How “The Ordinary” Revolutionized the Skincare Industry

Graphic by Grace Lougheed. Images via The Ordinary

The Ordinary began as a skincare brand under its parent company Deciem. Brandon Truaxe, Deciem’s founder and CEO, told The New Yorker that he created the company after working as a computer programmer in a skincare lab, where he noticed how much more expensive the final skincare products were than their raw chemical ingredients. By cutting out the middleman and offering the chemicals in their purest forms, Truaxe could sell effective products at an extremely low price. Thus, The Ordinary and its iconic mission was born.

The Ordinary was created to “celebrate integrity in its most humble and true form,” according to the brand’s website. Retinoids, which help improve skin texture, pigmentation, and tone, can cost over $80 at Sephora, but retail for between $5.30 and $13.90 on The Ordinary’s website. The Ordinary’s moisturizers retail for as low as $5.80 for a regular 100 mL-sized bottle. Plus, with its wide array of products, The Ordinary allows users to customize their own skincare regimen based on their specific needs.

The brand has risen to prominence quickly in the last three years — without any advertising or marketing. The Ordinary’s promise as a “pure” form of skincare, combined with its inexpensive prices, has generated enough hype to allow the brand to grow via word-of-mouth and social media without any gimmicky online ads or beauty influencer partnerships. In fact, The Ordinary is so well received that it has generated waitlists of more than 25,000 people for its sold-out products. Recently, The Ordinary even expanded into the makeup realm, launching foundations with SPF 15 in 21 shades. Highlighters will be released next..

The brand’s price point alone, regardless of the pure ingredients, was enough to usurp the skincare status quo. Traditionally, the most effective skincare products also tend to be the most expensive. So like many other first-time users, I approached the too-good-to-be-true brand with skepticism. How could a skincare product have the quality and reported effectiveness of a high-end brand while having a drugstore price tag?

I was introduced to the brand in 2018, when the end of my freshman year at Northwestern left me with stressed out skin. I had been self-conscious about my skin since sophomore year of high school, when stubborn blackheads began to sprout across my forehead and my cheeks developed a bumpy, rough texture. Both drugstore and expensive skincare products didn’t make a difference for me, or even worsened my condition. I had yet to find a product that worked for my high maintenance skin — dry, highly sensitive, and blackhead-prone. The Ordinary’s products seemed cheap enough to try.

Perhaps it was a combination of factors — I became more well-adjusted to college, I might have started eating healthier, I may have previously been using a product that was irritating my skin — but my skin cleared and softened after I began using The Ordinary products.

I bought products based on my skincare needs: the Niacinamide solution for better skin tone and texture ($5.90), the Ascorbyl Glucoside solution as a Vitamin C serum for brighter and more supple skin ($12.90), and the Hyaluronic Acid solution as a moisturizing boost ($6.80). I even found that The Ordinary sunscreen (50 mL of SPF 15 retails for $8.90) can be applied smoothly without leaving a white cast or clogging my pores. I felt like I saw an improvement, but even if my skin suddenly improved for a different reason, The Ordinary didn’t damage my skin or make me break out further — the most I can ask for when trying out a new skincare brand.

Mineral UV Filters SPF 15 with Antioxidants by The Ordinary

Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% by The Ordinary

The Ordinary was a revolutionary find. Not only did their products actually work, but they also were gentle enough to appease my sensitive skin. Plus, the brand won’t break the bank. With their rave reviews and positive media coverage, it’s no wonder that all Ordinary products were sold out within a week of their debut on the Sephora website in December 2018.

These products are clearly not as ordinary as the brand’s name may make them sound. Aside from its social media accounts, The Ordinary lacks PR, allowing its low prices and success within the beauty community to speak for itself. They’re also working to continue expanding its affordable options, even asking for input from consumers online.

With its affordability, aesthetic packaging, and simple yet effective products, The Ordinary is destined to be a staple beauty brand for years to come.