🇬🇧United Kingdom

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 contemporary skincare brands founded in 2016. The Canadian brand centers its serums, moisturizers, cleansers, and toners on hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane, while the Korean brand builds its similar product range around niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid. Both options suit dry sensitive skin best, though the former also fits dry skin and the latter fits sensitive skin. They differ in their core active compounds and targeted outcomes, where hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and squalane emphasize wrinkle reduction and barrier support, and niacinamide, centella asiatica, and salicylic acid focus on hyperpigmentation and clarity.

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

glossy.coen.wikipedia.org

Some By Mi is a Korean skincare brand founded in 2016 and owned by JKL Partners since 2021.

kedglobal.compreqin.comtracxn.com

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 · £90.51 · 97% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · £90.42 · 91% fitSee multi-brand routine · 99% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for oily skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · £120.07 · 93% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · £120.03 · 87% fitSee multi-brand routine · 97% fit

The Ordinary vs Some By Mi routines for combination skin

Buy The Ordinary routine · £134.25 · 92% fitBuy Some By Mi routine · £126.95 · 88% fitSee multi-brand routine · 96% fit

Questions and answers

The Ordinary or Some By Mi: which is better?

The Ordinary provides better overall value and superior routine fit across most skin types on this page. Some By Mi excels particularly in lightweight absorption and hydration for the products on this page.

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

The Ordinary offers superior pricing value and higher fit levels across all skin types than Some By Mi, while the products on this page for Some By Mi lean more toward lightweight absorption and hydration. Both brands feature fragrance-free formulations, but The Ordinary excels in affordability and value for serums.

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for dry skin?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer a Superior routine fit for dry skin. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides great value, while Some By Mi helps with hydration and plumping.

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

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi offer cleansers well-suited for various skin types on the products on this page. Reviewers note that Some By Mi cleansers provide deep pore cleansing, while The Ordinary offers affordable options.

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

The Ordinary is more affordable, as the products on this page are frequently noted by reviewers for providing great value and pricing. Some By Mi does not offer this specific benefit in comparison.

Which brand provides better lightweight absorption, The Ordinary or Some By Mi?

Some By Mi provides better lightweight absorption than The Ordinary according to the review themes on this page.

How do the founding years and corporate ownerships of The Ordinary and Some By Mi compare?

Both The Ordinary and Some By Mi were founded in the same year, 2016, but in different countries and with different corporate ownership. The Ordinary was founded in Canada and has been owned by The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. since 2021, whereas Some By Mi was founded in South Korea and is owned by JKL Partners.

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

Some By Mi performs better regarding hydration and plumping among the products on this page. Topical hyaluronic acid helps improve skin quality and signs of skin aging.

Dermatologic Therapy, 2022

The Ordinary or Some By Mi for oily skin?

For oily skin, Lovi rates The Ordinary as Superior and Some By Mi as High. The Ordinary delivers better value, while Some By Mi offers lightweight absorption and effective pore-cleansing products on this page.

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

Both brands offer moisturizers with great fit levels, but The Ordinary fits dry, dry sensitive, and sensitive skin best, while Some By Mi focuses on dry sensitive skin, sensitive skin, and skin with dark spots. Topical hyaluronic acid, found in moisturizers on these pages, 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 achieve a Superior fit for sensitive skin on the products on this page. Reviewers frequently report that both brands provide gentle options.

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

Both brands offer solid options for acne-prone skin, but Lovi rates The Ordinary Superior and Some By Mi High for this skin type. Reviewers note that The Ordinary provides better pricing and value, while Some By Mi helps with lightweight absorption and hydration.

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?

Scan your face, then any product: Lovi shows how well it fits you and what fits even better.

QR code: get the Lovi app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play