Soothing & Barrier Support Serum
A multi-active serum made to support the skin barrier, reduce visible redness, and boost hydration.
One of the strongest The Ordinary picks for people dealing with irritation, visible redness, or a barrier that feels overwhelmed.
A single serum that covers ceramide barrier repair, niacinamide redness reduction, centella calming, and EGCG antioxidant support simultaneously is rare — and usually expensive. The Ordinary packaging this much barrier-support technology into one affordable step is genuinely compelling.
After cleansing, before moisturizer. This is a good "core serum" step — apply it first and layer other targeted serums over or under depending on their texture.
Sensitive, redness-prone, or barrier-compromised skin. People in the recovery phase after over-exfoliation or a bad reaction to strong actives. Anyone wanting a ceramide + calming serum without a heavy cream texture.
Rarely — this is designed to be gentle. Very reactive users who respond to niacinamide (rare niacin flush) may want to patch test before going full-face. Otherwise, it's designed to be the serum you use when everything else has caused irritation.
This is likely one of the safest serums in your routine to continue using. It's designed for overwhelmed skin — ceramides and centella are standard recommendations for barrier recovery. Keep this, simplify everything else.
- A gentle ceramide moisturizer on top to lock everything in
- SPF in the morning — essential when the barrier is compromised
- A gentle oil-based cleanser that doesn't strip the barrier before application
Best For
- Barrier support
- Visible redness
- Sensitivity
- Dehydration
- Tightness
- Irritated-looking skin
How to Use
Apply a few drops morning and evening after cleansing and before heavier creams or oils.
Key Ingredients
Replenishes the skin's ceramide levels to strengthen and maintain the barrier, preventing moisture loss and environmental damage.
Maintains the structural architecture of the skin barrier. Without adequate Ceramide EOP, the barrier becomes disorganized and loses its protective function.
Reinforces the skin's protective barrier, locking in moisture and shielding skin from environmental stressors.
Niacinamide strengthens the skin barrier, regulates sebum production, fades hyperpigmentation, and minimizes the appearance of enlarged pores.
Reduces skin irritation and redness, helps other actives penetrate the skin more effectively, and supports overall skin comfort.
Stimulates collagen and hyaluronic acid synthesis, reduces inflammation, supports wound healing and barrier repair, and calms irritated skin. One of the best-researched herbal extracts in skincare science.
Provides powerful antioxidant protection against free radical damage, reduces inflammation, and supports skin defense against environmental stressors. Used in eye serums for its combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in the delicate eye area.
Soothes irritated skin, promotes skin cell renewal, smooths rough texture, and supports barrier recovery.
Attracts moisture at multiple skin depths, helping to hydrate both the surface and deeper layers of the skin.
Ingredients to Note
May be a concern for some skin types. Tap to learn more.
Full Ingredient List
Aqua (Water), Propanediol, Glycerin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Niacinamide, Bisabolol, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Cyanocobalamin, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
About This Product
The Ordinary Soothing & Barrier Support Serum is a multi-ingredient barrier-first serum combining ceramides, niacinamide, centella asiatica, bisabolol, and Vitamin B12 in a single calming formula. It is designed specifically for compromised, reactive, or chronically irritated skin. The formula targets three of the main barriers to skin recovery: the structural (ceramides, lipids), anti-inflammatory (centella, bisabolol, ginger), and cosmetic (B12 color correction, niacinamide for redness) pathways simultaneously.