The 10 Best The Ordinary Products of 2024, Which All Cost Under $20

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid

View on Ulta View on Theordinary.com $18 at Kohls.com

Hyaluronic acid is one of those skincare ingredients that needs no introduction, so it's no surprise that it tops The Ordinary's list of bestsellers. The humectant is known for its ability to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water; in skin, that translates to a ton of hydration and immediate plumping. A little background: Not all hyaluronic acid is created equal. It comes in different sizes (or molecular weights) that allow it to sink into different layers of skin.

That's what makes this formula, so powerful: It contains a blend of low-, medium-, high-molecular-weight forms of HA to deliver hydration at various levels. It's also paired with pro-vitamin B5, a.k.a. panthenol, to smooth skin at the surface.

Size: 30 ml, 60 ml | Key Ingredients: Sodium hyaluronate, sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer, panthenol | Skin Types: Normal, combination, dry, oily | Benefits: Helps with dryness and fine lines

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

$6 at Target $6 at Nordstrom $6 at Sephora

Need proof of popularity? One tube of The Ordinary’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is sold every two seconds globally. That's partly thanks to the whopping 10 percent niacinamide in this formula. Niacinamide is one of those ingredients that isn't necessarily cool or buzzy but has a ton of evidence to back up its efficacy.

Not only that, but it's incredibly versatile: It works as an antioxidant, soothes inflammation, helps fortify the skin barrier, reduces uneven skin tone, and can even help regulate oil production. That means it can help with a variety of skin concerns.

Since this is designed with blemish-prone skin in mind — although it’s not considered a capital-A acne treatment — the brand has paired it with zinc PCA, a mineral that helps regulate sebum production in the skin. Less sebum means a lower risk for clogged pores, meaning together, they leave skin smoother, calmer, and more balanced.

Size: 30 ml, 60 ml | Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, zinc PCA | Skin Types: Normal, combination, dry, oily | Benefits: Helps with shine, uneven texture, and congestion

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Masque

$14 at Target $14 at Nordstrom $14 at Sephora

This ingenious mask brings together three ingredients known for their pore-clearing abilities: salicylic acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid), charcoal, and clay. Salicylic acid is one of the rare chemical exfoliants that's oil-soluble, which means it's able to sink into pores and break down debris, dead skin cells, and more — effectively clearing them from the inside out.

It also works on the surface of the skin, dissolving the glue that holds dead cells together and allowing them to shed, leaving skin brighter and smoother. Meanwhile, a combination of kaolin clay and charcoal works to absorb impurities in the skin, preventing them from forming clogs in the pores — therefore defending the skin against future congestion.

Size: 50 ml, 100 ml | Key Ingredients: Salicylic acid, kaolin, charcoal powder | Skin Types: Oily | Benefits: Helps with congestion, dullness, and uneven skin texture

The Ordinary Depuffing Eye Serum

$10 at Target $10 at Nordstrom $10 at Sephora

While most skincare products for the eye area are rich and creamy, this lightweight, water-based solution takes the opposite route, meaning it absorbs quickly and offers little risk of creating milia (which are the little, non-red bumps in the skin that can appear around the eyes).

It’s powered by caffeine, which is known for its ability to enhance blood circulation. That can not only make quick work of blood pooled beneath the eyes, which contributes to the purple-red tone of dark circles, but it can also have a subtle brightening effect.

Then, there’s the ECGC, which is an antioxidant-packed compound derived from green tea. That can help tackle any hyperpigmentation contributing to the appearance of dark under-eye circles (which is common in deeper skin tones). Plus, it too has overall brightening benefits.

Together, the combination makes for a powerful one-two punch against tired, fatigued eyes. That said, if you need more moisture from your eye treatment, you may want to layer this beneath a dedicated eye cream.

Size: 30 ml | Key Ingredients: Caffeine, green tea extract | Skin Types: Normal, combination, dry, oily | Benefits: Helps with puffiness and dark circles around the eyes

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Toner

$9 at Target $9 at Sephora $13 at Ulta

For a near-instant glow, it doesn't get much better than this face toner. The formula deploys a chemical exfoliant — namely, glycolic acid, a type of alpha hydroxy acid that works by dissolving the "glue" that binds dead skin cells together. In doing so, it can help brighten skin, improve clarity, and smooth texture over time. 

While 7 percent isn't an especially high concentration of glycolic acid, it's still potent. That's why the inclusion of Tasmanian pepperberry, ginseng root, and aloe vera is smart: They help soothe skin and reduce inflammation, minimizing any discomfort or risk of over-exfoliation. (That said, sensitive types may want to patch-test it first.)

Plus, it’s versatile: Reviewers say they’ve used it on their face as well as armpits and scalp to even out dark patches and reduce build-up, respectively. 

Size: 100ml, 240 ml | Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, aloe water, ginseng | Skin Types: Normal, combination, dry, oily | Benefits: Helps with dullness and uneven skin texture

The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum

$20 at Target $20 at Nordstrom $20 at Sephora

Newly renamed to avoid confusion with another product from the line — it used to be called “Buffet” — the Multi-Peptide + HA Serum’s new title is intended to reflect its ability to smooth skin and improve multiple signs of aging, Kilner says.

To pull that off, it contains not one, not two, but four peptides (which are small chains of amino acids that help cells communicate) as well as amino acids and several sizes of hyaluronic acid. This clever combination boosts skin's elasticity and firmness over time and all over, including around the eyes — in fact, it's particularly powerful for addressing crow's feet.

Size: 30 ml, 60 ml | Key Ingredients: Peptides, sodium hyaluronate, lactococcus ferment lysate | Skin Types: Normal, combination, dry, oily | Benefits: Helps with dryness, fine lines and wrinkles, and other signs of aging

The Ordinary AHA + BHA Peeling Solution

$10 at Target $10 at Sephora $10 at Ulta

Bring the dermatologist to you with this powerful exfoliating peel. It pairs alpha hydroxy acids — which help brighten and smooth skin texture — with beta hydroxy acid. Also known as salicylic acid, BHA differs in its ability to clear out congested pores, minimizing their appearance and improving breakouts in the process.

If that sounds intense, you're not wrong. The brand recommends this for those who regularly exfoliate using acids. However, its powerful effects are somewhat buffered by the addition of Tasmanian pepperberry, which mitigates irritation, as well as hyaluronic acid and pro-vitamin B5 to hydrate and soothe. The result? Brighter, smoother, and clearer skin in just 10 minutes.

Size: 15 ml, 30 ml | Key Ingredients: Glycolic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, sodium hyaluronate | Skin Types: Normal, combination, dry, oily | Benefits: Helps dullness and uneven skin tone and texture

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors

$14 at Target View on Nordstrom $7 at Sephora

Like skin barrier repair in a bottle, this moisturizer offers everything you need to give your skin barrier — which is under constant assault from sun exposure, stress, and harsh ingredients, among other things — a little well-earned TLC.

Not only will you find hyaluronic acid in here, but you'll also get skin's Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMF), which are compounds naturally found in your skin barrier (and those that get depleted with time and damage). They include fatty acids, ceramides, and phospholipids — which, helpfully, work to replenish the barrier and in turn trap that hyaluronic acid in skin.

In other words, this combo gives you double the moisturizing power in a single formula, leaving skin soft, smooth, and comfortable.

Size: 30 ml, 100 ml | Key Ingredients: Sodium hyaluronate, sodium PCA, lactic acid | Skin Types: Normal, combination, dry, oily | Benefits: Helps with dryness

The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser

$11 at Target $11 at Nordstrom $11 at Sephora

Cleansers might seem simple and straightforward — after all, their sole task is to cleanse — but it can be more complicated than that. In fact, some cleansers can work a little too well, stripping skin of moisture and leaving it tight and dry. This soap-free formula avoids that by actively moisturizing skin with plant-derived squalane, a stable version of a lipid called squalene that's naturally found in the skin barrier.

It also deploys lipophilic esters (meaning they attract oils) that leave skin feeling soft and comfortable and help dissolve makeup — stubborn eye makeup included. That said, its unique formulation requires a bit of a learning curve that entails applying it to a dry face and longer cleansing to fully dissolve makeup, grime, excess oil, and more.

Size: 50 ml, 150 ml | Key Ingredients: Squalane, sucrose stearate, ethyl macadamiate | Skin Types: Normal, combination, dry, oily | Benefits: Cleanses the skin and helps with dryness

The Ordinary Lash and Brow Serum

View on Sephora $15 at Target $15 at Nordstrom

While some lash serums offer a single ingredient and call it a day, this serum (designed for both brows and lashes) packs 11 active ingredients. The lineup of peptides, botanical extracts, and caffeine conditions existing hairs and supports healthy hair growth at the follicle, delivering fuller, thicker lashes and brows over time.

And it actually works, largely by addressing multiple mechanisms for denser, thicker hair. In fact, a clinical study found an improvement in volume, fullness, and density of the lashes and brows in four weeks. That’s compelling not only for the results alone, but because similar lash and brow serums can cost 10 times as much as this serum.

Size: 5 ml | Key Ingredients: Peptides, caffeine, camellia extract | Skin Types: Normal, combination, dry, oily | Benefits: Helps with hair growth