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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 popular 2016 skincare brands offering diverse serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners. The Canadian brand focuses on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane to suit sensitive and dry sensitive skin best, while the Korean brand centers on niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid to fit sensitive skin and skin with dark spots. Both brands address acne-prone, dark spot, and mature concerns effectively, though they differ through distinct active ingredients and regional origins.

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

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 814.57 · 90% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · SAR 1,130.72 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 867.55 · 92% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · SAR 1,138.39 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · SAR 981.41 · 92% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · SAR 1,118.78 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Some By Mi: which is better?

The Ordinary provides a superior routine fit for dry, oily, combination, acne-prone, and mature skin compared to Some By Mi, while both brands offer an equal fit for sensitive, dark spot-prone, and dry sensitive skin. Reviewers note that The Ordinary offers better value and pricing, whereas Some By Mi excels in lightweight absorption and hydration.

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

The Ordinary offers better pricing and value on the products on this page, while Some By Mi tends to provide lighter absorption and deeper hydration. Lovi rates both brands as a Superior fit for sensitive skin, and reviewers note that The Ordinary may cause more breakouts and purging.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a superior fit for dry skin compared to Some By Mi, which has a high fit. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

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

Both brands offer strong cleansers, with The Ordinary featuring options like the Glucoside Foaming Cleanser that fits dry and oily skin types at a Lovi fit level of High, while Some By Mi includes effective options like the Snail Truecica Miracle Repair Low pH Gel Cleanser that is rated Superior for skin with dark spots. Reviewers mention that Some By Mi cleansers provide deep pore cleansing, while The Ordinary products on this page are noted for 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.

Which brand absorbs more lightly on the skin, The Ordinary or Some By Mi?

Some By Mi is better for lightweight absorption than The Ordinary, as reviewers frequently note its lightweight serums and excellent texture moisturizers.

Which brand has better value and pricing, The Ordinary or Some By Mi?

The Ordinary provides better value and pricing among the products on this page. Reviewers frequently mention its affordable and great value serums.

Which brand provides better hydration and plumping, The Ordinary or Some By Mi?

Some By Mi provides better hydration and plumping for the skin. Reviewers note that its products offer excellent moisture and lightweight absorption across the products on this page.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary offers a Superior Lovi routine fit, while Some By Mi provides a High fit. Both brands feature products that help manage excess oil, though individual results may vary.

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

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer moisturizers, with The Ordinary rated as Superior for dry skin and Some By Mi offering options like the Yuja Niacin Brightening Moisture Gel Cream that shoppers praise for excellent texture. Topical hyaluronic acid, found across The Ordinary products, helps improve skin quality and signs of aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi fit sensitive skin at a Superior level based on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Some By Mi offers gentle and lightweight serums, while The Ordinary provides affordable options without added fragrance.

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

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