The Ordinary’s first body care collection is here – should you race to buy?
We tried everything in the affordable new body care range the moment it dropped. Here’s our verdict
Any products in this article have been selected editorially however if you buy something we mention, we may earn commission
The Ordinary are known for disrupting the skincare landscape with budget, ingredient-led products – and now they’re hoping to shake up the body care market, too, with three new body-focussed launches: each with a key issue to tackle. There’s the Salicylic Acid 0.5% Body Serum, £14.30, that is designed for oily and spot prone skin types. A Niacinamide 5% Face and Body Emulsion, £11.70, which has been created to even out skin tone. Plus, the Natural Moisturizing Factors + Inulin Body Lotion, £13.80, for hydrating dry and flaky skin. They are all available from today via The Ordinary’s website and in the stand alone shops.
It is a major step by the OG brand to create single-ingredient-focused skincare with an emphasis on percentages: now, it may seem normal to know whether your skin can tolerate 0.5 or 1.0 per cent of retinol, but it was The Ordinary that trail blazed this education around skincare ingredients when they launched in 2016. In the process, they also destroyed the myth that effective skincare has to come with an expensive price tag, with all of their products being super affordable. And with its entirely unisex packaging and fragrance-free formulations, The Ordinary is very much about making skincare accessible for everyone.
This new shift towards skincare for your body, is a result of the close relationship that The Ordinary has with their community. Apparently, their customers are always asking if the products they love using on their face can be used on the body, too. So they’ve lent into the most popular requests, formulating body care products that encourage people to treat the skin on their body in the same way that they look after their face. With all of that in mind, here’s more info on the three products and my honest review of each.
The spot sorter: The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 0.5% Body Serum, £14.30
What it is: Salicylic acid is the ingredient to help with spots. It works as a gentle but effective exfoliator and is good at getting into and declogging pores, while being a dab hand at reducing inflammation – making the skin around spots look calmer and less inflamed. Here it has been included at 0.5 per cent, which is effective.
My review: I don’t suffer from spots on my body but this would be a great purchase for any teens or adults who do (it did, however, make light work on the dry skin on my shins). I think the very fluid consistency will appeal to anyone who can’t normally be bothered with body care products – teen boys potentially – as it’s very quick and easy to apply and requires zero sinking in time. Plus it does make applying it on the back easier, especially if you’re doing it solo as you can simply aim the nozzle in the direction required, let it pour down and pat it in. My only negative would be that because it is so watery you could easily pour out too much, so you may get through the bottle quicker than needed through waste.
But in terms of body care innovation, this is up there and worth a try if spot-zapping is what you need.
The skin brightener: The Ordinary Niacinamide 5% Face and Body Emulsion, £11.70
What it is: If there was an ‘everyman’ of skincare ingredients, niacinamide may just be it. This is thanks to its ability to build proteins in the skin and boost the production of collagen, making skin look plumper and healthier. It also helps to improve skin texture, fade pigmentation, increase hydration and shrink down pores. No wonder then that this lotion has been designed to be used from head to toe. And five per cent niacinamide is considered the sweet spot of doses: enough to effect change to the skin without causing irritation.
My review: Of the three products, this is the one that comes in the smallest size – 100ml compared to 240ml – which is a shame because it’s the one designed to be used on both face and body, so you’ll get through this quite quickly, even though the silky smooth lotion consistency spreads easily and covers a lot of ground with a few pumps. On the flip side, you could argue that this makes a great product to travel with, as a two-in-one for face and body. In terms of the product itself, it’s a light lotion that sinks in quickly with zero greasiness.
This product piqued my interest the most because there aren’t that many niacinamide body lotions available here in the UK. I’m going to keep using it to see if that 5 per cent niacinamide can make a difference to the quality of the skin on my legs and arms – I just wish it was in a bigger bottle.
The dry skin smoother: The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + Inulin Body Lotion, £13.80
What is it: Fans of The Ordinary will know that their Natural Moisturizing Factors (NMF) + HA moisturiser was the first, and the only for quite a long time, that the brand launched. And it put NMF on the map as a hydrating skincare ingredient. What is it? Well, NMF can be found in the skin barrier and helps it function better by locking in and retaining moisture. But natural supplies of it dwindle as we age, so applying it topically will help skin become less dehydrated. In this body lotion it has been teamed with inulin, a prebiotic, too, to balance out the skin’s microbiome, reducing irritation and sensitivity.
My review: If you’re looking for a middle-of-the-road body lotion that’s going to hydrate your skin, make it feel soft and look smoother, then this is the one to reach for. The thickest of the trio in consistency, it’s not greasy but does need a bit of time to sink in, and it sorts out dry elbows and ankles, making skin feel super soft.
Is this hugely different from Cerave Moisturising Lotion? No. Is it really exciting? I don’t think so. It is an unscented, nice body lotion. But if you need your body products to simply get on with the job of hydrating, and you’ve always got on with The Ordinary’s NMF facial moisturisers, then it makes sense to add this to your regime.
My verdict:
The Ordinary are pretty late to the game when it comes to body care as skincare – but, if you’ve been bamboozled by other body serums out there, this is a brand you can trust. They most definitely know what they’re doing. And if you’re already a fan of their face care, you’ll love this collection: you know they’ve been formulated with the same quality ingredients, at a reasonable price tag – and do what they say on the tin. The most exciting offering for me, is the Niacinamide 5% Face and Body Emulsion, as there are fewer alternatives out there. But, all of the products respond directly to what people have been asking for, which is what really gives them an edge.
