Cult favorite skincare brand, The Ordinary, launches exclusively at Sephora Middle East on the 1st of February, introducing to the region its range of active formulations. The often-viral skincare brand is known for taking the beauty industry’s most effective ingredients and simplifying marketing speak to highlight straight-forward, yet potent formulas.
“We have had our eyes on the Middle East as a new home for The Ordinary for some time now and are thrilled that the launch is finally here,” shares Nicola Kilner, co-founder and CEO of The Ordinary. “Making the products available in the Middle East means allowing the skincare consumer to have access to our products and allows us to share education locally around regimen building and choosing the right technologies for the right concerns. It took time, but we wanted it to be perfect.”
Nicola Kilner
From the gentle Squalane Cleanser, to the intensive AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution – the viral blood-red facial peel infamous for separating overly confident TikTokers from their epidermis – The Ordinary has made its mark as a beauty industry leader. Advocating for transparency in marketing and consumer education, the brand has developed a range known for addressing our most pressing complexion concerns with proven formulas and prescriptive skincare routines. In addition to skincare favorites, The Ordinary also offers products for the body and hair.
Speaking exclusively to Vogue Arabia ahead of The Ordinary’s regional launch at Sephora Middle East, Kilner explains why Arab skincare fans should be paying close attention to what exactly goes into our serums.
What makes The Ordinary stand out from other skincare brands?
We were watching brands, big and small, continue to disguise commodity innovation for ingenuity through creative use of packaging, communication, and pricing. In the world of healthcare, nobody can charge €150 for aspirin; but in the world of beauty you could easily find virtually the same formulations ranging from €5 to €500 plus. The Ordinary was designed to communicate with authenticity and integrity, and bring to market effective, familiar, and scientific-led technologies at an honest price point. We set out on a mission to bring transparency to the beauty industry and in doing so, have noticed an increase in audiences becoming more aware of ingredients and what they are putting on their skin, educating themselves on their skin type, concerns and how to use certain ingredients.
The Ordinary’s goal is to provide educational skincare to the consumer, providing unbiased scientific information about the ingredients within our products. We want to empower the consumer to make their own informed decisions when it comes to creating their skincare regimen, to best suit their specific needs.
What are the main skin concerns you anticipate for clients in the region?
From the conversations we’ve had with our local audience on our owned platforms, the major skin concerns consumers want to target are pores and oiliness. Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, our global best seller, is a highly efficacious and proven formulation that targets the reduction of congestion, blemishes, and excess oil. It also aids with overall brightness. For anyone experiencing dark circles and puffiness in the eye contour, Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG would be your go to product.
We also know local consumers are looking for options to target signs of ageing. Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, another one of our hero products, provides multi-depth hydration and plump the skin. Multi-Peptide + HA Serum is also an amazing formula to smooth, improve elasticity and reduce the appearance of crow’s feet.
Finally Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution, one of The Ordinary’s much-loved products, is suitable for those who are looking to target uneven skin tone and achieve skin clarity and visible radiance.
Which The Ordinary product do you predict becoming a favourite here?
Our Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density is one of my personal favourites and has been a part of my hair care regimen for as users see visible results, and can plug into their regimen as and when they need. This serum is a leave-on formula that provides fuller, denser, healthier-looking hair. We have also launched our Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum in the Middle East which has gone viral globally and is a new staple for many of our customers. It supports the volume and fullness of lashes and brows with continued use, in addition to providing protection and nourishment.
Some of The Ordinary products are quite strong, leading to users “overdosing” their skin. How should those new to the brand proceed with finding products which suit them?
Creating a regimen from scratch can be overwhelming considering the amount of options in ingredients and treatments available for multiple skin concerns. I would advise following The Ordinary’s simple 3-step regimen approach: prepare, treat, and seal.
Prepare the skin by removing impurities with Squalane Cleanser, a gentle cleanser that leaves skin feeling clean, but not stripped of its natural oils. Then treat your skin with a serum that suits your skin’s needs. We recommend using one to two serums, and to start with the one targeting your most important need. For example, if the skin is feeling dry and dehydrated, Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 is recommended for a hydrating and plumping effect. Finally, seal the actives from the previous steps by applying a moisturizer, such as Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA, a lightweight and non-greasy formula that sits flawlessly underneath SPF and makeup.
What is your personal favourite product from The Ordinary?
I have many! Currently, my favourite – that my regimen cannot go without is the Multi-Peptide Serum + HA. It literally does everything in one serum. As my mornings can be a little busy with my two small children, I love knowing I can just put that on, and it is targeting multiple concerns at once.
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