Are you looking for a foundation that is lightweight, natural-looking and long-lasting? Look no further than the Ordinary Serum Foundation! This revolutionary foundation offers buildable coverage without clogging pores or feeling heavy on your skin. It has a light-diffusing effect that helps to blur out imperfections while evening out your complexion, without sacrificing its natural finish.
In this post, I’m going to give my honest review of The Ordinary Serum Foundation so you can discover what’s so good about it and if it’s the right foundation for you!
The Ordinary Serum Foundation – Ingredients
First, let’s start with the ingredients.
Ingredients Explained
The Ordinary Serum Foundation contains a long list of ingredients, which, at first glance, are not easy to understand. Are they natural or synthetic? Are there any potentially harmful ingredients in this foundation? The ingredients are not that bad when you compare them to more traditional foundations and here they are explained in detail:
- Cyclopentasiloxane and Caprylyl Methicone: are both synthetic ingredients (different types of silicone) used to help give the foundation a smooth, lightweight texture that feels silky on your skin.
- Coconut Alkanes: naturally derived ingredient that helps moisturize and condition the skin
- Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer: a synthetic ingredient that forms a film on the skin. It can also absorb excess sebum or oils which may cause acne.
- Trimethylsiloxysilicate: a silicone-based synthetic ingredient that helps make the foundation long-lasting and waterproof.
- PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone: a silicone and synthetic ingredient used as an emollient, moisturizer, and binder.
- Coco Caprylate/Caprate: a natural, plant-based ingredient that helps nourish and moisturize your skin.
- Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer: a synthetic polymer that helps the foundation adhere to your skin and stay put all day long without smudging or fading.
- Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)silylethyl Dimethicone: another synthetic emollient that helps the texture of this foundation (a combination of silicones).
- Dipropylene Glycol: a synthetic humectant that helps hydrate your skin.
- Tocopherol: a form of vitamin E which acts as an antioxidant and can help prevent premature aging.
- Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate: a natural, plant-derived ingredient that helps keep the foundation stable and prevent it from separating.
- Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate: a natural, plant-derived ingredient that helps soften and smooth your skin.
- Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate: a lipid-based synthetic moisturizer that makes skin soft and supple.
- Disteardimonium Hectorite: based on naturally occurring clay mineral hector this ingredient is used to thicken and stabilize the foundation.
- Hectorite: a natural clay used to absorb excess oils that may cause acne or breakouts on the skin.
- Sodium Chloride: a natural ingredient (salt) used as a binder and thickener.
- Hexyl Laurate: a synthetic ingredient that works as a skin-nourishing emollient, solvent and thickening agent.
- Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer: a silicone powder (synthetic) that provides that desired smooth, silky finish while also absorbing excess oil.
- PEG-10 Dimethicone: another silicone-based ingredient and also synthetic. It helps make the foundation water-resistant and helps improve its feel on the skin.
- Stearic Acid: a natural fatty acid used to soften and smooth the skin.
- Alumina: a natural ingredient used as an absorbent, bulking agent, and stabilizer in cosmetics.
- Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate: a natural preservative and chelating agent that works by binding to metals that may alter the composition of the foundation.
- Phenoxyethanol: a synthetic preservative that prevents the growth of bacteria and mold. Generally safe but some people react to it.
- Chlorphenesin: a synthetic preservative that prevents bacterial contamination at the source.
- Naturally occurring minerals: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Tin Oxide, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Aluminium hydroxide
- Bismuth Oxychloride: a synthetic compound that helps give the foundation a matte finish and helps blur out imperfections like fine lines and pores.
- Mica: a natural mineral that absorbs oil and helps makeup look more even.
- Triethoxycaprylylsilane: a synthetic ingredient that helps keep this foundation from separating and getting a grainy texture.
To summarise, this foundation contains more synthetic ingredients than natural ones so overall it’s not very natural. It contains a range of silicones and other emollients that help to soothe and soften the skin, as well as a variety of preservatives to prevent bacterial growth.
Some of the natural ingredients include plant-based oils and fats that help to hydrate and moisturize the skin, as well as a variety of minerals and clays that help absorb excess oil and prevent acne or breakouts.
Most of the ingredients are pretty safe but some people may react negatively to certain ingredients like phenoxyethanol or alumina.
The Ordinary Serum Foundation Review
I’ve been using The Ordinary Serum Foundation for a few months now, and I have to say that I’m really impressed with how well it works for my skin. It offers buildable coverage without looking cakey or heavy, and its light-diffusing effect helps to blur out imperfections and give my skin a smooth and even appearance.
With light-medium coverage and a satin matte finish, this foundation feels like you’re not wearing anything at all – but still gives you a flawless finish and even skin tone.
Overall, this is a great option for hot summer days – or just when you need a lightweight foundation that still packs some serious pigment.
However, be aware that this foundation may set into fine lines or pores, so make sure to prep your skin well before applying it. I was reading some reviews online and while many people love this foundation, some also said that it doesn’t quite work for their skin type as it makes their fine lines more pronounced.
For me, though, The Ordinary Serum Foundation is a great option although is not that natural but I am hoping that one day the brand comes up with something new but much more natural than this. I would recommend this foundation to anyone who is thinking about switching to green beauty as it is extremely affordable and gives excellent results.
Petra Nakashian (previously Kravos) is a dedicated natural health and beauty blogger, driven by the loss of her parents to cancer, which led her to meticulously research beauty product ingredients. With over 10 years of experience, her in-depth knowledge has made her a trusted expert in the field. Founder of Be Healthy Now and Green Beauty Talk, Petra recently expanded her expertise with Beauty Insights Hub, exploring a wider range of beauty treatments. Committed to transparency and honesty, her work is a vital resource for navigating the complex world of beauty.
