The Ordinary
DECIEM's global budget-actives brand — clear concentrations, clear pricing.
7.66
avg review score /10
5
reviewed products
New
this edition
Known for
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc, and a widely copied 'ingredient-first' naming convention.
The SkinLabs Take
The Ordinary popularised disclosed-concentration budget actives worldwide, and its value scores in our set are consistently strong — the AHA/BHA peeling solution and niacinamide serum both punch well above their price. It's not a South African brand, so import pricing and stock reliability vary by retailer, and texture sometimes takes a back seat to formula purity. Still, it's the benchmark plenty of local budget-actives brands are explicitly built to compete with.
Why they made the list
Five reviewed products, the reference point in our first Shelf Showdown against Skin Functional, and a genuinely useful yardstick for judging whether a local brand's pricing is fair.
Featured product
Serum
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
All reviewed products
From the Knowledge Hub
Assessed for the September 2026 edition under Spotlight Methodology v1.1.
Editorial disclaimer: Spotlight by SkinLabs is an independent editorial feature. Rankings and profiles are determined using the SkinLabs editorial methodology and available product information. Inclusion does not constitute paid endorsement. Commercial relationships, affiliate links, gifted products or other benefits are disclosed where applicable.
Reader discussion
DrPetro_PE
From a formulation standpoint The Ordinary's actives are disclosed clearly, which is more than I can say for a lot of competitors in this space.
2026/06/07
BuhleS_Umlazi
The Ordinary converted me a while back. Glad to see it's not just me who rates them this highly.
2026/08/19
CraigH
Agree on the value call for The Ordinary — it's rare to find a brand that doesn't cut corners at this price point.
2026/08/20
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