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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 two 2016-founded skincare brands, currently owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. and JKL Partners respectively, that offer serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners. The Ordinary relies on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit dry sensitive skin and dry skin best, while Some By Mi utilizes niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid to fit dry sensitive skin and skin with dark spots. Both feature distinct formulations, as the Canadian brand centers on single-ingredient efficacy for specific concerns like aging and hydration, whereas the Korean brand combines multiple active compounds to target acne and hyperpigmentation.

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 · 95% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for combination skin

See multi-brand routine · 94% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Some By Mi: which is better?

Both brands offer strong options, but The Ordinary provides superior value and pricing, whereas Some By Mi tends to offer lighter absorption and deep pore cleansing. Lovi fit for dry skin is Superior for The Ordinary and High for Some By Mi.

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

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing for its serums, whereas Some By Mi provides more lightweight absorption and hydration across the products on this page. Lovi shows that The Ordinary has superior routine fits for dry, oily, and combination skin, while both brands tie with superior fits for sensitive and dry sensitive skin types.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for dry skin?

The Ordinary offers a Superior routine fit for dry skin, making it a better choice than Some By Mi, which provides a High routine fit for this skin type. Both brands feature fragrance-free products on their respective pages.

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

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer cleansers that fit dry skin and sensitive skin well, but The Ordinary provides superior overall value according to reviewers. The products on this page for both brands feature fragrance-free formulas to help minimize irritation.

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

The Ordinary is more affordable and offers better overall value, as noted in the review themes on this page.

Which brand offers better value and pricing between The Ordinary and Some By Mi?

The Ordinary offers better value and pricing compared to Some By Mi. Reviewers often note The Ordinary for providing affordable and great value serums across the products on this page.

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

Some By Mi delivers better lightweight absorption and hydration compared to The Ordinary. Reviewers frequently note that Some By Mi offers lightweight absorption and excellent texture moisturizers, while Lovi rates Some By Mi's routine fit for dry skin as High.

Which brand is better suited for individuals dealing with skin with dark spots?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi are well suited for individuals dealing with skin with dark spots, with both brands rated as providing a Superior fit for this skin type. Reviewers note that both brands offer effective options for complexion brightening and dark spot fading.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for oily skin?

The Ordinary offers a superior routine fit for oily skin compared to Some By Mi, which provides a high fit.

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

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer great moisturizers, with The Ordinary featuring key ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane. Reviewers note that Some By Mi moisturizers provide excellent textures and complexion brightening, while Lovi rates both brands as having products well-suited for various skin types.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi are a Superior fit for sensitive skin according to Lovi. Reviewers state that the products on this page are gentle on sensitive skin for both brands.

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

Both brands offer an equal fit level for acne-prone skin, as the routine fit for acne-prone skin is High for both The Ordinary and Some By Mi.

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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