Index / The Ordinary / Caffeine 3% + EGCG 1% Face Serum
The Ordinary

The Ordinary Caffeine 3% + EGCG 1% Face Serum.

About this product

A face serum from The Ordinary with 3% caffeine and 1% EGCG, designed to target the look of puffiness and dark circles, particularly around the eyes.

Full ingredients

Aqua/​Water/​Eau, Ethyl Macadamiate, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Caffeine, Propanediol, Glycerin, Maltodextrin, Escin, Bacillus Ferment, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Isoceteth-20, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Malic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Salicylic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

More from The Ordinary 89 products · Guru Score 84% →

Guru Score

82%

Yay

Early verdict · Few reviews so far

What the gurus are saying

Mad About Skin scores it a 10 out of 10 and calls it an unsung hero serum, saying you can't go wrong for the price and recommending everyone give it a try.
Synthesized from 3 expert reviews · most recent take October 2026

What they liked

  • Instantly depuffs and firms, especially under eyes
  • Works well under makeup and doesn't pill
  • Affordable price point for the formula

What they flagged

  • Firming effect is temporary, not long-term
  • May dry out or irritate those sensitive to caffeine

Type

Key actives

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

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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.

Irritated or reactive skin2 experts

“I don't find this to be irritating in the least.”

Sincerely Miss Ash, watch at 9:13

Loss of firmness1 expert

“It will give that instant lifting, firming, depuffing.”

Mad About Skin, watch at 14:48

Under-eye puffiness1 expert

“Especially if you have [...] under-eye puffiness [...] or feel a little swollen, [...] something like this will instantly help.”

No BS Beauty, watch at 7:17

Calming retinoid irritation1 expert

“It actually nourished and hydrated my skin prior to retinoid.”

Sincerely Miss Ash, watch at 6:31

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
No BS Beauty
89k subs
✓Yay
"The Ordinary caffeine and EGCG face serum is nine bucks. If you're not sensitive to caffeine, it is something that instantly helps with puffiness, firming skin up. [...] It helps tighten the skin and stimulates blood flow. [...] Especially if you have [...] under-eye puffiness [...] or feel a little swollen, [...] something like this will instantly help. [...] The results are temporary and not long-lasting, but it is something helpful that day if you're feeling self-conscious."
Sincerely Miss Ash
Sincerely Miss Ash
196k subs
✓Yay
"I was really impressed. This is something that's going to benefit me personally, especially in my morning routine. I really like this. I will be continuing on with this and then the odd time I might use this at night time as well. [...] I love how gentle and hydrating it is. It's great for all skin types. Even if you're super dry, you're going to love this. If you're oily and you have acne prone skin, I can't see this being a problem. I have combination skin and I'm very very acne prone."
Mad About Skin
Mad About Skin
733k subs
✓Yay
"Honestly, I don't think I've skipped one application since it launched. It's lightweight and in an emulsion, so it gives a beautiful [...] touch of hydration with the absorption of an oil-based serum and [...] the lightness of a water-based one. The caffeine wakes up the skin and is instantly firming, which is temporary, but the energizing effect is longer term and the EGCG has anti-aging properties. It's the best of both worlds, and really inexpensive under £10."
Sponsored
All 12 takes from Mad About Skin
GREATEST NEW SKINCARE 2026 - 10/10 Skincare Favorites
"This is an emulsion, so it doesn't have any of that stickiness or greasiness to it. It's just a beautiful, beautiful product. If you're going to use this, I would say use it early on in your routine, like straight after cleansing, because that's when you're going to get the benefit with the rest of your routine. And I absolutely love it. [...] Definitely one to check out. [...] That's a runner up. These two are my top two for sure."
Major Update: THE ORDINARY FIRMING SERUM - Truth About The Ordinary Caffeine Serum
"I've had zero sensitivity, no dryness, no irritation, and it's genuinely a pleasure to use. [...] It's definitely one of those unsung hero serums that I would recommend everyone give a try to. You can keep this in the fridge, and in the summer where I'm definitely puffier when I wake up, [...] that will just further enhance the benefits if you keep it in the fridge for that cooling experience."
Top 5 ULTIMATE SKIN FIRMING SERUMS - Best Anti Aging Routine Yet
"So, this is really like a double whammy of a serum. It's fine to use other caffeine serums, but just know that they're going to deliver immediate but temporary results. Something like this has more long-term benefit, too. And for the price point, I don't think you can go wrong. Caffeine has been used for decades for its ability to deppuff, lift, and tighten. And I think it's great that we now have a serum like this that's super affordable and easy to access."
GLOW LIKE A PRO - How To Use Vitamin C For The Ultimate Glowing Skin
"This is a great hypoty caffeine serum that you can pair with your vitamin C, whichever one you happen to go for, and it'll just speed up the results that you see. It turbocharges the rest of your skincare routine, too. So, it's kind of like this is like a no-brainer to slot in there."
Crazy $9 SKIN FIRMING SERUM - Instant 15% Firmer Skin
"It delivers a burst to hydration and my skin just feels like it wakes things up. It feels like it gets things moving and it's definitely a really enjoyable product to use and apply. I love the fact that they're bringing new innovative ingredients to the western market. [...] Definitely for me for the price point I'm giving this a 10 out of 10. Holy grail for the price point. However, I do think the proof of the pudding is going to be in those long-term results."
Breakthrough SKIN FIRMING ROUTINE - One Product Changes It All
"It depuffs. It tightens and it lifts. [...] I find gives an instant firming and lifting because of that caffeine. [...] It's also just great for waking the skin up and just delivering a really nice tightening, lifting, and depuffing action. Caffeine is great, absolutely wonderful as an ingredient, but quite often we'll go in with two higher concentration. And I find that 3% is perfect to deliver all of that lifting, depuffing, and energizing action without causing the dryness and the irritation."
My All Time FAVOURITE EYE CREAM Seriously Levelled Up
"I really like the Ordinary Caffeine 3%. I think this is really good. [...] They do a caffeine eye serum which I don't like. They do a caffeine face serum which I love and can be used under the eye. Caffeine is a really great precursor to any eye cream that [...] you want to use to just dial up the results."
The Drugstore Seriously Levelled Up - BEST BUDGET SERUMS 2026
"The reason I love this is it lifts and firms in the immediate. So you're not waiting months for the results. It does it like that. That's your short-term win. In the long term, the EGCG in here is actually going to help boost collagen and elastin and just tighten and firm everything further. So you're getting those quick wins, those long-term payoffs for like $8. It's so affordable. This is budget friendly, done right, firming, lifting."
Im 40 - My FULL ANTI AGING SKINCARE ROUTINE (This Actually Works)
"If your budget doesn't stretch to the Medicate exosome serum, which is honestly my absolute favorite, you could do it with The Ordinary Caffeine 3% instead, a beautiful emulsion. [...] Caffeine also helps increase the penetration rate of your products, so whilst exosomes and caffeine are very different, the outcomes are very similar."
£8 MIRACLE SKIN FIRMING SERUM - The Ordinary Caffeine Serum Final Update
"It's a beautiful emulsion that disappears without a trace [...] and works well under makeup. At about £8 it's an absolute bargain, genuinely one of their best products at one of their cheapest price points, holy grail territory. It's not a facelift in a bottle and the firming effect is temporary rather than a proven long-term treatment, but for the price this is a 10 out of 10 for me and I'd definitely recommend people give it a go."
SKINCARE AWARDS 2026 - Best New Skincare Of The Year
"The caffeine depuffs, lifts, and firms. My top tip with this, if you buy this, it's only like £9. Get any moisturizer and put some of this in the palm of your hand, put a couple of drops of this in, work it together, apply it to the skin. It will give that instant lifting, firming, depuffing. It takes a good quality moisturizer to like a next level moisturizer. Honestly, best hack I can share with you. This in its own right is great. Mix it with your moisturizer and you get absolute perfection."
GREATEST SKINCARE 2026 - Top 10 Serums Of The Year
"Honestly, I don't think I've skipped one application since it launched. It's lightweight and in an emulsion, so it gives a beautiful [...] touch of hydration with the absorption of an oil-based serum and [...] the lightness of a water-based one. The caffeine wakes up the skin and is instantly firming, which is temporary, but the energizing effect is longer term and the EGCG has anti-aging properties. It's the best of both worlds, and really inexpensive under £10."

What the evidence says.

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

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and it is often in a formula to keep the other ingredients stable rather than as the active itself. It pairs well with vitamin C, though on its own the evidence for visible change is limited.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is The Ordinary Caffeine 3% + EGCG 1% Face Serum?

A face serum from The Ordinary with 3% caffeine and 1% EGCG, designed to target the look of puffiness and dark circles, particularly around the eyes.

Is The Ordinary Caffeine 3% + EGCG 1% Face Serum worth it?

Yes. All 3 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 82%.

What is The Ordinary Caffeine 3% + EGCG 1% Face Serum's Guru Score?

The Ordinary Caffeine 3% + EGCG 1% Face Serum holds a Guru Score of 82%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected.

What is The Ordinary Caffeine 3% + EGCG 1% Face Serum good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say The Ordinary Caffeine 3% + EGCG 1% Face Serum is good for irritated or reactive skin (2 experts), loss of firmness (1 expert), under-eye puffiness (1 expert) and calming retinoid irritation (1 expert).

Is The Ordinary Caffeine 3% + EGCG 1% Face Serum good for irritated or reactive skin?

2 experts who reviewed The Ordinary Caffeine 3% + EGCG 1% Face Serum say it is. Sincerely Miss Ash put it this way: “I don't find this to be irritating in the least.”

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