The Ordinary, decoded: the cult buys experts love (and the famous one they don't)
The short version: the experts who have reviewed The Ordinary love a handful of its actives and quietly steer people away from a few others, and the spread is wide. The same brand earns an 88% Guru Score on one bottle and drops to 61% on another. The best The Ordinary products in the experts' eyes are the sensible-strength actives, led by the Lactic Acid 10% + HA at 88% and the Retinal 0.2% Emulsion at 86%. The one they treat with the most caution is the brand's single most famous product, the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, which underwhelms at a middling 66%, while the harsh AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution sits lowest of all at 61%.
The Ordinary made skincare cheap, and a little intimidating. Rows of tiny dropper bottles, each one a single ingredient at a strength that runs from gentle to "why is my face peeling." So here is what the experts actually make of the range: which bottles are the genuine bargains, and which ones the specialists wave people off.
- Across the experts who have reviewed it, The Ordinary swings from an 88% Guru Score down to 61%, so it is not one brand to trust or distrust, it is fifty separate calls.
- The wins are sensible-strength actives: Lactic Acid 10% + HA (88% across 13 gurus) and Retinal 0.2% Emulsion (86% across 11).
- Its most famous product, the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, underwhelms at a middling 66%, well below the top of the range.
- The actual low point is the AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution at 61%, with experts warning it is harsher than people expect.
- The expert steer: respect the percentage, add one active at a time, and patch test the acids.
Why does The Ordinary swing from genius to ouch?
That is the same brand on all the cards. An 88% next to a 61%. That is the thing the experts want people to understand about The Ordinary before spending a cent: it is not one product to trust or distrust, it is fifty, and they are all over the map.
Most brands sell a finished, buffered formula designed to be hard to get wrong. The Ordinary does the opposite, the experts explain: it sells raw, single actives at full strength for a few dollars, and leaves the "how to use this safely" part to the person buying it. When that active is a well-made cheap copy of something pricey, the experts call it a genuine steal. When it is a high-strength acid slapped on without easing in, it lands people in a dermatologist's waiting room. Same brand, same price point, completely different outcome, depending on the product and how it is used.
Which The Ordinary products do experts recommend?
Plenty of the range is genuinely loved. These are the best The Ordinary products by Guru Score, ordered by how strongly the experts agree.
| Product | Guru Score | Gurus on record | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lactic Acid 10% + HA | 88% | 13 | Approved |
| Retinal 0.2% Emulsion | 86% | 11 | Approved |
| Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% | 72% | 20 | Approved |
The Lactic Acid 10% + HA is the experts' go-to gentle exfoliating acid. The Retinal 0.2% Emulsion gets praised as the same strength as far pricier retinals for a fraction of the cost. The Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% is a repeat recommendation for redness and rosacea. The pattern the experts point to: the wins are the well-formulated, sensible-strength actives that quietly do one job well.
For the full set of takes behind every score, open each product's card or browse all of the gurus we track.
Which The Ordinary products do experts say to handle with care?
Then there is the other end of the shelf, and it includes the brand's biggest names. These are the The Ordinary products to avoid, or at least to approach slowly, in the experts' words.
| Product | Guru Score | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% | 66% | Mixed | Famous but divisive; 10% niacinamide runs high and reviewers split |
| Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution | 65% | Mixed | 7% glycolic daily is a lot for sensitive skin |
| AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution | 61% | Mixed | The range's low point; a serious peel many people use too aggressively |
The Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is the internet's classic "first Ordinary product," and the one that splits the experts most: a middling 66% Guru Score, with reviewers roughly divided. The 10% niacinamide is on the high side, and as Dr. Daniel Sugai puts it, it "caused a lot of contact dermatitis in my patients." The experts' easy fix is a lower-percentage niacinamide.
The AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution is the blood-red mask all over TikTok, and the lowest-scoring product in the range at 61%. At 30% acid it is a serious peel, and several experts wish it came with a louder warning. "It has messed up so many people's skin because they didn't realize how harsh it was," says Dr. Mamina.
The Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution is a cult toner, but the experts note that 7% glycolic every day is a lot for many people. Dr. Vanita Rattan says that for sensitive skin and deeper skin tones she'd "recommend 5% or less."
The theme the experts keep returning to: the products they are wary of are not bad formulas, they are strong ones, sold without the guardrails, to people who bought them because they went viral rather than because they suited their skin.
How should you shop The Ordinary without getting burned?
The experts boil it down to four habits.
- Buy the active, not the hype. A product going viral says nothing about whether it fits a given person's skin. The Niacinamide is the most famous and one of the most divisive.
- Respect the percentage. The number on the bottle is the whole point of the brand, and the experts are blunt that higher is not better, just stronger. Anyone with sensitive skin should start with the gentler version.
- One active at a time. The low price tempts people to grab five bottles at once. The experts suggest adding them one at a time, or there is no way to tell which one the skin is reacting to.
- Patch test the acids. Especially the 30% peel. A few days on the inner arm first can save a week of regret.
The Ordinary is not a brand to trust or distrust wholesale. The experts treat it as a toolbox: a few quiet stars, a few things to handle with care, all at a price that makes experimenting easy. The trick is knowing which drawer is which. If you want to see how a single bottle earns its number, here is how The Guru Index works.
One reason the experts harp on strength and patch testing: the American Academy of Dermatology's skin-care basics make the same point, that gentler is usually safer, and that anything strong is worth easing into. That is exactly the logic behind the experts' caution on the acids in this range.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best The Ordinary products according to experts?
The two highest are the Lactic Acid 10% + HA, at an 88% Guru Score across 13 gurus, and the Retinal 0.2% Emulsion, at 86% across 11. The Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% follows at 72%. The experts favor the sensible-strength actives that do one job well.
Which The Ordinary products should I avoid?
The experts are most cautious about the AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (61%, the range's low point), the Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution (65%), and the famous Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (66%), which splits reviewers more than any other. None is a bad formula in their view, they are strong actives that need to be used carefully.
Is The Ordinary Niacinamide bad?
It is not bad, but it is the most divisive product in the range: a middling 66% Guru Score, with reviewers roughly split. The 10% niacinamide is on the high side, and Dr. Daniel Sugai says it "caused a lot of contact dermatitis in my patients." The common fix is a lower-percentage niacinamide.
Why does The Ordinary score so high on some products and so low on others?
Because The Ordinary sells raw, single actives at full strength rather than finished, buffered formulas. When the active is a well-made cheap copy of something pricey, the experts rave. When it is a high-strength acid used without easing in, they warn against it. The Guru Score reflects each bottle on its own.
Do you get paid to feature these products?
No. No brand can pay for a better score. A shopping link may earn us a small commission, but it never moves a Guru Score, and the verdict always belongs to the gurus, not to us.
