🇬🇧United Kingdom

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 two distinct skincare lines known for distinct formulations and heritages. The Canadian brand offers serums, moisturizers, cleansers, toners, and more, built around hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the Japanese brand is beloved for its thoughtful range of sunscreens, cleansers, masks, and makeup removers, all driven by effective formulas. The former fits dry skin and dry sensitive skin best, whereas the latter suits sensitive skin and combination skin best due to its gentle yet thorough nature. Ultimately, both differ in their regional origins, parent companies, and specific ingredient philosophies while 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 · £90.51 · 97% fitBuy Biore routine · £140.14 · 84% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · £120.07 · 93% fitBuy Biore routine · £235.68 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Biore routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · £134.25 · 92% fitBuy Biore routine · £217.77 · 89% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Biore: which is better?

The Ordinary is often preferred for acne and redness reduction, while Biore is noted for high protection and application.

What is the difference between The Ordinary and Biore?

The Ordinary offers a much larger selection of targeted serums and treatments with superior routine fit across most skin types, whereas Biore features a smaller product range with strengths in high protection and makeup compatibility.

The Ordinary or Biore for dry skin?

The Ordinary is a better fit for dry skin, offering Superior routine fit compared to Biore's High fit. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and plumping for a smoother texture.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Biore: which cleanser is better?

The products on this page from The Ordinary include cleansers with high routine fits for dry and oily skin types, whereas Biore offers cleansers with average fit levels for oily skin and low fit levels for dry skin.

Which is more affordable, The Ordinary or Biore?

The Ordinary does better than Biore for great value and pricing. Reviewers often mention its products on this page as affordable and great value serums.

Which brand offers better sun protection and application, The Ordinary or Biore?

Biore offers better high protection and application than The Ordinary. Reviewers on this page indicate that Biore does better for high protection and application.

How do the founding years and parent companies of The Ordinary and Biore compare?

The Ordinary was founded in 201Canada and has been owned by The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021. In contrast, Biore was founded in 1980 in Japan and is owned by Kao Corporation.

Which brand has better makeup compatibility?

Biore does better for makeup compatibility compared to The Ordinary.

The Ordinary or Biore for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi finds that The Ordinary has a Superior routine fit, while Biore achieves a High fit on this page. Reviewers report that The Ordinary does better for redness and acne reduction, as well as great value and pricing. Hyaluronic acid helps improve skin hydration and plumping.

Drug Delivery, 2017Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Biore for sensitive skin?

Both The Ordinary and Biore show superior routine fit for sensitive skin. Reviewers note that Biore offers gentle application and high protection, while The Ordinary features products on this page with no fragrance.

The Ordinary or Biore for acne-prone skin?

The Ordinary is a better choice for acne-prone skin, as it achieves a superior routine fit compared to Biore's high fit. Reviewers note that the products on this page help with redness and acne reduction.

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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