The Ordinary

The Ordinary 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder.

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Powder & Setting

About this product

A 100% pure L-ascorbic acid powder designed to be mixed into liquids or creams to deliver vitamin C to the skin.

Full ingredients

Ascorbic Acid, Read all the geeky details about Ascorbic Acid here >>, [more]

Guru Score

65%

Mixed

3 experts · Moderate agreement

What they liked

Pure vitamin C at high concentration
Well-stabilized formula
Affordable price

What they flagged

Complicated to mix and use
Can sting or irritate skin
Greasy feel

What the gurus are saying

This powder stings and takes real work to mix in properly, which is why it fell out of favour after its initial hype, yet some gurus prize it precisely because pure vitamin C has solid evidence behind it at high concentrations. One reviewer found it greasy in warmer months but manageable in winter; another notes it's a genuine hidden gem if you're willing to experiment with powders rather than reach for simpler formulas. The catch: niacinamide at 100% lacks the same research backing, so if you're set on a powder active, this one has the science.

Synthesized from 3 expert reviews · most recent take June 2025

Type

Powder & SettingPowder

Key actives

Vitamin C

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Sephora → Ulta → Amazon → Google →

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Mixed

"This one's 52 bucks, it's got 10% ascorbic acid, it's got alpha arbutin and ferulic acid. I actually like this one. It did feel greasy but in the winter time it's not a huge issue for me and I have pretty dry skin so it doesn't bother me, but for those with oilier skin or in a humid climate it might be a little over the top. It does contain tangerine peel extract in it, probably to cover up that ascorbic acid smell that we all know."

Mad About Skin

731k subs

~Nay

"The ordinary powders the ascorbic acid powder and the niacinamide powder um these went mad people went mad for them when they launched they were new they were innovative they were different and then quite quickly people realized yeah they're just very complicated"

Cassandra Bankson

2.46M subs

~Yay

"This is fantastic but again it can be a little bit stingy so just keep that in mind. It's kind of a hidden gem that has grown on me over the years. When I first started using it I wasn't enamored by it, but this has grown on me and it's very versatile if you know how to use it well. The price of this is phenomenal. Prices are still expensive but the fact that this is still affordable is pretty shocking."

All 2 takes from Cassandra Bankson

Best of The Ordinary - Esthetician Favorites

THE ORDINARY NIACINAMIDE BROKE ME OUT?! 1 YEAR UPDATE

"Yes, it can sting or be a little bit irritating, but in my opinion it has more of a purpose, it's more well-stabilized, the price is just as good, and it's just pure Vitamin C powder as opposed to just random niacinamide. We know that vitamin C can work at higher concentrations, whereas we just don't have the data and the testing for niacinamide at 100%, and this is a perfect example of me having brand loyalty and falling into the marketing hype."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Vitamin C

Topical vitamin C is an antioxidant with reasonable evidence for dullness and uneven tone. It breaks down in light and air, so how a product is formulated and packaged matters as much as the percentage on the front.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is The Ordinary 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder?

A 100% pure L-ascorbic acid powder designed to be mixed into liquids or creams to deliver vitamin C to the skin.

Is The Ordinary 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 65%.

What is The Ordinary 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder's Guru Score?

The Ordinary 100% L-Ascorbic Acid Powder holds a Guru Score of 65%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected.