The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 — Efficacy 4.0/5.0, Safety 4.6/5.0 | DemythSkin
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[ DemythSkin Verdict ]
The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
The Ordinary

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

SerumHydration
Efficacy
Strong
4.0 / 5.0
Safety
Safe
4.6 / 5.0
System Verdict
This is a very basic, competent hydration serum that does its job but brings zero high-impact treatment power. The efficacy score is driven by a dense cluster of well-established humectants (multiple forms of hyaluronic acid, glycerin, panthenol, glycols) high in the INCI list, which reliably increase surface hydration but do not remodel the barrier or deliver meaningful brightening or anti-aging benefits. Its water-based, minimalist formulation, lack of fragrance, and straightforward preservative system make it an efficient vehicle for hydration with few distractions, yet the absence of stronger actives (ceramides, niacinamide at meaningful levels, peptides, or antioxidants) caps its performance squarely at ‘hydration-only’ rather than a multi-functional treatment.
Active Ingredients Detected
A Tier: Good BasicsProven Results
Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hyaluronate CrosspolymerPanthenolGlycerin
B Tier: Supporting IngredientsPromising Ingredients
Trisodium Ethylenediamine DisuccinateIsoceteth-20EthoxydiglycolHexylene Glycol
C Tier: Marketing IdolsHype | Limited or Weak Data
Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract
What Each Ingredient Does
Aqua (Water)
Solvent, formula base
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant, water-binding agent
Pentylene Glycol
Humectant and solvent
Propanediol
Solvent and humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Film-forming humectant
Panthenol
Humectant and soothing agent
Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract
Algae-derived humectant
Glycerin
Primary humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Chelating agent
Citric Acid
pH adjuster
Isoceteth-20
Solubilizer and emulsifier
Ethoxydiglycol
Solvent and penetration enhancer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Preservative booster
Hexylene Glycol
Solvent and texture enhancer
1,2-Hexanediol
Solvent and preservative booster
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Humectant and preservative booster
Full Ingredient List (INCI)

Aqua (Water) , Sodium Hyaluronate , Pentylene Glycol , Propanediol , Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer , Panthenol , Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract , Glycerin , Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate , Citric Acid , Isoceteth-20 , Ethoxydiglycol , Ethylhexylglycerin , Hexylene Glycol , 1,2-Hexanediol , Phenoxyethanol , Caprylyl Glycol

Frequently Asked

Is The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 worth it?

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 scores 4.0 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Strong) and 4.6 out of 5.0 for safety (Safe) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. This is a very basic, competent hydration serum that does its job but brings zero high-impact treatment power. The efficacy score is driven by a dense cluster of well-established humectants (multiple forms of hyaluronic

What are the key active ingredients in The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5?

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 contains no gold-standard actives — its formula is built on supporting and base ingredients rather than clinically transformative actives.

Does The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 contain fragrance or known irritants?

DemythSkin's analysis found no flagged irritants in The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. It scores 4.6 out of 5.0 for safety.

How is The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 scored?

DemythSkin grades every product on two independent axes: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are classified S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. No brand pays for a score.

Analyze on DemythSkin →

Analysis last updated: 2026-08-28. DemythSkin is an independent ingredient analyzer. Scores are computed by a deterministic rubric from published clinical evidence — no brand pays for a score.