Beauty news: The Ordinary’s Serum Foundation Is Back!
There is so much to say about The Ordinary, which has to be one of the most consistently rule-breaking and insanely affordable, high performance beauty brands to have ever hit the marketplace. Their formulations – and price points – have been game changers from the get-go, so when in early 2020 they announced they were moving into makeup with a foundation drop? It’s fair to say that the galaxy exploded. Over 25,000 people added themselves to the waitlist to try the two foundation formulas that went up online, and it would fair to say that the hype was REAL.
Of the two on offer, I fell hard and fast for the Serum Foundation, and over the course of the pandemic it became my go-to for Zoom calls, socially distanced meet ups and just generally as a mood boost when it all became a lot to handle. Upon application it almost just felt like skincare, and it was amazing to watch it literally melt into my skin. It’s been said by beauty editors that The Ordinary’s Serum Foundation “walked so that skin tints could run”, and it became the foundation I recommended most to friends, family, and readers who were after a light to medium coverage with a featherlight feel.
When it disappeared at the end of 2022, the Serum Foundation left a lasting legacy: MUAs, beauty enthusiasts, and TikTok creators endlessly mourn its discontinuation, and there are even entire Reddit threads dedicated to finding a replacement for it. That’s why I’m pleased — actually, beyond excited — to announce that the Serum Foundation is back.
So, why was The Ordinary’s Serum Foundation discontinued in the first place?
In a social media post from 2022, The Ordinary explained that although it had set the price at an accessible level, this approach wasn't sustainable in the long run, especially because sales weren’t high enough. But you never miss a good thing until it’s gone, and ever since then, fans of Serum Foundation have flooded The Ordinary’s Instagram posts demanding its swift return.
It's back, but is it the same?
Happily for diehard fans, the formula is the same — and it’s just as affordable. At just $15 NZD, Serum Foundation is a snip of the price of most foundations on the market, and if you ask me, it’s even on par with some high-end offerings thanks to its ability to provide impressive coverage and substantial hydration — all without the heavy, mask-like feel of other foundations.
This is mainly due to the fact that the serum is crafted from colour pigments suspended in The Ordinary’s proprietary ‘spreadability system’. This unique formulation allows the pigments to look natural on the skin, stay on for longer and resist collecting within lines – which I love. The brand believes that “skin should look like skin”, and after an application of Serum Foundation, yours will look just like that, but better.
The formulation is also designed to be suitable for all skin types and available in a range of 36 shades, which are divided into four categories:
1 for lighter tones
2 for medium tones
3 for dark/deep tones
4 for deeper tones.
Each category is then classified further by a second digit from 0 to 4 to indicate depth within each category, then finally, a letter is added to the shade code to identify the undertone:
P (Pink) and R (Red) indicate cool undertones
N indicates a Neutral tone
Y (Yellow) indicates a warm undertone
Three of the shades have an additional letter at the end which use natural-looking and exceptionally fine dispersions of metallic effect pigments for added highlight:
S indicates Silver highlights
G indicates Gold highlights
For a hydrated, luminous skin finish with just a wash of colour, you can even mix Serum Foundation with The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides on the back of your hand before applying to the face using your applicator of choice.
I have often said that if I had a dollar for every reader/follower that sent me a DM asking about this foundation, then I'd be floating on a yacht in the Bahamas right now - finally I can say YES, it back! So what are you waiting for? Grab a bottle of Serum Foundation in your shade now – or maybe a few, because you just never know...
So, why was The Ordinary’s Serum Foundation discontinued in the first place?
In a social media post from 2022, The Ordinary explained that although it had set the price at an accessible level, this approach wasn't sustainable in the long run, especially because sales weren’t high enough. But you never miss a good thing until it’s gone, and ever since then, fans of Serum Foundation have flooded The Ordinary’s Instagram posts demanding its swift return.
It's back, but is it the same?
Happily for diehard fans, the formula is the same — and it’s just as affordable. At just $15 NZD, Serum Foundation is a snip of the price of most foundations on the market, and if you ask me, it’s even on par with some high-end offerings thanks to its ability to provide impressive coverage and substantial hydration — all without the heavy, mask-like feel of other foundations.
This is mainly due to the fact that the serum is crafted from colour pigments suspended in The Ordinary’s proprietary ‘spreadability system’. This unique formulation allows the pigments to look natural on the skin, stay on for longer and resist collecting within lines – which I love. The brand believes that “skin should look like skin”, and after an application of Serum Foundation, yours will look just like that, but better.
The formulation is also designed to be suitable for all skin types and available in a range of 36 shades, which are divided into four categories:
1 for lighter tones
2 for medium tones
3 for dark/deep tones
4 for deeper tones.
Each category is then classified further by a second digit from 0 to 4 to indicate depth within each category, then finally, a letter is added to the shade code to identify the undertone:
P (Pink) and R (Red) indicate cool undertones
N indicates a Neutral tone
Y (Yellow) indicates a warm undertone
Three of the shades have an additional letter at the end which use natural-looking and exceptionally fine dispersions of metallic effect pigments for added highlight:
S indicates Silver highlights
G indicates Gold highlights
For a hydrated, luminous skin finish with just a wash of colour, you can even mix Serum Foundation with The Ordinary’s Natural Moisturizing Factors + PhytoCeramides on the back of your hand before applying to the face using your applicator of choice.
I have often said that if I had a dollar for every reader/follower that sent me a DM asking about this foundation, then I'd be floating on a yacht in the Bahamas right now - finally I can say YES, it back! So what are you waiting for? Grab a bottle of Serum Foundation in your shade now – or maybe a few, because you just never know...
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