I can honestly say that I don’t know anyone who has not tried (and loved) at least one of The Ordinary’s products. Since its launch in 2016, it has become a staple in all of my friends’ skincare regimes – beauty fanatics and noveles alike. So I sat up and took notice when I heard that the brand was expanding into the haircare scene (about time). The new and long-awaited range, which consists of a shampoo, conditioner and scalp treatment serum, will be available to shop from the 8th of March in the UK.
The Ordinary has always been one to watch. Since its breakout into the beauty world, the brand’s core mission has been to democratise skincare by creating purse-friendly products that actually work. The brand quickly became known for its science-based formulas and its no-frills approach to skincare that won serious points with the new generation of skin-telligent customers (that’s you guys) who know what they are putting on their face and how it works.
From the brand’s blemish-busting Salicylic Acid 2% Solution to the heaven-sent hydrator Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, The Ordinary is pretty-much unrivalled when it comes to affordable yet targetted skincare. And as your scalp deserves just as much love as your face does, this new haircare line makes perfect sense.
But true fans of The Ordinary know that this is not the brand’s first dabble into haircare. It was all the way back in 2018 that the brand first launched its Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density which had a revival just last year, reaching viral fame and cult status on Tik Tok. Yet this is the brand’s very first shampoo, conditioner and scalp serum. If it’s anything like the skincare, you can consider us sold.
We put The Ordinary’s new haircare to the test to see if it can work just as many miracles on our locks as it does on our skin.
The Ordinary Haircare: The Cosmo verdict
First things first, The Ordinary’s Sulphate 4% Cleanser for Hair and Body. Now, we know what you are thinking. A two in one product? We don’t use shower gel on our luscious locks, thank you very much. I thought the same, but hear me out.
As a body wash, the product worked just like any ol’ body wash. The formula had no fragrance, which threw me for a hot sec, but fits in with The Ordinary’s minimalist approach. It felt clinical but was effective – old school bar of soap vibes. To be honest, using the same product on my hair and body definitely saved me time in the morning – and that’s surely a win in anyone’s books.
On to the hair, as this is where the product really shines – figuratively and literally. I have to say, I was a little apprehensive when I saw the ingredients list. Recently, sulphates have received a bad reputation in the beauty bizz; they are often to blame for over-stripping hair’s natural moisture which can lead to greasiness and flakiness. As an avid bleacher, and a fan of the bathroom sink hair dye job, I made the switch to sulphate-free shampoo a little while ago to limit the damage on my locks (it has already been through enough). But it seems The Ordinary is here to make a case for sulphates in my haircare regime.
The shampoo only contains 4% sulphate concentration, which seemed to be the Goldilocks amount to get a good lather going without drying out my hair. As my locks are on the oilier side, and I use lots of styling products (dry shampoo is the main culprit), I tend to be a double-cleanse gal. But I quickly found that, with The Ordinary’s shampoo, just one cleanse could get that squeaky clean feeling.
Now, onto the Behentrimonium Chloride 2% Conditioner. Just like the shampoo, this didn’t smell of anything. Due to the bleach, my ends are in constant need of hydration so I often opt for deep-conditioning or leave-in products. I was suitably stressed when I saw the word ‘lightweight’ on the bottle – frizzy hair day incoming. But I should’ve known, it is in The Ordinary we trust.
Time to decode the rest of the lingo on the bottle. Behentrimonium chloride is a common ingredient found in many of your fave conditioners that makes your locks feel soft and shiny. The formula felt and had a gel-cream lightweight consistency – completely unlike any of my other conditioners. I need not have worried about frizz, as the conditioner’s moisturising effects were instant. I could already feel the formula working in shower; my locks felt silky to the touch especially after letting it sit for a few minutes. Despite it being ‘lightweight’, the conditioner fared just as well as my heavyweight products.
The final verdict:
On blow-drying, my hair felt seriously cleansed and shiny. And after two weeks of use, the shampoo had done a great job at removing any product build-up at the scalp, while the conditioner had moisturised my hair without making it feel weighed down – a common issue with hydrating formulas. The result was a bouncy blow-out reminiscent of ’90s icons à la Cindy Crawford.
Eleanor Magill
Being totally honest, I would’ve loved it if the haircare line had more of a fragrance to it – I love that just-washed smell. But added scents can be super-irritating for some scalps, so this haircare line is perfect for someone who has skin that is more on the sensitive side.
As someone who doesn’t really have a dry scalp, the serum was kind of redundant on my hair. Although, if you battle very dry skin and flakiness on your scalp, this lightweight product would be a great addition to your hair care routine.
My only other qualm with the haircare line is that the containers were on the smaller side, only 240ml. But to get supermodel hair and your whole shower routine sorted for under £14 is not to be sniffed at.
The Ordinary’s Best Skincare Products
