A $15 anti-ageing serum that works? Yes, it’s possible.

At a time when pouting celebrities push pricey products that promise the earth, there’s one brand that’s shaking the beauty industry to its core.

We all grew up believing that the more you pay for a product, the more effective it will be, but The Ordinary is proving the system wrong, with products that promise the same ingredients as luxury products, but with prices as low as USD$6.

It has been heralded ‘one of the most important skincare launches in the history of the beauty industry’ by industry specialists, and it’s easy to see why. The Ordinary’s tagline is “Clinical formulations with integrity”, something that founder Brandon Trauxe believes is severely lacking in the beauty industry.

With a focus on transparency, the simple but effective range of products consists of anti-ageing serums, acids, moisturisers and foundations, with an edit of sunscreens due to launch soon. With just one or two ingredients in each product, the streamlined approach allows you to customise your skincare regime to suit your individual needs. Judging by the raving reviews online, the results from these products are real — and they’re flying off the shelves faster than Trauxe can make them.

Mere days after the animal cruelty-free brand first launched with its serums, beauty editors and bloggers were singing its praises, and within two weeks of launch 30,000 products had been sold. When it announced the release of its $15 foundations, the wait list was 70,000 strong. The demand to produce such large quantities of product by themselves would have crippled the young start-up, but with recent backing from Estee Lauder Companies, The Ordinary are working to produce enough product to keep up with demand.

FYI, their best selling products are Hyaluronic Acid, Advanced Retinoid and their Serum Foundations… and luckily, at just a few dollars a pop, you can afford to try all three.