This $15 anti-aging serum delivered ‘impressive results in very little time'

Independent

25-05-2025

The Ordinary needs no introduction. It is renowned for creating affordable yet innovative skincare products that work. One of its latest launches is no exception: a growth factor face serum that addresses multiple visible signs of aging at a fraction of its competitors' prices. But does it deliver? I put it to the test before it launched.
Growth factors are fast becoming the next buzz-worthy skincare ingredient. They are proteins that naturally occur in our skin cells — simply put, they act as messengers to various mechanisms in the skin, signaling it to repair and rejuvenate. They do so by stimulating skin cell turnover and the production of collagen and elastin — the fundamentals of keeping skin smooth and firm.
With age, growth factors deplete, so the skin is less able to repair itself from environmental damage like UV light and pollution, leading to premature signs of aging. By replenishing these growth factors, old skin cells start acting like younger skin cells again.
The science isn't new — growth factors were first discovered by scientists in the 1950s who went on to win a Nobel Prize for their work, and luxury skincare brands started infusing their formulas with the regenerating ingredient in the 1990s. But what is new is having access to this advanced science for the first time at a bargain price.
Typically, it's only high-end and hugely expensive skincare brands that carry growth factor skincare, excluding The Inkey List's offering, although it's hard to compare when it's not as highly concentrated. But The Ordinary's serum is cheap at $15.50 — so I wanted to see how it performed.
How I tested
I am an experienced beauty editor in my 40s with typical signs of skin aging, including pigmentation, fine lines, and a loss of firmness. I tested the product every day for three weeks (both in my morning and evening skincare routines) under the same moisturizer.