This £18 serum is perfect for rebuilding your skin barrier after a purge—I can't be without it

The Ordinary is known for its fuss-free, no-frills formulations, which are developed with the industry's best skincare ingredients, at prices that won't break the bank. And while its Hyaluronic Acid and Squalane Cleanser are the stuff of beauty legend, I'm here to advocate for a newer icon: the Soothing and Barrier Support Serum. At just £18, I can't get enough of the stuff. Here's why...

Soothing and Barrier Support Serum: the ingredients list

The best thing about The Ordinary's serum is its expansive ingredients list, which is focused on healing, strengthening and protecting the skin barrier. While many serums in this category will centre around one key ingredient (for example, hyaluronic acid or niacinamide), The Ordinary's has a wide range of classic and trending ingredients to make up a super smart formulation.

The ingredients list is built into three parts with individual goals. The first is to protect skin; centella asiatica phytotechnologies are used here to guard against external irritants, which is crucial for skin that's on its road to recovery. Speaking of, the next goal of the list focuses on soothing the skin, particularly handy if, again, you are healing a broken barrier. Here, vitamin B12 is arguably the star; reducing dryness and redness, this is the ingredient responsible for the bright pink tinge of the formula.

Also included for soothing properties are gallic acid derivatives, bisabolol and a 'soothing complex.' Together, these calm irritation, alleviate redness and reduce that feeling of tightness in the skin, caused by dryness.

The final part of the ingredients list is its barrier support. The Ordinary's serum harnesses the power of a ceramide complex to replenish skin lipids, 2% niacinamide for hydration and support, and sugar-based hydrators to strengthen skin. Now, if that's not an impressive line-up, I'm not sure what is.

A beauty editor's review

My skin journey over the past two years has been a confusing and stressful one. But perhaps most relevant to this story is the portion where I went totally overboard with retinol and used prescription Tretinoin, which was far too strong for my skin. The result of this was a depleted skin barrier that led to acne breakouts and dryness in some areas. For this reason, my goals recently have shifted to barrier restoration, and The Ordinary's barrier serum continues to be a big part of this.

I use this daily in my PM routine, both alone on some days, and alongside actives on others. I still use a retinol, but have taken the strength down and also invested in an azelaic acid to use on days I don't reach for it. I apply any actives I am using that night first (or in the case of the third night, there will be none) before using this serum. It helps to soothe and settle my skin, neutralising the drying effects of the actives to restore my barrier and ensure it doesn't become damaged again.

As well as its obvious benefits, I love the way this feels on my skin, thanks to its texture. It is lightweight and non-sticky, and the speed at which my skin drinks it up is impressive. It feels cool and refreshing, which is much needed when I'm feeling a little sensitive or irritated.

I also just love that this product is under £20. It's incredibly rare to find such a well-rounded formulation for this price these days, but The Ordinary continues to impress with its science-backed products at consumer-friendly prices.