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If I lost my entire skincare bag, this £9 serum is the first product I’d rebuy
For the last year, I’ve been promising to do an audit of my skincare drawer. As a beauty writer, it’s my job to stay across the latest launches landing on our shelves (and TikTok feeds). But with new ingredients, products and brands popping up almost daily, that means my cupboards regularly creak with the weight of various serums, supplements and face sunscreens.
The irony is that I’m naturally minimalist, and pretty frugal, too. Clutter drives me crazy, as does an overpriced product that does the same job as a £5 pharmacy alternative. I stick to a four-step skincare routine, I’m a chronic outfit repeater, and the same gold jewellery stays on my body day in, day out.
So, when I finally did the clear-out last month, I managed to cut my skincare drawer down from more than 40 products to just six. The easiest “yes” when it came to what to keep? The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum. It has been in my routine since 2021, and when I briefly ran out back in January, my dehydrated skin was the first thing my dermatologist noticed.
What does The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum do?
The primary job of any hyaluronic acid is to hydrate the skin, leaving your complexion looking plumper, brighter and more dewy. Go looking, and you’ll find there’s no shortage of hyaluronic acid serums on the market (we’ve got an entire guide on how to use hyaluronic acid for the unacquainted, BTW). So, what makes The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 stand out?
For starters, each £8.80 bottle contains five forms of hyaluronic acid with different molecular weights, each of which do slightly different things to your skin.
“Low molecular weight hyaluronic acid can penetrate deeper into the skin, helping deliver hydration within the upper layers of the epidermis,” explains aesthetician and founder of Elenique Skin Clinic, Elena Cudworth. “Higher molecular weight hyaluronic acid remains on the surface, forming a hydrating film that supports and protects the skin barrier.”
Beyond hydration, the formula is particularly well suited to sensitive or reactive skin types because it contains vitamin B5 alongside ceramides, which help to support the skin barrier. “Hyaluronic acid acts as an effective carrier for other skincare ingredients,” explains Cudworth, “helping antioxidants, vitamins and soothing agents absorb more effectively.”
How I tested The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid:
As mentioned, I’ve been using The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum for the past five years. Since 2021. I switched to the updated ceramide-infused version when it launched in 2024, and it’s remained a staple in my skincare routine ever since. This review is not written as a result of a quick, fleeting obsession. I’ve literally waited for half-a-decade to tell you about it.
It’s worth noting that over the past month in particular, I’ve paid closer attention to exactly what keeps me coming back to it. I’ve noted how effectively it hydrates my skin to its texture (lightweight), smell, how quickly it dries, and how well it sits under makeup. I also considered its price point compared with other hyaluronic acid serums on the market, how easily it fits alongside the other products in my routine, and how consistently it helps keep my skin clear.
My conclusions are based on twice-daily use, morning and evening, after cleansing and before moisturising. In the evening, I add one extra step: a salicylic acid treatment before the hyaluronic acid to gently exfoliate and help dissolve any buildup from the day that could otherwise clog my pores.
Why you can trust me:
As a health and beauty writer, I’ve been interviewing doctors, dermatologists and facialists for the past three years, and have developed a finely tuned eye for a fad. I’ve also been on my own hormone rebalancing journey, which brought me face-to-face with adult acne in my mid-twenties, so I understand first-hand the frustration when your skin isn’t playing ball.
In the name of journalism, I’ve undergone countless treatments and skincare consultations, from buccal massages and EMFACE facials to red light therapy and lymphatic drainage. Time and again, experts have recommended hyaluronic acid, highlighting its role in hydration, plumping and supporting the skin barrier, which is why this product has become a cornerstone in both my routine.
When it comes to my The Ordinary HA review specifically, you can also trust that I haven’t just gone off my own gut instinct. Every product works differently on different skin types, to ensure my claims are backed up, I enlisted the help of Glamour’s Shani Cohen (Beauty Writer, with half a decade’s worth of experience) to test the product, too. You can find her thoughts below.
My experience using The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum:
My skin has had quite the journey throughout my twenties. I’m a regular runner and spent over three years living and working in London, which means my skin has faced its fair share of pollution and dehydrating winter winds.
Breakouts tend to appear when my routine slips, which is why for the past few months I’ve been religious about using The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum twice daily.
What I love most is how simple it is to use. The bottle, available in 30ml or 60ml, fits easily into a gym or overnight bag, so I’m never without it. I apply it straight after double cleansing whilst my skin is still damp, and find that it creates a lovely cooling feeling on my skin.
Since I use it every day, I’ve also noticed how well it pairs with the other products in my routine, from my Simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser to my Trinny London BFF 30 SPF, both of which glide easily over the top. Honestly, though, I could match it with just about anything, especially since the formula was updated to a lighter, less tacky consistency. I always notice that my complexion looks brighter straight away, and after about a week of consistent use, my pores are noticeably less clogged. I also rarely need to replace it, as a 30ml bottle easily lasts two months. For anyone who constantly forgets to stockpile skincare in advance, that’s no small blessing.
Shani’s experience using The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum:
“This drugstore hyaluronic acid serum not only carries an affordable price tag, but it also easily matches other products on the market when it comes to quality,” Shani told me. While she noted she felt it to be a little ‘tacky’ when it dried on her skin, she was “impressed with its formulation, which combines 5 different types of low, medium and high-molecular weight of the hyaluronic acid” – particularly for the price. “It also features a HA cross-polymer as well as vitamin B5,” Shani told me, “delivering “multi-depth” hydration and visibly more plumped skin. One of the best budget options around.”
How to apply The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum
The hydrating serum comes in a bottle with a handy pipette, making it easy to apply a few drops directly onto your skin. I use three drops straight after cleansing, placing them on my forehead and cheeks, then gently massaging in an upward motion with my fingers.
Because hyaluronic acid binds to water, it works best “after cleansing, whilst the skin is still slightly damp,” explains aesthetician Millicent Rose, founder of Millicent Rose Skin Clinic. “Follow with a moisturiser to lock in the hydration.”
Can you use The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum everyday?
Thanks to the lightweight, gentle formula, The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum is safe to use everyday, and actually is recommended for both morning and evening use. “Consistency is what really helps keep the skin looking hydrated and healthy,” says Rose.
Is The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum worth it?
I’d confidently recommend The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum for most people, regardless of age or skin type. It’s refreshingly affordable, properly hydrating, and gentle enough to layer with most other products in your routine.
For those with sensitive skin like mine, it’s especially good thanks to the added vitamin B5. I’ve never found it to cause breakouts or irritation, and it consistently leaves my skin looking plump and dewy, to the point where I don’t feel I have to wear makeup thanks to the glassy clean-pore finish it leaves.
I’m also all about a product that lasts, and The Ordinary’s Hyaluronic Acid certainly does that. I’m about three-quarters of the way through my current bottle, which I bought six weeks ago. With twice-daily use, it will easily last two months, meaning this hydrating hero costs less than £60 a year. For everything it does, that makes it an essential in my drawer.
Meet the experts
- Millicent Rose is a London facialist known for her results-driven, bespoke approach to skin health. From her Fitzrovia clinic, she blends advanced technologies with personalised treatment plans to deliver radiant, natural-looking skin and long-term results.
- Elena Cudworth is a highly trained clinical aesthetics practitioner and the founder of Elenique Skin
- Care Clinic in Fulham. With over a decade of hands-on experience, her work is grounded in the belief that no two skins or clients are the same, and that exceptional results come from taking the time to understand the individual behind the treatment.