As a beauty journalist and busy mother, I have tested countless skincare products, yet I always find myself returning to The Ordinary. Known for its straightforward formulations and budget-friendly prices, the brand has earned a permanent spot in my routine, particularly its moisturiser and multi-peptide eye serum. So when I heard about the launch of The Ordinary's caffeine 3% + escin 1% face serum, I was eager to try it.
What Does the Serum Promise?
This serum is designed to combat visible signs of tiredness on the skin, such as dullness, wrinkles, and uneven tone and texture. It is marketed as an energising formula that includes lab-created caffeine and escin—a compound derived from horse-chestnut seeds that is popular in Asian skincare. The Ordinary claims that this serum can visibly reduce redness within four hours and improve radiance and hydration after just one application. I decided to put it to the test over a week to see if it lives up to these claims.
Key Ingredients and Texture
The serum comes in a 30ml bottle and features caffeine, escin, and bacillus ferment. It has a lightweight, milky emulsion texture. Two small drops are enough to cover my entire face, and the brand recommends massaging it into the skin for a couple of minutes. Although it has a slightly tangy scent—likely from the bacillus ferment, an ingredient rich in peptides and lipids that aims to improve radiance, firmness, and hydration—the fragrance fades quickly after application.
Seconds after applying, my skin felt softened and soothed. The serum absorbs rapidly without leaving any greasiness or residue, leaving my skin feeling hydrated. As someone with dry skin who has tried numerous serums, I was particularly impressed by this hydrating effect. It created an instant smoothness and a brighter-looking complexion, even when my skin was at its dullest. Additionally, the serum helped reduce early-morning puffiness.
My Experience Over a Week
Between its soothing nature and intensely hydrating finish, this serum quickly became my new favourite. I look forward to applying it every morning. As summer progresses, I believe it will be especially useful for providing relief during warmer weather and after sun exposure. The product claims to lift the skin and improve the appearance of wrinkles. While I cannot yet comment on changes in firmness or fine lines—and I am generally sceptical of such claims—I suspect that like all topical skincare, its benefits are more about enhancing overall skin health. However, with the radiance boost, smoothing hydration, and reduction in puffiness I have observed so far, I am keen to monitor the long-term results. For now, this serum has already met every criterion I look for in a serum—all for under a tenner.
Is It Worth It?
The Ordinary caffeine 3% + escin 1% face serum is gentle, soothing, and delivers intense hydration and brightening benefits. My skin looked more refreshed after just one use, and I noticed improvements in dullness and other signs of tiredness, including puffiness. Given its radiance-boosting effects and the price of just £8, I highly recommend this face serum.
How I Tested
I spent a week testing The Ordinary caffeine 3% + escin 1% face serum, focusing on its formula, key ingredients, and visible benefits. As a beauty journalist and busy mum with dry skin that often looks dull on tired days, I was keen to see if the serum could provide brightening refreshment and hydration. I considered the formula's ingredients and potential benefits for tired skin, the application process including consistency, absorption, layering with other products, and skin feel, and the results after initial and continued use, noting improvements in dullness, texture, and tone.
Helen Wilson-Beevers is a beauty journalist with over a decade of experience testing skincare products. She has reviewed items from brands such as The Inkey List, Perricone MD, and CeraVe. As a 42-year-old with dry, irritation-prone skin, she specialises in assessing products that combat dullness and signs of fatigue, pinpointing ingredients that promote anti-ageing benefits and overall skin health.
