This serum earns consistent praise for its water-like texture that absorbs instantly without any stickiness or residue, making it comfortable enough for even oily and acne-prone skin. The amino acid blend works as a pure hydrating base that layers seamlessly with active ingredients like retinol, tretinoin, and glycolic acid without conflict, and reviewers particularly recommend applying it before starting active treatments to help buffer dryness and irritation. At under £10, gurus find it delivers results comparable to far pricier amino acid products and suggest it as everyday hydration year-round or especially during drier months.
Synthesized from 3 expert reviews · most recent take August 2026
What they liked
Lightweight, water-like texture absorbs quickly
Hydrating without stickiness or residue
Works with any active ingredient
What they flagged
Nothing. None of the experts who reviewed it raised a problem.
"It's always my go to for that hydrating serum, very thin and lightweight, like water. [...] It's a really underrated product that provides a lot of deep hydration and makes my skin feel good when it's compromised or tight. It's an awesome serum to use every day, great before or after actives, exfoliating acids, or tretinoin, because it [...] doesn't conflict with anything. [...] It's very gentle, has no fragrance, isn't sticky or tacky, dries down skin-like, and it's exceptional."
Top Pick: hydrating serum
All 34 takes from Sincerely Miss Ash
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"It is so affordable yet so effective. I've been talking about this serum for over seven years and I cannot get enough of it myself. I use this on an everyday basis. I love it. Morning and evening I'm using it. This is a really nice serum that is ultra lightweight. It's not sticky or tacky. It's not heavy. Perfect for all skin types. Even if you have the oiliest of skin types, this is still perfect to use on a daily."
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"This is so underrated. It really is an amazing hydrating serum that works for all skin types. You can have the oiliest skin ever and you can also have the most parched, dry, flaky skin. This is truly going to work for both. This is great for everyone and the best thing about this is that it's so lightweight. It's never sticky or tacky on the skin. When you put this on your skin, it feels like you didn't even really put anything on your skin."
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"This is one of the best hydrating serums I have ever used"
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"This is very underrated and honestly I feel like I'm the only one that talks about this. It's so affordable, it's like under $10 and it works really well. I generally go through one bottle every month when I am consistent and using it every day, twice a day, though I am very generous with it. But if you were only using a few drops, you could probably get two to two and a half months out of it."
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"This is a product that I can't live without. I use this literally every day twice a day, and whether my skin needs hydration or not I still use this. This is especially great if you're using actives like a retinal or a glycolic or lactic acid because this just creates that nice hydration barrier before applying that active ingredient. And this can also help to repair the barrier as well. This is extremely lightweight, it's not heavy in the least."
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"I use the amino acids [...] serum pretty much every day and it's a great hydrating serum, so I put it all over my face as well as my neck. When my lips are a little dry and they feel tight and uncomfortable I will actually put the amino acids serum on my lips because I'm so impressed with how much hydration it provides my skin."
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"I haven't been really using this serum lately because I don't feel I need that additional hydration right now since we are in the summer months, but I still use it, don't get me wrong. This is still one of my favorite serums from The Ordinary. Right now with how hot and humid it is, I just don't really need this extra step, but of course I have backups and I will be using this again probably next month."
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"I always incorporate a hydrating serum when I'm using tretinoin, and it's The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5. [...] This really helps to keep the skin hydrated and comfortable but also repaired. [...] Tretinoin [...] can cause dryness, and I am a big fan of hydrating serums. I use this every day, twice a day, even in my morning routine. This is the first product that I would apply."
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"It truly is an underrated serum from The Ordinary that I feel like everybody needs to have in their collection, whether you need additional hydration or not. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins like collagen and elastin, so this is essential for healthy skin - great for signs of aging and keeping your skin healthy. This is also great for skin repair if your skin is feeling a little compromised or angry. It's a great product to incorporate."
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"I'm obsessed with this as well. This is a great hydrating serum, but it also helps repair the skin barrier. I put one full syringe of this into the palm of my hand. You don't have to put this much - you can just put four or five drops. But I do like to be generous with it because I love the way my skin looks and feels every time I use it, especially when my skin is feeling tight and dry. It really takes my skin to the next level."
"I have two here. This is a hydrating serum that I use every day, twice a day, and I can't be without this. This is truly wonderful. If you have dry skin and you're looking for something additional for hydration, try this. But honestly, you can have oily skin, combination skin, and this is still going to perform really well. And even when my skin is at its oiliest, I still use this because I always want my skin to be as hydrated as possible. I have backups of this also."
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"I have one empty Ordinary Amino Acids + B5 and you guys know this is my favorite hydrating serum to use on an everyday basis. I do go through one bottle every month."
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"This serum reminds me a lot of the ordinary amino acids plus B5 in terms of the texture this is very thin like water just like the amino acids"
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"I'm obsessed with this. I've been using this pretty much every single day for the last several years. It's my go-to serum from The Ordinary. It's a hidden gem and it's very underrated. [...] This is phenomenal to add additional hydration. Whether your skin needs hydration or not, it's still great to use. It's a great product to use with active ingredients like a chemical exfoliant, those ingredients that tend to dry out our skin. [...] You can use this with anything."
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"This serum really does the job well to keep the skin comfortable. This serum is very underrated, and I talk about this all the time. If The Ordinary ever discontinues this product, I don't even know what I'd do. I would honestly have a meltdown because this serum has truly saved my skin when it's in the worst state, and it keeps my skin comfortable and balanced when it's in a good state. It really is a wonderful serum."
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"This is a product that I talk a lot about here on my channel. [...] When I love and believe in something and when there's a product that actually works, I always want to share it and reintroduce it all the time. This is a product that I use every day, twice a day, whether my skin needs hydration or not, and I've been using this for multiple years and it never ever disappoints. I just love the way that my skin looks and feels every time I use this. This is more of a hydrating serum."
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"This is a product that I am very obsessed with. The one that I stock up a lot with. It is really affordable. [...] I use it every day, twice a day, especially come fall, winter, and early spring. I use a full syringe full every single time. And it just provides my skin with so much hydration. And it also has some skin repair abilities as well, but it's more for hydration. So if you're lacking hydration, you just need a little bit more of that glow up, this is absolutely wonderful to use."
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"You know how much I love the Ordinary Amino Acids + B5, especially if you've been with me for a while. That's a great hydrating serum. When I was testing this I was pairing it up with the Amino Acids + B5 and that pairing was exceptional for hydration. So if you have dryness or you're looking for something to be very hydrating on your skin for the fall winter months, try pairing this up with the Amino Acids and that pairing was amazing."
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"This is the Amino Acids + B5. To be honest, this is my most repurchased product from The Ordinary. You guys know how much I love this. If I'm super consistent with this, this only lasts me one month, this is a 30ml size, but I use it every day, twice a day, and I use a full syringe full. I am very generous when I use this because I just love the amount of hydration that I get from it. It is super gentle and really affordable."
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"I use this every day twice a day and I pair it up with anything and everything. It keeps my skin nice and hydrated. This is something you'd want to put on before your actives. You could put it on after a toner or a facial mist but before thicker products. The texture is like water - it's very thin and lightweight and it spreads really nicely. You can bring this down your neck and your chest as well. I love it, I really do."
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"The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5 is a hydrating serum. This is like water, it spreads across the skin really nicely. It's a nice way to add additional hydration into your routine, especially if your skin is drier or it's feeling tight. But it's also a nice serum to use on an everyday basis whether you need hydration or not, because it just keeps your skin barrier in check. It does give a nice glow to the skin."
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"I use this pretty much every single day and I can't live without it. It really works wonders, especially if you have dry skin or you just want to keep your skin as hydrated as possible. This is great with active ingredients or just on its own. This really is great. So if you're looking for a good hydrating serum, I would say pick up that one. And yes, I do have backups of that. I always do because I go through a bottle every single month."
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"I am most definitely purchasing multiple bottles of The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5. If you've been with me for a while you know how obsessed I am with this serum. I use this every day twice a day, and when I use it I use one full syringe full every single time, so one bottle will last me pretty much a month. [...] I like to stock up on this because it's something that I feel everybody should have in their skincare routine as it's a great hydrating serum, whether you need it or not."
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"I use this literally 365 days of the year. It's my go-to, perfect for all skin types, including dry skin. I put one full syringe into my hand. Of course, you don't need to put that much, but I do. I like to be very generous with this. The texture is like water. I really love the way this transforms my skin. It's super hydrating and also very repairing to the skin. But even if my skin isn't dry and doesn't need TLC, this is still part of my routine because it gives my skin this glow."
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"This is a great hydrating serum. I use it every day twice a day. It's literally my favorite."
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"This gives my skin so much hydration and really helps to repair the skin barrier. [...] It's very lightweight and not greasy whatsoever. The formula is like water, so your skin absorbs it so nicely. It's very thin, and you can pair this up with anything without issues with peeling. I pair this up with Tretinoin at night, I use this with copper peptides, vitamin C, niacinamide, and I use this with anything and everything because this is a very universal serum that just works all the time."
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"The Amino Acids + B5 is a hydrating serum that really does give that comfort to the skin. It hydrates, it's just lovely to use on an everyday basis, especially during the winter months, but I will use this all year round. If you're someone that is new to retinol or some type of active ingredient and you're experiencing dryness and irritation, start incorporating this serum prior to, and this will help to give more moisture to the skin and it can also help to slightly repair the barrier as well."
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"This is the amino acids plus B5. A very underrated serum. I feel like I'm the only one that talks about this. [...] It is ultra lightweight. And when I say this is lightweight, it dries down skin-like, and it feels like you haven't even put anything on your skin. It's not tacky. It's not sticky. You don't feel any type of residue. It is extremely lightweight. Your skin absorbs it really quickly, and it's like water. It's like putting water on your skin. [...] It's very thin like water."
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"This serum reminds me a lot of the ordinary amino acids plus B5 if you're familiar with that serum it's a hydrating serum this is very similar in the type of texture that it contains and I really like it"
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"I put an entire syringe full of this. Of course, you don't need to do this, but I love this and I just love the way that it makes my skin feel. It's just a great hydrating serum that is super lightweight. It sits great under all skin care products. This is a very underrated product. I have mentioned that so many times on my channel and this is just fabulous. If you're looking for a lightweight serum that hydrates, get this because it is amazing. I just lightly pat that into my skin."
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"I truly feel like I am the only creator that obsessively talks about this. This has been my go-to for years and I've been using this every day twice a day for as long as I can remember, and this never disappoints. This past summer I actually didn't use it because it was really hot and muggy here in Ontario and I didn't need this serum, I didn't need that additional hydration."
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"I am obsessed with this product, and every time there's a sale I always stock up. This is something that I use literally every day, twice a day, and I will go through one bottle every month or one bottle every five weeks, so I go through these pretty quickly. I will most likely place one more transaction with another five because you can only purchase five of the same product in one transaction. I haven't placed another order yet, but I most likely will, so I got my five at least."
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"This is a hydrating serum I use quite a bit, I was using it a lot during the winter months and I still occasionally use it when my skin feels a little tight and [...] drier. It's a great everyday hydrating serum no matter your skin type, fabulous for dry skin, but if you have combination or oily skin you're going to love it too. It's perfect on my combo acne prone skin, it never causes issues, and it just keeps my skin looking and feeling its best. [...] I have several backups of this."
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"It's always my go to for that hydrating serum, very thin and lightweight, like water. [...] It's a really underrated product that provides a lot of deep hydration and makes my skin feel good when it's compromised or tight. It's an awesome serum to use every day, great before or after actives, exfoliating acids, or tretinoin, because it [...] doesn't conflict with anything. [...] It's very gentle, has no fragrance, isn't sticky or tacky, dries down skin-like, and it's exceptional."
"If you're somebody that has very dryness prone skin, particularly in the cooler winter months, get this because it's the surefire way to supercharge your moisturizer. Get you whatever moisturizer works for you. But if you feel that it needs a little bit of extra hydration in the winter months, just add a couple of drops of The Ordinary Amino Acids to it. I'll put some moisturizer in the palm of my hand. Two drops of The Ordinary Amino Acids. Mix it together and apply it to the skin."
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"My favorite has been The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5. It kind of does what it says on the tin - amino acid loaded, it's there front and center in the title. I think you've got to go a long way to find a better amino acid serum than the one from The Ordinary. Super inexpensive, it has a range of different amino acids in there to boost hydration, to feed the skin those ingredients that it needs, and it can also have some anti-inflammatory benefits too."
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"This is the Amino Acids + B5. It contains all of those essential amino acids and it costs £8. Don't get sucked into the hype that's going around with amino acids and feel like you have to pay like $150 to get the very best serum you don't. Just throw this into your skincare routine. I was shocked when I fully understood the range of different amino acids in here, it does it all, it's got it all."
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"The Ordinary Amino Acids, this does what it says on the tin really. Great amino acid based serum, super lightweight, extra hydration, calming and soothing. It's a great option to pair with any peptide serum, not just the one from the ordinary."
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"For an affordable price point, I think The Ordinary Amino Acids really do deserve a little extra hype, a little extra love, and just a little bit more attention. For me this definitely deserves a place on the best skincare list of this year, and hopefully with amino acids growing in popularity, this is a product that people will start to truly appreciate for what it's worth in the next 12 months."
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"Just slip this in. [...] I mix a couple of drops in with my moisturizer, and it just gives you that extra plumping, that extra hydration. It's really easy. You don't need to do it as a separate step. Just put a few drops into the palm of your hand, add your moisturizer in, mix it in, and it kind of supercharges your moisturizer. So that's a cheeky little hack that I would give to everyone."
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"If you're somebody that has very dryness prone skin, particularly in the cooler winter months, get this because it's the surefire way to supercharge your moisturizer. Get you whatever moisturizer works for you. But if you feel that it needs a little bit of extra hydration in the winter months, just add a couple of drops of The Ordinary Amino Acids to it. I'll put some moisturizer in the palm of my hand. Two drops of The Ordinary Amino Acids. Mix it together and apply it to the skin."
"Their amino acid B5 is one I've repurchased a few times, which is just a bunch of amino acids which are really great for anti-aging. I kind of moved on from this one but I still come back to it from time to time. It's a really nice one, and when I first tried it I was goo goo gaga over it."
What the evidence says.
Independent of what the gurus think, this is what
the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.
Humectants and emollients
Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.
A lightweight hydrating serum containing essential amino acids and panthenol (B5), designed to deliver moisture and support skin barrier health.
Is The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5 worth it?
Yes. All 3 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 88%.
What is The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5's Guru Score?
The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5 holds a Guru Score of 88%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected. At least one expert has named it a Top Pick in its category.
Who is The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5 best for?
The Ordinary Amino Acids + B5 is generally suited to dry skin and sensitive skin.
Cheaper alternatives the gurus rate.
Lower-priced products in the same category that the experts still rate highly.
