Is The Ordinary Multi-Active Delivery Essence worth it?

The gurus are split. 1 of the 4 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 2 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 59%.

What is The Ordinary Multi-Active Delivery Essence's Guru Score?

The Ordinary Multi-Active Delivery Essence holds a Guru Score of 59%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 expert reviewers we have collected.

The Ordinary

The Ordinary Multi-Active Delivery Essence.

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Mists & Essences

About this product

A lightweight hydrating essence formulated with glycerin and humectants, designed to enhance the penetration of subsequent skincare products while providing hydration.

Full ingredients

Aqua/Water/Eau, Glycerin, Propanediol, Sodium Caproyl Prolinate, Glycogen, Gellan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin

Guru Score

59%

Mixed

4 experts · Moderate agreement

What the gurus are saying

This essence earns strong praise for genuinely helping other products absorb better into skin, though experts split on whether that payoff justifies adding another step. Those already layering serums and actives find it worth the cost and application speed; one reviewer cautions against pairing it with potent retinoids like tretinoin or acids, since better penetration could heighten sensitivity. A few gurus felt the formula too basic and the brightening claims overblown, but most who tested it recommend applying a generous amount by hand rather than a cotton pad, which wastes product.

Synthesized from 4 expert reviews · most recent take April 2026

What they liked

Thin, lightweight, and hydrating
Dries quickly, lets serums apply on damp skin
Fragrance-free and affordable

What they flagged

Very short ingredient list feels basic
May not deliver the brightening effect claimed

Type

Mists & EssencesLiquid

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeNo drying alcohol

Where to buy

Sephora → Ulta → Amazon → Google →

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What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

Sincerely Miss Ash

195k subs

~Nay

"Besides that ingredient, there really isn't anything exciting with this formulation list. [...] For me personally, I want more out of my skin care and this is just too basic for me to have in my skincare routine. [...] I just wasn't wowed by it. [...] I feel like they could have done better with this formula by adding other key ingredients. [...] This one kind of was a flop for me."

All 3 takes from Sincerely Miss Ash

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"I feel like the other essences do a little bit more for our skin. But if you're not really looking for all that and you're just looking for the basics, like for hydrating and prepping, then this is a great addition to incorporate. It's quite affordable as well. There is no fragrance. You're getting 100 mls of product. I just put five or six drops into the palm of my hand and apply it to my face that way, and then I have to go right in with my serums afterwards because this dries up so quickly."

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"I love it. I do recommend this. I think that they did a really good job with this formulation. Essences in general will all help to allow your skincare products to absorb better into your skin. This is a lovely one. And I really do think that it's going to be something that can benefit a lot of people."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

~Nay

"For me personally I would not repurchase this product because it really felt like just an unnecessary step in my routine. I'd like to think that the ingredients in serums that I apply do what this does, they have water, they have glycerin, and I like to think that they're formulated in a way that allows for good penetration."

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Mixed

"It's kind of a lot of marketing to me but I will test it out. [...] Yeah, so there's other tips and tricks to get things to penetrate better, penetration enhance the ingredients that could be in the product, things like that. [...] It really doesn't have many ingredients in here. Yeah, glycerin and water and propane are the main ingredients and then probably a couple ingredients that may help something soak in better or absorb better."

Mad About Skin

731k subs

~Yay

"This is just a really nice toner that works to elevate the rest of your skincare routine. Whatever brands you're using, whatever actives you're incorporating, just slapping a little of this on the skin before you start your serums will help them penetrate into the skin, giving enhanced results. For the best part of like £12, which is what this costs, you can really elevate the rest of your skincare routine without spending any more coin. It also works as a hydrating toner, too."

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All 11 takes from Mad About Skin

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"This is probably one of the very best toners you're going to see on the market it's actually formulated with ingredients specifically chosen to help enhance the penetration rate of the rest of your skincare routine"

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"It delivers exactly what the brand says it does: hydrate you to the gods, it plumps the skin, it feels beautifully soft and nourishing. [...] In summer this is going to be a perfect product to keep in the fridge to add that instant cooling, that anti-inflammatory effect to start your skincare routine. [...] I cleanse the skin, then go in with a good amount of this delivery essence. Be lavish with it, it's an affordable product and it works better if you use a good amount."

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"This is the Ordinary Multi-Active Delivery Essence. I've honestly been loving this product so much. It launched about a year ago and nobody talked about it. [...] The more I read into the ingredients, how they work, and the benefits, the more I realized, actually, I think we're all sleeping on this one. It's a fantastic essence which hydrates, it plumps, and it moisturizes. But most importantly, it has ingredients in here that actually enhance the penetration rate of the rest of your skin care."

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"One of my favorite products to use is this. This is The Ordinary Multi-Active Delivery Essence. This gives the dampness to help enhance the rate of penetration of your product, but it also has some ingredients which further enhance that. So, this is kind of the most effective way of getting maximum results."

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"It's not just about buying more and more products, it's about thinking how we can layer and pair them together to maximize the benefits. If you just want to enhance the delivery, I think this is a really great option. There have been some studies into this recently that showed certain ingredients. It works really well on vitamin C, niacinamide. It can really help increase the penetration rate of things such as glutathione, which is a brightening ingredient."

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"The Ordinary has a delivery Essence and they have a Milky toner, both of those really good if you want an affordable but effective toner. The delivery Essence technically an Essence not a toner but whatever, the delivery Essence will help the rest of your skincare penetrate that a little bit better. [...] Both are really good, really really good."

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"It's got some specific ingredients in here that enhance the penetration rate of the rest of your actives. And so, everything that you apply on after this will just work that little bit better. You get extra bang for your buck. And I think this is a great way of getting hydration because ultimately this is a hydrating toner that also has that additional benefit of boosting the efficacy of the rest of your skincare."

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"You look at this product, which is one of my personal favorites, the Multi-Active Delivery Essence. It sold many many units on launch and is genuinely something innovative and different which we're not seeing from other brands."

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"So it's a quick and easy way of getting an extra bang for your buck from the rest of your skincare routine. It works with the Ordinary products. It works with other brands products. It's just a great thing to apply to the skin after you've cleansed to get some hydration going, but also to help make the rest of your skin care just work a little harder for you. It's super inexpensive, which is why I use it every single day."

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"The essence is designed to enhance the penetration rate of the rest of your skincare. So you get a little extra bang for your buck from every other product that you put on after it."

The Ordinary Multi-Active Delivery Essence.

59%

What the gurus are saying.

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