Everyone Wants to Know If The Ordinary Is Any Good—These Are the 15 Products I Always Recommend

Not only a brand bestseller, but a serum beloved by beauty editors and celebrities alike (Olivia Rodrigo has revealed it to be her face serum of choice in a video for Vogue) there is not a person out there whose skin wouldn’t benefit from the addition of a little hyaluronic acid to their skincare routine. And this one proves that you don’t have to spend a lot for a decent hydration boost. Free from oils and enhanced with pro-vitamin B5 and ceramides to strengthen and plump skin, it sinks in quickly to deeply hydrate and leave skin looking and feeling more bouncy and dewy.

As someone prone to breakouts and congestion, I actively seek out niacinamide in my skincare products as it’s such a great ingredient for calming inflammation while supporting your skin barrier, and this serum does just that. The addition of zinc is genius, too, as it really helps to gently repair any irritated skin and keep excessive oil levels in check. While I don’t use this every single day, I find it a great one to have on hand for certain times of the month when I know that I’m usually in for a hormonal flare-up.

For the first step of my evening skincare routine, I always use a cleansing balm, and this one holds its own against some of my more luxurious favourites that cost five times the price. It feels like quite a thick balm when you first squeeze it out of the tube, but once you rub your hands together, it quickly melts into a nourishing oily consistency that makes light work of removing stubborn makeup and dirt and grime from the day. While you don’t get the spa-like scent that you do with some of my more costly balm cleansers, it does leave skin clean, clear, and soft without stripping it. And it would work brilliantly for all skin types, whether dry or oily.

Despite having an incredibly consistent skincare routine for the most part, eye creams are the one step that I always struggle with. Yes, despite always being sleep-deprived and looking tired, they often feel like an unnecessary extra step when I’ve tried so many that do nothing. This one, however, is unlike traditional eye creams in the fact that it’s actually a silky serum. Therefore, even if it did nothing, it feels so lovely and refreshing to apply that it would be worth it anyway. Thankfully, though, it does genuinely bring down that swollen, puffy-eye look that I’m often greeted with in the mirror each morning, and it subtly illuminates too.

Ageing is a beautiful thing, but now that I’m 36, I’m noticing that the speed with which the texture of my skin is changing is ramping up. You might have previously known this mult-peptide formula as “Buffet”—a multipurpose serum which helped to put The Ordinary on the map—but its rebrand alongside the addition of copper peptides means that this formula is now even more advanced at plumping, smoothing and firming skin. Plus, those copper peptides not only give the serum a beautiful blue hue, but also help to protect skin from external aggressors, brighten and even skin tone. A great all-rounder.

One of the first products that I ever tried from The Ordinary, this is a brilliant budget option if you’re looking for a hardworking acid toner that’s really going to make a visible difference to the texture and luminosity of your skin. The star of the show here is, of course, glycolic acid—an alpha-hydroxy acid that does an amazing job of exfoliating the skin. Although there's always some risk of irritation when using acids, this solution also contains Tasmanian pepper berry, ginseng, and aloe vera to soothe skin.

Undoubtedly, it was the super cute packaging that initially appealed to me when this lip balm first launched. However, looks aside, this is actually one of the best lip balms I’ve tried in terms of hydrating lips and locking in moisture without any hint of heaviness or stickiness on the lips. It uses squalane and amino acids to get the job done, which means it has an almost serum-like texture to it rather than a traditionally buttery balm, and it layers really well beneath lipsticks and tinted lip products.

Milky toners have become something of a staple in my skincare routine for their hydration, but very few of them have any extra benefits beyond adding dewiness to the skin. That was until I discovered this one from The Ordinary. Harnessing saccharomyces ferment, which is naturally rich in exfoliating enzymes, it gently works away at dead skin cells, causing dullness to decongest skin and leave it smooth, soft and naturally more radiant. Plus, there are hydrating ingredients like squalane to nourish your skin and strengthen the barrier. It’s perfect for sensitive skin types who might struggle with exfoliation, or anyone seeking a natural glow.

If you've never tried retinol before or if your skin can be irritated by it (like mine), then this low-concentration formula just might be up your street. While stronger doses can cause redness and flakiness, this 0.2% formula offers all of the benefits of tackling blemishes, reducing dark spots, and softening skin without the irritation. Plus, it’s supported by squalane to gently moisturise and combat the dryness that can come with using retinol. With regular use, you’ll see more even skin tone and plumper, juicier skin.

You really can’t argue with such an enormous tube of moisturiser for under £10, and this face cream is particularly brilliant if you have dry or dehydrated skin. It’s brimming with fatty acids, amino acids and phytoceramides to really concentrate on replenishing the skin’s moisture levels, strengthening the skin barrier and offering all-day hydration. Understandably, it is rich, so if you have oilier skin like me, then you might think of this as a winter moisturiser or one that you’d wear at night when your skin is particularly parched. Dry skin, however, will likely drink this up and reap the benefits immediately.

I wouldn’t try this potent exfoliating treatment for a long time because, honestly, I was a little scared of it. Positioned as an advanced-level exfoliating peel and only for those who are experienced with using exfoliating acids in their routines already, this isn’t a product to reach for on a whim, so if you’re new to acids or have sensitive skin, then I’d skip this entirely. However, if you've used acid before with good results, then it’s a remarkable product and can offer up the same levels of megawatt glow as a professional facial. The AHAs exfoliate the top layer of the skin for improved radiance, while the BHAs work beneath to clear pores and diminish congestion, and in just 10 minutes, you’ll have brighter, clearer-looking skin. Just make sure you slather on the SPF the morning after using it to keep that fresh, new skin protected.

There’s no shortage of brilliant facial sunscreens on the market these days, but some of my favourite SPFs do come with a hefty price tag. The Ordinary UV Filters SPF 45 Sun Protection Serum, however, really does rival some of my go-tos by providing a silky, lightweight, serum texture that sinks effortlessly into skin and layers well underneath makeup, alongside a high-factor broad-spectrum protection with no hint of white cast. Fragrance-free, lightweight and silky-smooth, it’s a brilliantly universal option for all skin types and tones, and boasts a naturally luminous finish too.

Vitamin C is my chosen antioxidant serum of choice most mornings, thanks to the way it protects but also brightens skin. However, this lightweight lotion has furthered my love of the ingredient by harnessing it in its purest form—L-ascorbic acid—to up the ante when it comes to boosting radiance. Combined with hyaluronic acid, it boosts hydration for plumper skin, improves uneven skin tone, fights dark spots, and creates a more luminous complexion while you sleep. You might feel a slight tingling when you first apply it, but by morning, my skin always looks so well-rested (even if I’m not).

Harnessing a 15% solution of growth factors, including TFG to help reduce appearance of lines and wrinkles, EGF to improve elasticity and firmness and IFG to help with collagen production, this is a remarkable serum for skin that’s noticing early signs of ageing or wants something to help improve texture and tone from the offset. And considering the costs of other, more high-end serums that do the same, it’s incredibly impressive. I’m in my mid-30s and can already attest to how this has helped to restore some of that lift and bounce to my skin, and while I don’t have too much in the way of lines and wrinkles, it definitely does smooth areas where I have uneven texture from acne scarring and breakouts.

Like most spot-prone complexions, my skin loves salicylic acid—so much so that I use it daily during hormonal breakouts and times of the month when I know that my skin is going to be more congested. My application method of choice tends to be in a toner, but this clarifying mask is incredible if you’re looking for something that’s going to deeply cleanse, clarify and get to work fast. It offers up gentle exfoliation to unclog pores and clear away congestion as well as purifying charcoal to keep excess oil at bay, and the inflammation around my spots is always dialled down dramatically after I’ve used this.