We Tried Every Product From The Ordinary — Here's What We Thought
April 29, 2020DMT Beauty#DMTBeautySpot #beauty
However, the brand's many successes weren't without behind-the-scenes controversy. Following the tragic news of co-founder Brandon Truaxe's death in 2019, the brand has worked on returning to its roots with a renewed focus on developing accessibly-priced, highly innovative products for Deciem's global fan base that now span skin care, makeup, and hair care.
In recent years, the direct-to-consumer brand has debuted at a handful of major retailers, including Sephora, Ulta Beauty, and UK-based Lookfantastic, so it's officially never been easier to restock your favorite wallet-friendly products.
With many of us spending more time at home (and perhaps rediscovering the feel-good effect of taking care of our skin), we're taking a moment to reacquaint ourselves with the brand's suite of products. And to help with this handy guide, we've sought the input of cosmetic chemist and The Beauty Brains co-founder Randy Schueller, as well as Miami-based dermatologist S. Manjula Jegasothy, MD. Keep reading for a comprehensive breakdown of what’s inside those cute little bottles and squeezy tubes, ahead.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
Derms love toners because they can help serums better absorb. This one, which carries a faint yet pleasant smell of peaches, leaves an equally mild tingling sensation after application, thanks to the glycolic acid inside. The vegan solution is also oil-, silicone-, and alcohol-free.
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution, $, available at SkinStore
Matrixyl 10% + HA
Use this transparent gel under moisturizer to add a shot of hydration, compliments of hyaluronic acid. Also inside: plenty of peptides, designed to help address fine lines. A little goes a long way, and any more than a few drops can leave skin feeling tacky, so ration your applications accordingly.
The Ordinary Matrixyl 10% + HA, $, available at Ulta Beauty
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F
Stable vitamin C is notoriously tough to formulate in skin-care products, which is why a vitamin C derivative may give you more bang for your buck. This oil-serum hybrid uses just that to help brighten skin, and it’s housed in an amber bottle to help ward of oxidation. But what we love most is that it left our skin with a dewy — not shiny — finish, despite its oil base.
The Ordinary Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate Solution 20% in Vitamin F, $, available at Sephora
Argireline Solution 10%
Some research indicates that the star ingredient in this serum — a proprietary and synthetic peptide — can reduce crow’s feet, though other studies question its safety when used in high quantities or for a long period of time, citing toxicity to fibroblast cells (which help skin with healing and regenerating connective tissue). The brand suggest applying this lightweight serum to other popular Botox hot spots, like the forehead and around and in between eyes, before applying traditional eye cream or moisturizers. The oil-free serum is not only water-based, it’s crystal-clear and odorless… like H2O itself.
The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%, $, available at Sephora
Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
The “but first, coffee” strategy may work wonders for mental fatigue, but when it comes to your eyes, the best caffeine pick-me-up may come from green tea. This liquid-gel serum, which smells faintly of tea leaves, taps epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the antioxidant-rich micronutrient in green tea, to deliver caffeine to the skin. Hyaluronic acid helps hydrate, while lactic acid helps reduce dark spots without irritation.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG, $, available at SkinStore
Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
Salicylic acid is quite the workhorse when it comes to acne prevention: The beta-hydroxy acid not only penetrates down the follicle and into the sebaceous glands, where it helps clear bacteria and oil, but it can also be used as a spot treatment for zits in progress and work as an overall skin smoother. This clear liquid gel goes on smooth and smells a bit like vinegar. [Writer's note: According to the brand, this is currently unavailable and is being updated.]
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution, $, available at SkinStore
"Buffet"
Consider this buffet the furthest thing from Vegas’s most gluttonous offerings — it’s more like a multivitamin for the skin. This gel carries a true smorgasbord of peptides, amino acids, probiotics, and hyaluronic acid complexes, which comprise 25% of the formula’s molecular weight. Just a few drops on each side of our face gets the job done, though it left our skin slightly tacky, making it a best bet for PM skincare routines.
The Ordinary "Buffet", $, available at Sephora
Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
This baby is billed as a “surface hydration formula,” so weren't sure what to expect — maybe a thin lotion or serum? Boy, were we off base. Inside is an ultrarich cream that rivals in thickness to those found in fancy jars and that cost a hundred times more. We love that it comes in an easy-to-use squeeze tube, that a little goes a long way to hydrate skin, and that the formula plays well under liquid makeup and powder.
The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, $, available at Ulta Beauty
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
This blood-red liquid will make a perfect twofer for those staying home and handing out candy this Halloween: It taps a cocktail of alpha- (glycolic, lactic, tartaric, citric) and beta-hydroxy acids (salicylic acid), along with antioxidants, to smooth skin in just ten minutes time… and makes you look like Kim Kardashian after a vampire facial. Pro tip: Don’t apply over zits — it burned like hell when we smoothed it over a few blemishes. That aside, the solution left our skin impossibly soft in just 10 minutes’ time.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, $, available at Sephora
100% Plant-Derived Squalane
Hate the feel of facial oils, but suffer from dry skin? Squalane may be your new BFF. OK, so technically squalane is an oil — but this stuff doesn’t feel greasy upon application. It’s also odorless, antibacterial, doesn’t clog pores, and can be used on sensitive skin. What’s more, this version sails through the vegan litmus test: Though squalane can be derived from animals, this plant-sourced version carries Ecocert approval, and is USDA-certified as a biobased product.
The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane, $, available at Ulta Beauty
100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil
Like your daily green juice, this facial oil is cold-pressed, organic, and costs about 10 bucks. One major difference? This bottle will last a hell of a lot longer: Just five drops sufficiently hydrated our face and neck before bed.
The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil, $, available at Sephora
Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%
in powder form, it carries a slightly gritty texture going on, as if a pinch of fine-grain sand somehow found its way into the tube. But the feeling is temporary: a few minutes post-absorption, any leftover texture dissipates.
The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%, $, available at The Ordinary
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%,
This colorless gel serum carries a slight seafood-y scent, which fades minutes after application. Any hint of fish is worth the benefits offered by the ingredients inside: In studies, niacinamide has been shown to calm inflammation, enhance the skin barrier and help control oil production, along with zinc.
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, $, available at SkinStore
Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydration Support Formula
If you've been searching for a no-frills hydrating serum that actually works, this is it. In addition to offering instant plumping benefits, skin feels soft and supple within weeks of use.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydration Support Formula, $, available at LookFantastic
Marine Hyaluronics
Made with dry skin types in mind, this lightweight serum is like a tidal wave of hydration thanks to ingredients like hyaluronic acid, Hawaiian red algae, Antarctic glycoproteins, and blue-green algae.
The Ordinary Marine Hyaluronics, $, available at LookFantastic
Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density
The first-ever hair product from The Ordinary was developed to target thinning and loss of fullness. While no product will give you Rapunzel length overnight (or even in months, for that matter), with continued use, you may notice less breakage and stronger strands over time.
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density, $, available at LookFantastic
High-Spreadability Fluid Primer
For oily skin types, this clear gel primer is a time-saving godsend. It doesn’t feel greasy or heavy going on and it helped foundation glide onto skin without the use of our trusty makeup sponge. The big win? Instead of spending minutes beating our face with an egg-shaped applicator, we simply smoothed makeup on with our fingers and ran out the door. Hours later, our makeup looked invisible and pill-free — which is exactly how we like it.
The Ordinary High-Spreadability Fluid Primer, $, available at LookFantastic
High-Adherence Silicone Primer
For those with dry skin, this silicone primer may be your best bet. The gel-cream consistency spreads on silky smooth and does exactly what a basic primer should: create a uniform base with added slip for applying makeup.
The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer, $, available at LookFantastic
Serum Foundation
This complexion product is water-like in texture, but has surprisingly buildable coverage that can go from light to medium-full in a matter of pumps. There's also a full-coverage formula available at the same price — we hope to see an expanded shade range for both products soon.
The Ordinary Serum Foundation, $, available at Beauty Bay
Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%
Straight up: Some will find the scent of this serum repellant. And for those folks, the brand offers a Lactic Acid 5% + HA 2%, which is far less fragrant. For those who don’t mind this formula’s au naturel scent, it offers all the benefits of an AHA (reduced inflammation, scarring, and exfoliation) without the tingling.
The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA, $, available at The Ordinary
100% Organic Cold-Pressed Argan Oil
Yes, there are much pricier organic, cold-pressed argan oils on the market. But this one perked up our dull skin just as well as all the others. Because the formula is fragrance-free, its nutty, almost bacon-y scent isn’t covered, though it fades within minutes after application.
The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil, $, available at The Ordinary
Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%
This clear, odorless liquid serum taps a vitamin C derivative to brighten skin. As Dr. Jegasothy points out, “Vitamin C derivatives such as vitamin C esters and different saturated-fat vitamin C derivatives have been found not to penetrate the skin as well as pH-balanced L-ascorbic acid.“ However, what we may lose in potency we gain in cosmetic elegance: This formula’s smooth consistency is not only pleasant to use, but it played well under makeup, too.
The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%, $, available at LookFantastic
Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
If your skin is on the deeper side of the spectrum and you’re looking to break up spots of hyperpigmentation, according to Dr. Jegasothy, this 10% dose of azelaic acid might just be your best bet. “Dermatologists widely use 10% azelaic acid in prescription creams with fantastic results in darker skin patients,” she says. “Even though these ingredients have not been studied in a head-to-head fashion, it is widely recognized that 10% azelaic acid has clinical benefits that have been FDA-approved as a prescription agent.” This rich cream not only absorbs quickly to a demi-matte finish, but it’s also nearly odor-free.
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%, $, available at LookFantastic
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10%
We know: Some of the names of these active ingredients can be intimidating, and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate is one that can draw a big ol’ blank for most. So, in layman’s terms, this light cream aims to brighten skin via a vitamin C derivative which is stable in water (unlike ascorbic acid, a form of vitamin C) and may be less irritating than products with pure ascorbic acid (which is more potent). “Theoretically, people with sensitive skin may be better off using an alternate form of ascorbic acid,” says Schueller.
The Ordinary Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10%, $, available at Sephora
Retinol Serum 1% in Squalane
Schueller has already praised this formulation for disclosing exactly how much retinol is inside and for being water-free (which helps stabilize the ingredient). We like the way this clear, emollient gel glided onto our skin — which is no stranger to retinoids — without irritation. It took a few minutes for the formula to totally absorb into our skin, so there was no slapping it on right before we hit the pillow, but after a two-minute whirl with our Sonicare and a quick flossing of the teeth, our skin was ready to hit the sheets without mucking them up. (If you're especially sensitive to retinol, The Ordinary also makes a 0.5% Retinol in Squalane formula.)
The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane, $, available at The Ordinary
Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion
Count yourself lucky if you can snag a bottle, because this stuff is always sold out everywhere. Those new to retinoids may want to start with this formula, which taps retinoid esters instead of retinol to help clear and smooth the skin with lesser irritation. But don’t think that a 2% retinoid solution is twice as strong as one with a 1% retinol: our bodies have to convert esters into retinol before it can work — and that conversion process reduces the strength of the dose. This pale yellow, milky serum absorbs quickly and is odorless, to boot.
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion, $, available at Sephora
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Erika Stalder, Khareem Sudlow
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