As far as breakout beauty brands go, The Ordinary comfortably sits among the greats. When it first launched, it quickly earned a good reputation for being the one-stop shop for no-nonsense, straight-talking skincare. With such products costing between an affordable £5 to £28.90, The Ordinary also quickly proved that efficacious products need not cost you an arm and a leg. Intent on democratising beauty, the disruptive beauty brand has since developed a plethora of hard-working essentials that span skin, hair and bodycare, each of them backed by experts, celebrities and beauty buffs alike.
Sticking to its disruptive roots, this month The Ordinary brought us Slowvember, the alternative to Black Friday that protests against the high pressure sales event by offering a 23% discount on all products throughout the whole of November until 6th December. What's more, DECIEM, the parent brand of The Ordinary, closes all its stores on Black Friday – that's one way to throw off the capitalist machine.
What is The Ordinary?
Owned by DECIEM, which defines itself as 'The Abnormal Beauty Company', The Ordinary has trailblazing qualities woven into its DNA. This takes shape in the form of high-quality, science-forward, ingredient-focused products that go big on transparency - look to its stripped back, lab sample-looking, see-through packaging for the proof, which makes the chore of understanding ingredient lists a doddle. It's no wonder TikTok currently boasts 302.3K posts of the brand to date.
The very nature of its single ingredient products means The Ordinary is all about nurturing the perfect routine that works for you. Whether you are combating acne or fine lines, each product on offer allows you to infinitely customise until you find the right match. Working with a 'Prep, Treat and Seal' model, the brand encourages users to adopt a three-step routine with any of its products to help build every day simple routine – we did say no-nonsense didn't we? The stripped back approach, is part of its appeal which becomes ever more enticing in an oversaturated beauty world.
That said, even with its streamlined ethos, many of The Ordinary's offerings have managed to enter the viral beauty stratosphere. Keen to try some? Here's are the ones we think are worthy of your attention.
Shop: The Ordinary's Best Products To Shop In The Black Friday 2024 Sale
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One of the most popular buys from the brand, this serum contains niacinamide – a member of the vitamin B group, which supports skin renewal and texture – as well as zinc to control inflammation and excess oil production. Perfect for acne-prone skin types.
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Granted, it looks intense but bear with us. This potent mix of acids includes glycolic, lactic, and salicylic acid, to provide an advanced level of exfoliation. We recommend starting off slow with this one, but fret not, the results will be worth it as a brighter, rejuvenated and more even complexion emerges.
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Sometimes all it takes is an enriching and protective moisturiser to get things back in shape. This is loaded with skin-mimicking Natural Moisturizing Factors, plant-based PhytoCeramides and skin lipids which work to fortify and provide ultra-nourishment.
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Thanks to TikTok, this gem has become somewhat of a multifunctional hero. Packed with exfoliating glycolic acid, it's been known to work wonders on the face as well as armpits and feet. The solution leaves skin smooth, even and more radiant.
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Another viral buy, this time for its effects on hair. It aims to restore hair density and give the illusion of fuller, thicker, healthier hair with the help of peptides and caffeine. It's lightwight, too, and works well for finer hair.
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Renee Washington, Grazia's digital fashion and beauty assistant, says: 'I’m more of a thicker consistency cream kind of girl, and this lotion is on the lighter side. However, this lighter texture actually makes it easier to layer with other products, and it’s not greasy at all. I’ve never used inulin before, but my skin had no issues with it. Overall, it’s an affordable, effective cream that does the job well. It keeps my skin hydrated without feeling heavy, which is a great balance for daily use.'
Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, working across all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).
