The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum
Evidence-led ingredient analysis, a transparent clean score out of 100 and cleaner, effective alternatives at three price levels.
Best for
Sensitive Skin & Redness
Why Selenssa recommends it
Formulated specifically to repair compromised skin barriers and target skin discomfort, utilizing soothing Vitamin B12 and Centella extracts at an accessible price point.
Key actives
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin), Centella Asiatica Derivatives, Gallic Acid Derivatives, Niacinamide (2%)
Clean highlights
Fragrance-free · Alcohol-free · Essential oil-free · Vegan
Selenssa Score 96/100 · £12.00
Want to see how this compares? See The Selenssa 3 →The Ordinary
Soothing & Barrier Support Serum
Sensitive Skin & Redness · Budget: £12.00
4.6 (1,250 reviews)· across Boots, LookFantastic, Cult Beauty, Space NK, The Ordinary UK
Ingredients: AI-inferred — not yet verified
An exceptional barrier-repair serum evaluated from the published formulation; list inferred as unspecified by user.
Hazard categories
Estimated score out of 100
Formulation score is fixed across Selenssa · Community effectiveness awaiting more reports
Based on publicly available ingredients, following our methodology. Not medical advice — always check the physical label, especially for allergies. How we score →
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Highly recommended for repairing impaired skin barriers and calming sensitive or inflamed skin.
Be cautious if
May be a mild concern for users sensitive to ethoxylated solvents or synthetic thickeners.
Against your clean standard
Yes, meets strict clean cosmetic standards with no high-concern additives.
Where this score comes from
- Source
- No source record on file yet
- Source page
- —
- Retrieved
- —
- Evidence snapshot
- Not captured
Score history
No score changes have been recorded for this product yet.
Think something here is wrong? Report a correction · How we score
Does The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum contain parabens, sulfates or fragrance?
A straight yes or no for the ingredient groups people most often want to avoid, checked against this product's published formulation.
Free from parabens
Preservatives; the longer-chain ones (propyl, butyl) carry the endocrine questions.
Free from sulfates (sls / sles)
Strong cleansing agents that can strip a compromised barrier.
Free from silicones
Slip and occlusion; cyclic silicones (D4/D5/D6) are the environmentally restricted ones.
Free from fragrance / parfum
Undisclosed fragrance blends are the most common trigger for sensitised skin.
Free from essential oils
Naturally derived, but among the most frequently reported contact allergens.
Contains drying alcohol
Found: phenoxyethanol. Fine in small amounts for texture; high up the list it can dehydrate.
Free from formaldehyde releasers
Preservatives that slowly release formaldehyde.
Free from chemical uv filters of concern
Restricted or debated filters with endocrine or reef-persistence questions.
Is The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum non-comedogenic?
No ingredients in this formulation appear on Selenssa's common pore-clogger list, so it is unlikely to be the cause of congestion for most people. Comedogenicity is still individual — texture, occlusion and how much you use all play a part.
Is The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum safe for sensitive skin?
Generally a reasonable choice for sensitive skin.
- No fragrance or parfum in the list
- Contains a drying alcohol
- No ingredients flagged for irritation risk
The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum full ingredients list
16 ingredients analysed, in the order Selenssa assessed them. Concentration generally falls as you move down the list.
Aqua (Water), Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12), Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Bisabolol, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Ethoxydiglycol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA.
The actives doing the work: Ceramide Complex (NP, AP, EOP) (Restores essential lipids to repair damaged skin barrier.); Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract (Soothes redness and promotes skin healing.); Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) (Reduces skin inflammation and supports recovery.); Niacinamide (Strengthens barrier and balances skin tone.).
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