26 Sep
The Ordinary has grown well beyond its famous serums the range now covers cleansers, masks, body care, and even hair care, meaning it's genuinely possible to build an entire routine from one brand. Here's how to put it together, step by step.
Step 1: Cleanser
The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser is a gentle, oil-based option suited to most skin types, including dry or sensitive skin that needs a cleanser that won't strip natural oils.
Step 2: Treat (Choose Based on Your Main Concern)
This is where most people already know The Ordinary well Niacinamide for oil control and texture, Salicylic Acid for congestion and acne, or Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% for redness and gentle acne treatment.
For brightening and tone, Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA targets hyperpigmentation directly, while Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% or Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate 20% offer more stable Vitamin C alternatives to pure L-Ascorbic Acid, which can degrade faster in Sri Lanka's heat.
Step 3: Hydrate
Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA is the range's core hydration product, while Marine Hyaluronics or Amino Acids + B5 offer lighter alternatives if you want a less rich texture, particularly useful in humid weather.
Step 4: Moisturize
Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides supports the skin barrier with ceramide-like ingredients, a good pick if your skin tends toward dryness or sensitivity, similar in purpose to CeraVe's ceramide-based approach but from The Ordinary's own range.
Step 5: Seal (Optional, for Very Dry Skin)
100% Plant-Derived Squalane or Hemi-Squalane work well as a final layer for particularly dry skin, or during Sri Lanka's occasional drier, air-conditioned indoor stretches.
Step 6: Sunscreen
UV Filters SPF 45 Serum completes the morning routine a lightweight, serum-texture sunscreen from the same brand as the rest of the routine, useful if you specifically want everything from one product line.
Weekly Additions
Exfoliation (1-2x weekly): Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner or Mandelic Acid 10% + HA for a gentler option.
Masking (weekly): Salicylic Acid 2% Masque for a deeper pore-clearing treatment beyond daily use.
Anti-aging support: Matrixyl 10% + HA or Multi-Peptide + Copper Peptides 1% Serum for firmness support, alongside Retinol introduced gradually as covered in our Retinol for beginners guide.
Eye care: Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum for puffiness and vascular dark circles specifically.
Beyond the Face
The Ordinary's range extends to body and hair too:
Body: Natural Moisturizing Factors + Inulin Body Lotion and the Sulphate 4% Cleanser for Body and Hair extend the same ingredient philosophy beyond the face.
Hair: Behentrimonium Chloride 2% Conditioner offers a straightforward, actives-based approach to conditioning, consistent with the brand's minimalist formulation style.
A Realistic, Simplified Starter Set
You don't need all 50 products. A genuinely solid starting routine from The Ordinary alone looks like:
- Morning: Squalane Cleanser → Niacinamide → Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA → UV Filters SPF 45
- Night: Squalane Cleanser → Salicylic Acid or an exfoliating acid (alternating nights) → Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides
Everything else on this list is a reasonable addition once the basics are working well for your skin, not a requirement from day one.
Where to Start
Browse the full The Ordinary collection, sourced through authorized channels and shipped island-wide across Sri Lanka.
