Will This Serum Repair your Skin Overnight?

Top line on The Ordinary Soothing and Barrier Serum

• Suitable for all skin types, even sensitive

• Helps hydrate the skin for up to 12 hours

• Helps to support and repair the skin barrier

Hanitra's review

Skin type: Oily and acne-prone

A few years ago, I was guilty of overusing exfoliants on my skin and damaged my skin without even realising it. From inflamed acne to extra dry patches, my skin was all over the place and I had no idea what was happening... and proceeded to use more exfoliants. Fast-forward to now, I realise that taking care of your skin barrier is the key to healthy-looking skin, even when your skin is prone to acne. I like to use hydrating serum, or anything that contains niacinamide but I have never tried a serum that is made specifically to target a damaged skin barrier.

I had seen this pink serum from The Ordinary on my social feed when it launched last year and was really curious, until I finally got my hands on it. I like to use retinol on most nights of the skin, so I used this in my evening routine when I was giving my skin a break from the actives. The bright pink colour looks really scary at first but when I first applied the serum, I loved how cooling it felt. My skin wasn't feeling particularly sensitive or damaged when I used it, so I wasn't able to see an immediate difference but after a few uses, I could clearly see my skin looked more plump.

I would recommend this to anyone who's looking tends to deal with redness and is looking for an affordable option to soothe the skin. I will keep this in my rotation, as I think the blend of ingredient is working really well for my skin.

Kirsten's review

Skin type: Dry

I have always had quite reactive skin and have been incorporating more acids in my routine lately, noticing a bit of redness appearing. My skincare routine is quite extensive, I like to use both retinal and a serum which has 10% AHAs and 10% PHAs which I alternate within the week to ensure I don't get any bad reactions.

Like Hanitra, I had seen the pink serum on my social feed but hadn't tried it, however because of my skin type, I felt this formulas was made for me. When I first used it, I found it immediately soothed the skin thanks to the cooling sensation, and it absorbed into the skin quite nicely - no sticky feeling or residue. I like to use this in the morning and evening as my second serum, I find that it truly hydrates the skin and makes it look more plump. Plus, I truly saw my redness did calm after using this serum.

If you have a skin type similar to mine, on the sensitive side, I highly recommend using this as it will help hydrate and calm the skin immediately.

The verdict on The Ordinary Barrier Serum

If you are guilty of overusing acids and retinol on your skin, or if you tend to have reactive skin like Kirsten, this serum could be the answer to calming your skin. Both Hanitra and Kirsten felt that it had an immediate effect on their skin, and noticed their skin looking more hydrated overtime.

More from The Ordinary

As the brand who wanted to create skincare solution at an affordable price, some products have become all-time favourites for many who like to keep their beauty routine simple. Formulas like The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, £8.80 and The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner, £7.70 have made their way into so many of the team's everyday routines. If you like to have a more extensive routine, the newly launched The Ordinary Multi Active Delivery Essence, £10.60 creates the perfect base for the rest of your serums to work even better.

We love that The Ordinary keeps coming out with new formulas that target specific skin concerns with hero ingredients that deliver visible results.