The Best The Ordinary Products

The Ordinary product we’d start with is Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides), a water-based hydrating serum that the brand says can be used alongside other active ingredients. Put Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA over it, and add Squalane Cleanser at night if you wear makeup. In our view, those three make a complete basic routine. The rest of this list is one pick per concern. The catch with this brand is that it sells single-purpose formulas and leaves the combining to you. The Ordinary gives many of its products a “do not use with” list, and several of these picks sit on each other’s lists. We’ve gathered those into one section below the picks.

The ten at a glance

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1. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides)

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides) is the brand’s second-generation hyaluronic acid serum. The Ordinary describes five types of hyaluronic acid plus ceramides and pro-vitamin B5 (panthenol), in a lightweight formula that dries to a non-tacky finish. The brand names dehydration as the first target.

We’d buy it first because it’s the least complicated bottle here. It has no “do not use with” list, and the directions are a few drops morning and evening. One thing to watch: The Ordinary still sells an Original Formulation with a nearly identical name, which it describes as richer in texture. Our link goes to the ceramide version.

2. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

The one everybody has heard of. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is a water-based serum with 10% niacinamide and zinc PCA. The Ordinary lists visible shine, signs of congestion and textural irregularities among its targets, and says the serum addresses enlarged pores and helps regulate excess sebum.

Going by the brand’s claims, we’d pick it for a shiny T-zone and pores you’d like to look smaller. Those claims are The Ordinary’s. The drawback is the conflict list. The Ordinary names both direct and indirect vitamin C under “do not use with” and recommends keeping niacinamide and vitamin C in separate routines.

3. The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner is a water-based toner with 7% glycolic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), at a pH the brand gives as approximately 3.6. The Ordinary says it smooths texture and evens tone.

It’s our pick for dullness and rough texture, used in the evening. The warnings are the drawback, and they’re the brand’s own: not for sensitive, peeling or compromised skin, keep it away from the eye area, and start two to three times a week if you’re new to acids. The label carries a sunburn alert telling you to use sunscreen and limit sun exposure while using it and for a week afterward.

4. The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA

If a daily glycolic toner sounds like a lot, The Ordinary Lactic Acid 5% + HA is what the brand calls a mild exfoliator: a water-based serum with 5% lactic acid, another AHA, plus Tasmanian pepperberry extract. The brand’s 10% version shows up in our list of dupes for expensive serums.

We’d choose the 5% for a first try at acids. The brand describes it as ideal for dry and sensitive skin, while its directions say not to use it on sensitive, peeling or compromised skin. We’d go by the directions. It carries the same sunburn alert as the glycolic toner.

5. The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA

The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA is a water-based serum with 2% alpha arbutin and a form of hyaluronic acid. The Ordinary says it’s designed to target uneven skin tone and the look of dark spots. Its directions call for sun protection during the day.

We’d pick it for leftover marks and patchy tone, partly because it has no “do not use with” list, unlike the acids and the retinol. Expect it to be slow. In its guidance on dark spots in darker skin tones, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says a spot a few shades darker than your skin will usually fade within 6 to 12 months once the cause is stopped, and that effective treatment begins with sunscreen. If what you’re using isn’t working, see a dermatologist.

6. The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane

The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane is the lowest of the brand’s three retinol strengths (0.2%, 0.5% and 1%). The Ordinary calls it entry-level: a water-free formula in squalane, which it says helps with the dryness that can come with retinol. Use is a few drops in the evening.

It’s where we’d start, after reading the fine print. The brand warns that retinol can cause irritation, redness and peeling in the early stages, says to use sun protection during the day, and says to refrigerate the bottle once opened and use it within three months. It also states that this product is not a treatment for acne. The Ordinary recommends avoiding skincare products containing retinoids when pregnant or breastfeeding, and the AAD’s page on retinoids says they should not be used during pregnancy. To ease in, see our guide to the retinol sandwich method.

7. The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum

For the eye area, The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum is a water-based serum with 5% caffeine and EGCG, which the brand describes as an antioxidant. The directions are a small amount around the eye contour, morning and evening.

We’d use it for morning puffiness and keep expectations modest on dark circles. The brand says puffiness may ease within a few days of consistent use, while dark circles may take several weeks.

8. The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum

The pink one. According to the brand, The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum gets its color from vitamin B12, and the formula adds ceramides, 2% niacinamide, bisabolol and Centella asiatica. The Ordinary says it’s made to support the skin barrier and reduce the look of redness.

We’d reach for it when skin feels tight after too much exfoliating, and we’d stop the acids at the same time. Two notes. The brand describes the testing behind its results claims as clinical testing on 23 panelists and clinical testing in 34 people after a single application. And it lists direct and indirect vitamin C under “do not use with,” the same conflict as the niacinamide serum. Redness that doesn’t settle is a question for a dermatologist.

9. The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser

The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser is a balm. The brand’s directions: dispense it into dry hands, rub until it turns oil-like, massage over a dry face, then rinse with warm water. The Ordinary says it removes makeup, is soap-free and non-comedogenic, and can be the first step of a double cleanse.

It’s our pick if you wear makeup. On who it’s for, The Ordinary gives two answers: “Dry Skin” in one place, and ideal for all skin types, oily included, in another. If you’re oily and prefer foam, The Ordinary lists its Glucoside Foaming Cleanser as suited to oily skin, and that one appears in our cleanser dupes list.

10. The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA is the cream that goes on last. The Ordinary calls it its original surface hydrator and describes a blend of amino acids, fatty acids, urea, glycerin and hyaluronic acid, compounds it says are naturally present in skin, in a formula that doesn’t leave a greasy residue.

We’d use it as the plain daily moisturizer over anything above. The brand makes no SPF claim for it, so sunscreen is a separate step in the morning. For a richer texture, the brand points to its Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides. One detail for label readers: the brand’s description names ceramides among the blend, but the ingredient list doesn’t include an ingredient with ceramide in its name.

What not to layer together

Everything in this section is The Ordinary’s guidance. The brand draws a line between a regimen (everything you use, across days) and a routine (one morning or one evening), and says its conflicts apply to the routine.

• Retinol and acids. The retinol lists direct acids under “do not use with,” and the glycolic toner and the lactic serum list retinoids. The brand says combining them may increase the chances of skin sensitivities and recommends alternate days or nights.
• Two acids at once. The glycolic toner and the lactic serum each list direct acids. The Ordinary says not to use the glycolic toner with other direct acids in the same routine.
• Two retinoids. The Ordinary says not to combine multiple retinoids in one regimen.
• Niacinamide and vitamin C. The niacinamide serum and the Soothing serum both list direct and indirect vitamin C. The brand recommends separate routines and says combining them may decrease effectiveness. Its example is niacinamide in the morning routine and vitamin C in the evening one.

What the brand says does go together: hyaluronic acid with niacinamide, in either order, and hyaluronic acid before a retinoid. The Ordinary advises patch testing before using any of these. To patch test, apply a quarter-sized test spot twice a day for seven to 10 days.

If I Were You

• If you’re buying one thing, make it Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides).
• If you want a full routine for very little, get Squalane Cleanser, the hyaluronic acid serum and Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, and add your own sunscreen.
• If shine and visible pores are the complaint, add Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, and keep it in a different routine from any vitamin C.
• If you want one treatment for texture, choose either the glycolic toner or the retinol to begin with.
• If your skin already stings or flakes, buy the Soothing & Barrier Support Serum and the moisturizer, and leave the acids and retinol for later.

Bottom line

The case for The Ordinary is that you pay for one job at a time and the label tells you what’s in the bottle. A hydrating serum, a cleanser and a moisturizer are a complete routine. After that, add one treatment for the thing that bothers you, and check the brand’s “do not use with” list before you add a second.