If you’ve been on the hunt for affordable, effective skincare, you’ve likely stumbled upon The Ordinary’s minimalist packaging and science-forward formulas. The brand has successfully demystified skincare by providing products with straightforward ingredients at unbeatable prices.
While The Ordinary has a large catalog of products, today I’d like to focus on The Ordinary best sellers that have consistently outsold the rest.
These cult favorites have garnered rave reviews from skincare experts, beauty bloggers (including me!), and consumers alike.
From powerhouse acids to nourishing serums, these best sellers stand as a testament to The Ordinary’s commitment to quality and affordability.
So, whether you’re a dedicated fan of The Ordinary or new to the brand, I hope this group of The Ordinary best sellers helps inform your decisions for your next skincare purchase.
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The Ordinary Best Sellers
Whether you’re looking for a hydrating, exfoliating, acne-busting, wrinkle-smoothing, or moisture-boosting product, The Ordinary’s best sellers can help you with a wide range of skin concerns.
Here are The Ordinary’s top products:
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, ideal for acne-prone and oily skin types, is a brightening, smoothing, and balancing serum that uses niacinamide and zinc PCA to minimize the appearance of pores, reduce oiliness, and improve uneven skin tone.
Consistently one of The Ordinary’s best-selling products, this niacinamide serum has earned a cult following for its ability to diminish the look of blemishes and balance sebum (oil) production.
A 10% concentration of niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, provides multiple skin benefits, from balancing oil production and brightening dull skin to smoothing fine lines and strengthening your skin’s moisture barrier.
The serum gets a boost from zinc PCA, which helps balance oil production on your skin’s surface.
Formulated for all skin types, Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is water-based, so it won’t leave your skin greasy or oily and has a lightweight texture.
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 is another customer favorite and best-selling The Ordinary product thanks to its universal appeal (we all need hydration!).
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a humectant and moisture-binding ingredient that is an especially powerful ally for dehydrated and dry skin, as it helps your skin absorb and retain moisture throughout the day.
This hyaluronic acid serum contains low-, medium- and high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid molecules plus a next-generation HA crosspolymer. Multiple weights of HA support hydration in multiple layers of your skin.
HA is paired with pro-vitamin B5 (panthenol) which works to nourish and soothe your skin. This 2% hyaluronic acid serum is ideal for all skin types to bring back to life a dull complexion.
The serum offers short and longer-term hydration. It smooths the look of wrinkles and other textural irregularities while strengthening your skin barrier.
For the low price, this hyaluronic acid serum is a no-brainer for plump, soft, and smooth skin.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution is a potent exfoliating facial peel that has become a cult classic for its blood-red shade and ability to quickly and effectively renew the look of your skin.
This exfoliating solution is a combination of alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and a beta hydroxy acid (BHA).
The 30% concentration of AHAs includes glycolic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, and citric acid. These AHAs help accelerate cell turnover for brighter, smoother skin.
The 2% BHA concentration of salicylic acid penetrates deep into your pores to help reduce the look of blemishes and blackheads.
The AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution is only suitable for experienced users of acid exfoliation since the concentration of acids is so high.
While it’s not suitable for sensitive skin, the wash-off treatment can be a great solution for non-sensitive skin types and those experiencing uneven skin texture, pore congestion, and hyperpigmentation.
You can learn more about how to use the peelings solution here.
Please note that since AHAs make your skin more sensitive to the sun, it is important to use sun protection when using this The Ordinary product.
The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
The next best-seller is The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, The Ordinary’s original moisturizer, formulated for all skin types.
This moisturizer is filled with skin-identical ingredients, which are substances found naturally in our skin.
The active ingredients include ceramides, amino acids, fatty acids, triglycerides, urea, phospholipids, glycerin, saccharides, sodium PCA, and the all-star hydrator hyaluronic acid.
This moisturizing cream ensures that the outer layers of your skin stay hydrated without feeling too heavy or greasy on your skin.
With regular use, this moisturizer will strengthen your skin barrier. Due to the more lightweight texture, I think this moisturizer is best suited to normal to combination skin types.
If you have dry skin, you can check out The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides, which is a richer cream, best suited to drier skin types.
If you have oily skin The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Beta Glucan is a lightweight moisturizer with a gel texture that boosts surface hydration.
For my reviews of Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA and The Ordinary’s newer moisturizers, please see these posts:
The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser
The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser (see my complete review here) removes makeup and dirt while gently cleansing your skin.
This cleanser quickly dissolves stubborn makeup, dirt, and impurities while leaving your skin feeling hydrated and soft.
It’s formulated with squalane, a plant-derived ingredient that helps to restore your skin’s natural moisture barrier.
Found naturally in our skin in the form of squalene (with an e), squalane is a lightweight and non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores) moisturizer that’s suitable for all skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin.
Squalane also helps maintain hydration levels without leaving behind any greasy residue.
This squalane cleanser is perfect on its own or paired with a second cleanser in a double cleanse.
Double Cleansing With The Ordinary
If you have normal to dry skin, you can use Squalane Cleanser first to remove makeup, dirt, oil, sunscreen, and other impurities, and then use a nourishing cream cleanser, like The Ordinary Glycolipid Cream Cleanser to clean your skin.
If you have normal to oily skin, you can use Squalane Cleanser first and then follow with The Ordinary Glucoside Foaming Cleanser to help further clean your pores and remove any excess impurities.
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution is a customer favorite for its ability to brighten dull skin and improve skin radiance.
The acid tonercontains 7% glycolic acid. Glycolic acid is a type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that penetrates your skin’s top layers and works to break down surface buildup and promote cell turnover for brighter, smoother skin.
This toner improves the look of uneven skin tone and textural irregularities such as dullness, enlarged pores, and the look of wrinkles.
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution also contains botanical extracts, like a Tasmanian pepperberry derivative and aloe barbadensis leaf water, to help reduce the irritation often associated with acid use.
This The Ordinary product is suitable for most skin types. It may be irritating for sensitive skin, so it’s important to patch test before using it for the first time to avoid an adverse initial reaction.
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid toner is best used at night and followed with a sunscreen in the morning since AHAs can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
For my complete review of this toner, please see my blog post: The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution Review.
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum (“Buffet”)
Previously called The Ordinary “Buffet”, The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum combines multiple technologies to address the visible signs of skin aging and dryness.
The water-based serum contains four peptide technologies (SYN-AKE, Matrixyl synthe’6, Matrixyl 3000, and ARGIRELOX peptide), moisturizing amino acids, and multiple hyaluronic acid complexes.
These technologies target crow’s feet, wrinkles, fine lines, uneven skin texture, and loss of skin elasticity and firmness.
The serum is lightweight and quickly absorbs into the skin. It can be used day or night and is suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skin.
It’s a little pricier than other The Ordinary serums, but I think the impressive list of active ingredients warrants the higher price.
For more details on this serum and its active ingredients, please see my The Ordinary “Buffet” (Multi-Peptide + HA Serum) review post.
Want a The Ordinary skincare routine that is tailored to your unique skin type and concerns? Take my exclusive The Ordinary Skincare Quiz now!
The Ordinary “Buffet” + Copper Peptides 1%
The Ordinary “Buffet” + Copper Peptides 1% (now renamed to The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1%) takes The Ordinary’s popular “Buffet” serum, and supercharges it with a 1% concentration of copper peptides.
This anti-aging serum contains a total of five peptide technologies GHK-Cu, Syn-Ake, Matrixyl™ synthe’6, Matrixyl 3000, and Argirelox peptide, plus antioxidants to improve the look of fine and dynamic lines, skin elasticity, and firmness.
Copper peptides target the visible signs of aging that come with oxidative stress. Amino acids moisturize while multiple types of hyaluronic acids hydrate and plump your skin.
The blue shade of the serum comes from its copper peptide content and goes away after you apply it to your skin, so you aren’t left looking like a smurf!
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% is a cream-like suspension formulated for uneven skin tone and acne-prone skin.
The suspension contains a 10% concentration of azelaic acid, an ingredient that’s naturally found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye.
Azelaic acid brightens dull skin and helps improve uneven skin texture and tone.
Azelaic acid tends to be less irritating than other exfoliating/direct acids, so it’s suitable for most skin types, including sensitive skin.
Its anti-inflammatory properties are beneficial for rosacea and acne-prone skin types as well.
This suspension has a somewhat thicker texture, so it’s best to use it after water-based serum and before your daily moisturizing creams or oils.
Related Post: The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% Review
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Eye Serum
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Eye Serum is a peptide eye serum that targets those pesky signs of aging around your eyes, like wrinkles, crow’s feet, and fine lines.
The eye serum contains multiple peptide technologies, including Matrixyl synthe’6, RetinoPeptide 189, Syn-Ake, Cytobiol Lumin-Eye (brightening niacinamide and Fraxinus excelsior bark extract), Unisooth EG-28, and Eyeseryl peptide to reduce the look of eye bags, puffiness, dark circles, crow’s feet, and eye wrinkles for smoother more youthful-looking skin around your delicate eye area.
This eye serum is pricier than other The Ordinary products due to the high concentration of actives in the serum. A little goes a long way, though.
If you want a less expensive eye product from The Ordinary that targets puffiness and dark circles specifically, you can consider The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG below.
The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
The Ordinary’s original eye serum, The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG is a more affordable alternative to The Ordinary’s anti-aging Multi-Peptide + HA Serum previously discussed.
Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG targets dark circles and puffiness with its lightweight water-based serum texture.
The eye serum contains a high concentration of caffeine and epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside (EGCG). Caffeine helps improve micro-circulation in the eye area, while EGCG is a potent antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory benefits.
Related Post: The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Review
The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10%
The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% is a lightweight anti-aging serum that targets dynamic forehead, “eleven eye,” and smile lines in a similar way as Botox does, but without the injections.
The water-based serum contains a 10% concentration of Argireline peptide (acetyl hexapeptide-8), which helps reduce the look of wrinkles and expression lines.
It specifically targets dynamic wrinkles, which are those wrinkles that you can actually see when your face moves or makes expressions.
The water-based serum has a very lightweight, almost water-like texture and works well under other skincare and makeup products.
TIP: You can boost the power of Argireline Solution 10% if you pair it with The Ordinary Matrixyl 10% + HA. Together, they form a powerful duo that helps smooth lines and wrinkles while hydrating and plumping your skin.
See my review of Argireline Solution 10% for more details on using these two serums together.
If you have aging/mature skin and want a skincare routine using The Ordinary products, be sure to check out my post on The Ordinary Skincare Routine for Over 50.
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum
The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum is a very popular lash and brow growth serum because it delivers results at a small fraction of the price of other brow and lash growth serums on the market.
During my most recent trip to Ulta, I noticed a whole end-cap shelf dedicated to the lash and brow serum!
This serum features a combination of several actives that work together to support thicker and fuller brows and lashes.
- Sympeptide Xlash complex (with Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17)
- Anargy complex (with Oligopeptide-2 and Glycoproteins)
- Widelash complex (with Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1 and Panthenol)
- Redensyl complex (with Larix Europaea Wood Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, and Zinc Chloride)
- Capixyl complex (Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3 and Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract)
- High-Solubility Caffeine
The serum is lightweight and non-greasy and can improve the look of lash and brown density as quickly as four weeks.
I can attest to this, as I’ve seen great growth after using this serum on my lashes for about a month.
You can read more about my experience with the lash and brow serum in my The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum review post.
The Ordinary Best Sellers: The Bottom Line
The Ordinary skincare products have truly revolutionized the skincare industry with their honest ingredient lists and wallet-friendly prices.
Their best-selling products are full of powerful actives to target all types of skin concerns, from signs of aging to uneven skin tone.
From their Multi-Peptide + HA Serum to their blemish-busting Niacinamide 10% + HA serum, there is something for everyone in The Ordinary’s collection.
My favorites from this list? It’s so hard to choose!
I love Multi-Peptide + HA Serum and The Ordinary “Buffet” + Copper Peptides 1% for their anti-aging benefits and The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution as a fantastic brightening acid toner.
And for long lashes, you can’t beat Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum.
If you’re reading this in Q4, you might want to try all of these best sellers due to the generous discount in The Ordinary’s Black Friday sale.
And finally, don’t forget to check out my other The Ordinary reviews and guides if you haven’t already:
What are your favorite The Ordinary best sellers? Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time, thanks for reading!
Sarah Roberts is the founder, writer, and photographer behind A Beauty Edit. With over 10 years of experience in the beauty industry, Sarah is an avid skincare and beauty enthusiast who shares the best beauty finds to help you save time and money!