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The Ordinary vs Biore

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

The Ordinary and Biore are distinct skincare lines created to address diverse dermatological needs. The Ordinary offers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the other brand is beloved for its thoughtful range of sunscreens, cleansers, masks, and makeup removers, all driven by effective formulas. The first brand fits dry skin and oily acne-prone skin best, whereas its Japanese counterpart suits sensitive skin and combination skin best due to their gentle yet thorough nature. They differ primarily in their core formulations, with the Canadian brand focusing on targeted active ingredients for specific conditions and the 1980-established brand delivering reliable daily care.

The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021.

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Biore is a Japanese skincare brand founded in 1980 and owned by Kao Corporation.

biore.comkao.com

This page compares some of the most popular The Ordinary and Biore products; for every product of both brands, with a fit score for your own skin, use the Lovi app.

Popular The Ordinary vs Biore products

People Say

The OrdinaryBiore
  • High protection and application Not notedMostly Mentioned
    • “Gets the gunk out — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
    • “Face feels squeaky clean — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
    • “SPF 50+ PA++++ — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Redness and acne reduction Mostly MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “calms down the redness immediately — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
    • “glass skin effect — The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution”
    • “pimples disappear within a day — The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution”
    • “Helped clear my blackheads — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
  • 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%”
  • Hydration and plumping Often MentionedSometimes Noted
    • “skin feels immediately hydrated — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
    • “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”
    • “feels like a moisturizer — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • Gentle application Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “Minimal effort required — Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips”
    • “No greasy film, leaves skin fresh, rinses easily. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “Works in shower, effective on wet hands/face. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “no irritation at all — The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5”
  • Makeup compatibility Rarely NotedOften Mentioned
    • “primer-like — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Removes waterproof mascara, eyeliner, foundation. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “Makeup sits beautifully on top — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
  • Stinging and irritation Often MentionedMostly Mentioned
    • “irritated AF the next day — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “stings a little but worth it — The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution”
    • “Skin felt tight an hour later — The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA”
    • “Made my skin peel — Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser”
  • Texture and pilling issues Mostly MentionedRarely Noted
    • “Too liquidy, thin consistency, messy application. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”
    • “crumbles and piles under moisturizer — The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%”
  • Unpleasant scent 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”
    • “smells like alcohol — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
  • 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”
    • “caused cystic acne — Biore UV Aqua Rich”
    • “Caused breakouts, closed comedones, cystic acne. — Biore Makeup Remover Perfect Oil”

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for dry skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · S$164.78 · 92% fitBuy Biore routine · S$278.56 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · S$393.06 · 89% fitBuy Biore routine · S$481.95 · 86% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · S$289.36 · 88% fitBuy Biore routine · S$343.98 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Biore: which is better?

The Ordinary is a better choice for hydration, redness and acne reduction, and great value and pricing, whereas Biore does better for high protection and application, gentle application, and makeup compatibility. Reviewers also note that The Ordinary may cause stinging, irritation, and unpleasant scents, while Biore can have texture and pilling issues.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Biore?

The Ordinary offers a wider selection of targeted serums and treatments with superior fit levels for dry, mature, and oily acne-prone skin, while Biore focuses on cleansing and sun protection products that fit sensitive and combination skin well. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides great value and reduces acne effectively, whereas Biore excels in high protection and gentle application.

The Ordinary or Biore for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a Superior fit for dry skin, whereas Biore has a High fit. The products on this page help provide deep hydration and plumping benefits.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Biore: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page show that The Ordinary offers more cleanser options with varying fit levels, such as the Glucoside Foaming Cleanser fitting oily and dry skin at a High level, whereas Biore features the Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser with an average fit for oily skin and low fit for dry skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Biore?

The Ordinary is more affordable, as reviewers often mention its great value and pricing.

Which brand performs better for mature skin, The Ordinary or Biore?

The Ordinary performs better for mature skin, achieving a Superior routine fit compared to Biore's High fit level. Topical retinol helps stimulate collagen accumulation in naturally aged human skin.

The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2000

Do products from The Ordinary and Biore contain fragrance?

The products on this page from both The Ordinary and Biore list no fragrance in their ingredients.

Which brand offers better hydration and plumping according to reviews?

According to reviews, The Ordinary offers better hydration and plumping than Biore.

The Ordinary or Biore for oily skin?

For oily skin, The Ordinary and Biore offer products on this page that perform at a High fit level. Niacinamide helps regulate oil production, and hyaluronic acid helps maintain skin hydration without adding grease.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Biore for sensitive skin?

For sensitive skin, both The Ordinary and Biore fit well. Lovi rates the routine fit for sensitive skin as High for both brands.

The Ordinary or Biore for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a better choice for acne-prone skin, as the products on this page offer superior redness and acne reduction compared to Biore. Niacinamide helps reduce cutaneous pigmentation and suppresses melanosome transfer.

The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002

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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