Keep scrolling to read our unfiltered thoughts on The Ordinary’s Serum Foundation…

The Ordinary Serum Foundation

Lia Mappoura, Beauty Writer

Shade: 2.0N

Lia wearing The Ordinary Serum Foundation at 8am

Lia wearing The Ordinary Serum Foundation at 6pm

Call me a sad excuse of a beauty journalist, but I never ~actually~ tried The Ordinary Serum Foundation back in the day… I know, I know, I’m ashamed too. However, self-deprecation aside, there is some justification to be had. As an oily-skinned, acne-prone girlie with lots of hyperpigmentation and a love for experimental makeup, I’ve always been a more-is-more, matte base type’a girl. Me full-coverage foundations. Like a moth to a flame.

That said, I was willing to give this foundation a go for its five-star reviews. As one person writes on the website: “Best Foundation EVER. Why on earth is this being discontinued!!!! It seems every time I find something that works and is completely flawless on my skin, some ‘genius’ sits behind a desk and says ‘let’s discontinue this product!!!!!!’ It is infuriating!!!!”

First impressions speak volumes and after a few pumps and minimal blending, I was stunned. Just as the brand states, the formula was super thin and liquidy, meaning it was easy to work into the skin and buff out. In terms of coverage, the foundation gave a your-skin-but-better glow and held its own wear-wise, too. I had the foundation on my skin for around 11 hours and although I did have to blot multiple times throughout the day, the compliment from our Acting Site Director, Dusty Baxter-Wright, who said that my skin looked “incredible” – even after hours of wear – was so worth it. Dewy? Without a doubt. But cakey? Absolutely not.

For the days where I need a quick skin win, you best believe this will be my go-to! Consider me a natural makeup convert… kinda.

Keeks Reid, Beauty Director

Shade: 3.2N (with a little 3.1Y)

I remember trying this foundation for the first time like it was yesterday, so the fact that it’s been discontinued for three years is baffling. In fact, it wasn’t that long ago since I had to bin the dregs of my last bottle because it had definitely been in my stash for over five years… gross. So, you could say I was delighted to be reacquainted with a fresh bottle.

As a light-coverage girlie, using foundation with serum in the name will always win me over and this base nails that texture. It’s light and runny but packs a pigment punch. Because of the texture, blending is pretty foolproof and the oil-free formula is a win for shiny peeps like moi. Now my only bug bear, and there literally is just the one. The shades are a little all over the place and hard to match online. I lucked out with mine, shade-wise, but the undertone skewed slightly too orange. But mixing shades worked and at only £6.40 it doesn’t feel crazy to suggest getting two to create your bespoke colour match.

Clare Stephenson, Senior Ecommerce Beauty Writer

Shades: 2.0N and 2.2Y

I’ll say it straight up: I absolutely love this foundation. TBH, I had zero clue what to expect as I wasn’t an OG fan of The Ordinary’s Serum Foundation when it first launched. If anything, I thought it was a bit rogue. A foundation?! From one of the most science-y skincare brands going?! I never. Well, I’m beyond thrilled that the Serum Foundation is back, and after wearing it every day for a week, I’m completely obsessed with it (ah, well, apart from one thing but more on that later).

It’s a very lightweight formula with a fluid texture, so it effortlessly melted into my skin with just the tap of a beauty sponge. The coverage, however, is my favourite part – it’s just right for me. It doesn’t feel too full-coverage or heavy, but it has enough oomph to cover a blemish, smooth my skin tone and even redness. The finish is *chef’s kiss*, too. I swear it has some magical filter inside as it blurs without looking cakey or feeling uncomfortable – as many blur-finish formulas fall guilty of. It’s not overtly dewy nor is it completely matte; it sits somewhere in between to create an entirely natural result.

My only ick is I found the shade range rather tricky to decipher. I chose the shades 2.0N and 2.2Y – they don’t sound far apart but let me tell you, a 0.2 difference completely changed the shade. Of course, the undertones were different, but I was shocked at how much darker 2.2Y was over 2.0N. So my advice? Deffo use the Ordinary shade finder to find your match. Oh – and before I shut up – other makeup layers beautifully over, too. Clare out.

Kara Kia, Ecommerce Editor

Shade: 2.1Y

The Ordinary’s Serum Foundation might look petite, but it holds the standard 30ml of product – that you’ll find in Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk or NARS Light Reflecting foundation (my all-time favourites) – and it has a clip lock pump which is great for travel.

As it’s a water-based formula, it applies quite slippery, so start with a small amount of product warmed between your hands to keep it buildable. I love that it comes with SPF15, which is expected from one of the best skincare brands out there, and it’s blended with hyaluronic acid and mica for a plump finish and subtle glow. While I’m a fan of the ultra-lightweight feel and natural-looking finish, it’s the price that I’m really impressed by, as it gives a similar result to some of the luxury players for under £10.

However, I’ll have to agree with Clare that the shade range isn’t easy to navigate. I went with shade 2.1Y, which was a great match and applied beautifully but oxidised a tad too yellow (why is there no 2.1N?!). And lastly, it’s not a 72-hour wear kind of formula, nor does it claim to be. It’s a serum and you’ll need a powder touch-up if you want to wear it all night long – but for an everyday skin perfector that won’t break the bank, it’s staying in my rotation.