The Ordinary skincare picks have built a following that most luxury brands can only envy, and for good reason: transparent ingredient lists, stripped-back packaging, and prices that rarely climb above the cost of a trail lunch. Since launching in 2016, the brand, owned by the Canadian-based parent company DECIEM, has turned what once felt like derm-office jargon into names you can read off a label and actually understand.
The Brand Behind the Bottles
DECIEM, which cheerfully brands itself “The Abnormal Beauty Company,” built The Ordinary around a straightforward philosophy: put the active ingredient front and centre, keep the packaging understated, and price the formulas so that restocking never stings. The results speak for themselves. According to a press release from The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., The Ordinary ranked top two in prestige skin care in its home markets of Canada and the US, and top four in France, Germany, and the UK, during the quarter ended 31 March 2024. That same release confirmed that The Estée Lauder Companies completed its acquisition of DECIEM on 31 May 2024, with the total investment, net of cash, approximating $1.7 billion over three tranches. Not bad for a brand that sells its flagship serum for six dollars.
The catalogue has grown steadily over its near decade on shelves. Skin care remains the core, but the lineup now reaches into scalp and hair treatments and makeup, including the recently revived Serum Foundation, which was first launched in 2017 as part of The Ordinary Colours collection, phased out in 2022, then brought back in response to fan demand. A product list thick with percentages, peptides, acids, and microemulsions can still feel like decoding a field guide, so below is a run through the strongest entries in the range and what each one actually does.
The Ordinary Skincare Picks: Where to Start
The Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 ($10) has been on shelves since the original 2016 lineup and remains one of the most straightforward buys in the catalogue. Its 2% concentration draws on five forms of hyaluronic acid, including hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer, which work across multiple levels of the skin’s surface to draw in water, soften fine lines, and give skin a plumper look. Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5), phospholipids, sphingolipids, and glycerin round out the barrier-supporting, moisture-retaining formula. Senior staff writer Elizabeth Gulino, who has been using the reformulated version for years, calls it a product that “does its job by keeping my skin soft and hydrated” and layers “wonderfully under moisturiser.”
For anyone dealing with rough texture or uneven tone, the Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner ($14) earns its place in the kit. The alpha hydroxy acid loosens dead surface cells, brightens dullness, and makes uneven tone look more uniform. Board-certified dermatologist Maya Thosani, MD, has noted that leaving it on allows the glycolic acid to break down excess scale and absorb excess oils, and credits the bottle’s precise nozzle for ease of application. The formula pairs the glycolic acid with aloe and a Tasmanian pepperberry derivative containing polygodial, a plant compound with soothing, anti-inflammatory properties, plus antioxidant-rich ginseng. Newcomers to chemical exfoliants should start with two or three evenings a week and build from there.
The Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum ($6) is arguably the brand’s signature formula. It was among the first high-concentration niacinamide products to put the percentage right in the name rather than burying it in a proprietary blend. Together, niacinamide and zinc PCA regulate excess sebum, support the moisture barrier, brighten uneven tone, and minimise the look of enlarged pores. At $6, it is one of the most cost-effective actives available anywhere.
The Retinal 0.2% Emulsion ($15) is the brand’s highest-strength retinoid formula and the logical next step once you have worked through introductory retinols. Retinal sits one conversion step closer to active retinoic acid than retinol does, so it gets to work more efficiently on fine lines, dark spots, and loss of firmness. Because retinal is prone to breaking down, the formula encases it in hydroxyapatite particles for stability and delivers it via an opaque, airless pump rather than a dropper. Soothing oat-derived compounds, bisabolol, ergothioneine, and vitamin E offset the dryness that can accompany retinoid use. Former associate manager of special projects Talia Gutierrez, who uses it in her current routine, calls it “a $15 retinol that doesn’t dry out your skin but still delivers the fine-line and dark spot-reducing benefits.”
The Ordinary Skincare Picks for Hair, Lips, and More
The range reaches beyond the face. The Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density ($24) was the brand’s first move into hair care, combining five trademarked ingredient complexes (Redensyl, Procapil, Capixyl, Baicapil, and AnaGain) with caffeine to support the appearance of thicker, denser-looking hair. Board-certified dermatologist Dara Spearman, MD, previously told Allure these technologies may “support the appearance of fuller hair from several biological pathways.” The key word, Spearman added, is support: this is a cosmetic serum, not an FDA-approved hair-loss treatment, and research on its individual complexes remains limited.
For lips, the PHA 5% Exfoliating Lip Serum ($9) skips the gritty physical scrub in favour of 5% gluconolactone, a polyhydroxy acid with large molecules that work primarily at the surface for a gentle approach to dead-skin removal. A 1.5% blend of citric, malic, and tartaric acids adds additional smoothing, while glycerin draws in moisture. The serum’s vibrant pink colour disappears on contact, so it won’t double as a lip stain.
Rounding out the strongest entries: the Squalane Cleanser ($21) melts into an oil-like texture when warmed in the palms, dissolves makeup and sunscreen, then rinses clean; the Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% ($12) tackles acne-related inflammation, clogged pores, and post-blemish discoloration in a silky, matte finish suited to oily skin; and the Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum ($32), formerly called “Buffet,” addresses fine lines, firmness, and elasticity from multiple angles, with board-certified dermatologist Mona Foad, MD, noting it offers “broad peptide benefits, including copper tripeptide-1 to maintain collagen and elastin.” At prices that keep most products well under the cost of a round of post-walk pints, The Ordinary remains one of the few places where a full, considered skin-care routine doesn’t require a second mortgage.
