do Medicube and The Ordinary compare in fragrance-free product offerings?

Medicube offers 23 out of 25 fragrance-free products on its page, while The Ordinary features entirely fragrance-free products across its entire range.

Which brand is rated better for pore care and cleansing, Medicube or The Ordinary?

Medicube is rated better than The Ordinary for pore care and cleansing. The products on this page for Medicube focus heavily on pore care and cleansing, whereas The Ordinary focuses more on other skin benefits.

Medicube or The Ordinary for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit on this page, while Medicube has a High fit. Both brands offer products that help manage oil, though reviewers note that The Ordinary provides better acne and blemish control.

Medicube or The Ordinary: which moisturizer is better?

Medicube offers superior hydration and moisture for the products on this page. Niacinamide helps control skin aging and pigmentation.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Antioxidants, 2021

Medicube or The Ordinary for sensitive skin?

Both Medicube and The Ordinary fit sensitive skin well, as Lovi rates both brands as High for this skin type. The products on this page for both brands feature gentle options, though individual reactions may vary.

Medicube or The Ordinary for acne-prone skin?

Both Medicube and The Ordinary fit acne-prone skin well, with Lovi rating Medicube High and The Ordinary High. The products on this page for both brands feature key ingredients like niacinamide and salicylic acid that help control blemishes.

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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