When we launched our Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 back in 2016, not many people had heard of hyaluronic acid as an ingredient. Despite it being a well-studied, commercially-known skincare ingredient, it was yet to hit headlines.

All of that quickly changed. In 2018, Google searches for hyaluronic acid increased by 85%, peaking after we launched our mission to democratize skincare in 2016, leading with Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5.

Many of us remember the countless times we mispronounced the name of this ingredient before getting it right. And, now, language that was once reserved for skincare enthusiasts and industry experts, has trickled down into the mainstream with ingredients becoming second-nature.

As its popularity grew, so too did the formulations. Today, our well-loved serum is in very good company, joined by a growing range of The Ordinary products that spotlight this crucial ingredient. We wanted to make sure it remained the favourite of many. We listened to your feedback; you wanted a lighter texture with no tacky residue. And so we returned to the lab for reformulation.

Now we get to celebrate that work and introduce you to the next generation of Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5.

We started this process in July 2022. It took our formulators just over a year to carefully source and select the right blend of existing and new ingredients, combining them in different ways to craft the ideal formulation. And, because the texture of any hyaluronic acid-based serum is very much connected to the hyaluronic acid itself, we tested different ratios of molecular weights to find the perfect balance between effective hydration and a new, lightweight texture.

It took 140 prototypes to evolve into the next generation of hydration. But, after taking viscosity measurements, independently assessing the texture, and vigorous testing, we did it.

Our new Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 formulation is a non-tacky formulation with a lightweight texture that instantly smooths and plumps skin.

We added an additional form of hyaluronic acid for a total of five different types, to provide hydration to multiple layers of the surface of your skin:

• Low, medium and high-molecular weights: a combination of molecular sizes that sit at different levels of the surface of the skin.
• Hyaluronic acid crosspolymer: a type of hyaluronic acid that forms a protective mesh on the skin’s surface.
• Hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid: a new, very low-molecular weight of hyaluronic acid added to our new formulation.


These work alongside added ceramides: naturally-occurring skin-like lipids that help to restore the skin’s moisture barrier to keep hydration locked in. Together, they help to replenish skin’s hydration levels, leaving softer, smoother skin after 2 weeks.

This new formula replenishes hydration, retains moisture and replumps skin. Our new formula smooths skin texture, promotes supple skin with improved elasticity, and plumps skin to help reduce the appearance of fine dry lines.