The Ordinary Serum Foundation Review: Does This $13 Foundation Work? (2025)

There’s a specific kind of tragedy most beauty lovers will experience in their lifetime – a favourite product being ruthlessly discontinued. I experienced this special pain back in January 2023 when The Ordinary Serum Foundation was discontinued.

As an ex-makeup artist and beauty editor I have high standards for foundations and my taste typically leans high end. I’m currently a big fan of the Merit, Minamalist Perfecting Complexion Stick $61 and love Laura Mercier, Real Flawless Weightless Perfecting Foundation ($85) for nights out.

I’ve found over the years that products found in the pharmacy aisles often have more limited shade ranges and with a fair neutral complexion, many lean to pink or peach. And, I’ll admit, I’m also partial to a pretty bottle.

The Ordinary Serum Foundation came into my life in 2022 when I was a roving beauty editor backstage at Australian Fashion Week. I spotted the neat pump bottle in almost every makeup artist’s backstage kit and was intrigued. I didn’t know that it was a cult product with a rabid fan following – when it first launched in 2017 it had a 25,000 person waitlist and it’s following remained committed.

Curious, I asked makeup artists why I was seeing the product absolutely everywhere and they were effusive citing its “your skin but better” natural finish, lightweight texture and 36 shade range (The Ordinary have also built in a variety of undertones for each shade category making it even more flexible).

Needing no more convincing I picked up a bottle and promptly fell in love. The Ordinary Serum Foundation ticked all of my boxes. It gives maximum coverage with minimum product, blurring discolouration and skin texture with a few small drops. It’s been compared favourably to the Giorgio Armani, Luminous Silk Foundation ($120) and while that product has slightly fuller coverage and a creamier texture I’d say this one certainly falls into the category of “your skin but better” effortless radiance.

Given I recommend beauty products for a living I’m always pleased when I can wholeheartedly endorse an affordable product with an extensive shade range so I was saddened, personally and professionally, when The Ordinary discontinued the product. An Instagram post from the brand alluded to the fact that the foundation was possibly too good for its affordable price point, they simply weren’t making enough money selling it.

I was thrilled when an email landing in my inbox notifying me that the product was back by popular demand but also sceptical. Had they tweaked the original formula to make it more affordable to produce? I picked up a bottle to put it to the test.

Is The Ordinary Serum Foundation Still Good?

I’m happy to report the foundation still comes in the same lightweight pump bottle and while it looks petite, contains the standard 30ml you will find in most of your foundations. The consistency is also the same and that is very fluid and runny. Shake the bottle well before you use it and start small with a gentle pump (be extra careful if you’re wearing a white shirt).

I took one pea sized drop on the back of my hand and dabbed on with my fingers, then smoothed out. A little bit goes a long way with this formula and the product spreads evenly. While it has a sheer finish, and imperfections like freckles will peep through, the inclusion of blurring ingredients like mica and dimethicone mean the foundation provides a blurred radiant finish with minimum product.

Best of all? My skin felt comfortable all day – like I was wearing nothing at all. I assume this is thanks to the inclusion hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin which manage to plump the skin and keep it hydrated. The foundation also wore well withstanding the powerful combination of humidity, rain and office air-conditioning without cracking, flaking or melting.

The Verdict

If The Ordinary have made any tweaks to the original formula, they’re imperceptible. A few dabs of the foundation provided me with the coverage I needed blurring redness and imperfections while leaving my complexion looking fresh. This is a radiant rather than dewy or glossy foundation, I use a lot of hydrating skincare products so did set it with the Charlotte Tilbury, Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder through the t-zone but if you have particularly dry skin, you may not feel the need.

For under $13 this foundation compares favourably to many of my high end favourites and it’s extensive shade range makes it, in my books, a must try.

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The Ordinary Serum Foundation,

$12.70 at The Ordinary

Key Features:

• Lightweight luminous coverage
• 36 shades
• Multiple undertones
• Sheer-medium finish
• 30ml

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