The Ordinary Balancing & Clarifying Serum: a Guru Score of 72%

What the experts use it for.

The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.

Breakouts and acne2 experts

“I feel like it's helped me keep my acne at bay in a very gentle way.”

AliceintheRabbitHole, watch at 10:27

Clogged or visible pores1 expert

“If you get this in your life it'll minimize breakouts, minimize blackhead skin congestion, and even out the oil levels in the skin.”

Mad About Skin, watch at 8:45

Excess oil and shine1 expert

“If you get this in your life it'll minimize breakouts, minimize blackhead skin congestion, and even out the oil levels in the skin.”

Mad About Skin, watch at 8:45

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.

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No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Yay

"The Ordinary Balancing and Clarifying Serum, this one is 11 bucks right now and this one is a super affordable alternative to the Regimen Lab Wave Serum which is 39 bucks. [...] These are both really nice hydrating calming serums. [...] It's still nice if you use it under a nice moisturizer, it gives your skin some hydration. [...] Both fragrance free but just a little bit more affordable option."

All 4 takes from No BS Beauty

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"The Ordinary came out with a Balancing and Clarifying Serum and I am enjoying it so far. It's got a really nice water texture, we've got a ferment in here, and then the star of the show is the AHC acid derivative, potassium azeloyl diglycinate. That's the star of the show. So far I'm really liking it. [...] It's really nice. I would say this is going to be a direct competitor to the Geek and Gorgeous A-Pad serum, that's what this reminds me of."

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"The Ordinary Balancing and Clarifying Serum, this one is 11 bucks right now and this one is a super affordable alternative to the Regimen Lab Wave Serum which is 39 bucks. [...] These are both really nice hydrating calming serums. [...] It's still nice if you use it under a nice moisturizer, it gives your skin some hydration. [...] Both fragrance free but just a little bit more affordable option."

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"This one also uses the Asic acid derivative potassium aoy diate diglycinate whatever and then ectoin and this one's also pretty affordable, not quite as affordable as their other products from The Ordinary before they came out but it's still not terribly expensive."

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"The Balancing and Clarifying Serum with the azelaic acid derivative is quite nice."

Dr. Vanita Rattan

1.23M subs

~Nay

"You're going to see an improved skin barrier but nothing in here really to improve congestion. However, I like it as a hydrating mildly brightening serum. It's good to know there are better options on the market for this price, for example from the ordinary itself it's got salicylic acid plus alpha arbutin which are going to give you better results."

AliceintheRabbitHole

59k subs

~Yay

"I have a dry and acne prone skin type so I wasn't sure how this would go for me, but I am super happy to report that at about six weeks of using this [...] I feel like it's helped me keep my acne at bay in a very gentle way. It has a thicker consistency so a little goes a long way. None of the ingredients are harsh and yet they all help with acne, and together you get seven times the gentle potency against acne."

Mad About Skin

734k subs

~Yay

"The Balancing and Clarifying Serum is amazing if like me you're super oily and acne prone. If you get this in your life it'll minimize breakouts, minimize blackhead skin congestion, and even out the oil levels in the skin. I used it all summer long and it was a game changer. I get super greasy in those warm summer months and this saved my skin. I absolutely love it, but I would say it's probably best for people with an oilier skin type, not for everybody."

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All 2 takes from Mad About Skin

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"The Balancing and Clarifying Serum is amazing if like me you're super oily and acne prone. If you get this in your life it'll minimize breakouts, minimize blackhead skin congestion, and even out the oil levels in the skin. I used it all summer long and it was a game changer. I get super greasy in those warm summer months and this saved my skin. I absolutely love it, but I would say it's probably best for people with an oilier skin type, not for everybody."

Best PORE MINIMIZNG SERUM - The Ordinary Balancing and Clarifying Serum

"For me this is a great affordable pore minimizing serum, and I think once again the ordinary have knocked it out of the park with one of their new launches. When it comes to comparing it to the Alliance of Skin Pore Refining Booster, if I was to give that ten out of ten perfection, I would say that this comes in at a nine. It's not quite as potent, but it's a fraction of the cost, and with the cost of living going up and up, who doesn't want to save some of their hard earned coin."

Sincerely Miss Ash

196k subs

~Yay

"It really did help to clarify my skin and keep it balanced. It really did help to reduce on the shininess and the oil that can accumulate during the day. It did help to brighten up my skin and it did help to improve skin texture as well. [...] This is very hydrating and very gentle. It's not sticky or tacky. [...] It is very, very lightweight on the skin. Everything layered up really nicely and I didn't have any peeling."

What the evidence says.

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

Frequently asked.

What is The Ordinary Balancing & Clarifying Serum?

A fragrance-free serum from The Ordinary, designed to balance the skin and help clarify its look, featuring an azelaic acid derivative and ectoin.

Is The Ordinary Balancing & Clarifying Serum worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 72%.

What is The Ordinary Balancing & Clarifying Serum's Guru Score?

The Ordinary Balancing & Clarifying Serum holds a Guru Score of 72%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 5 expert reviewers we have collected.

What is The Ordinary Balancing & Clarifying Serum good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say The Ordinary Balancing & Clarifying Serum is good for breakouts and acne (2 experts), clogged or visible pores (1 expert) and excess oil and shine (1 expert).

Is The Ordinary Balancing & Clarifying Serum good for breakouts and acne?

2 experts who reviewed The Ordinary Balancing & Clarifying Serum say it is. AliceintheRabbitHole put it this way: “I feel like it's helped me keep my acne at bay in a very gentle way.”