Formula · 7.8

Brand · 8.3

The Ordinary · moisturiser, skin-identical factors · Canada

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
7.8

LabReadAI label score

How the score is calculated
  • Actives and evidence0.8Actives with strong evidence: 0 of 3
  • Active concentration0.9Actives sit above the 1 % line — by list order a working concentration is 76 % likely
  • Completeness for the purpose0.6For “dryness and a damaged barrier” — 58 %; without petrolatum or mineral oil, which seal moisture; a formula with one main purpose
  • Tolerance1.0No ingredients from irritant or allergen lists
  • adults
  • pregnancyallowed per the leaflet
  • sensitive skin
  • atopic skin
  • dry skin
  • oily skin
  • childrenlow concentrations
Free from:
  • alcohol (alcohol denat) · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “denatured alcohol” group — evaporates fast and degreases; frequent contact can dry the skin — a tolerance question, not a regulatory one; does not clog pores
  • sulfates (SLS/SLES) · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “ammonium laureth sulfate (ALES), ammonium lauryl sulfate (ALS), sodium coco-sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium myreth sulfate, TEA-lauryl sulfate” group — a cleansing surfactant from the sulfate family but with an ethoxylated chain: it cleanses more gently than lauryl sulfate. Still not for those looking for a sulfate-free product.
  • formaldehyde releasers · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “formaldehyde releasers” group — preservatives that slowly release formaldehyde; allowed at low levels but a frequent cause of contact allergy
  • isothiazolinones (MIT/MCI) · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “isothiazolinone preservatives (MIT/MCI)” group — preservatives; banned in EU leave-on products and limited in rinse-off (0.0015%) — a frequent cause of contact allergy
  • fragrance · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “fragrance and its allergens” group — the fragrance and its aromatic components; the EU requires 26 of them to be listed separately — matters to people allergic to fragrance, does not affect how the product works
  • parabens · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “parabens” group — preservatives; methyl- and ethylparaben are recognised as safe at permitted levels, propyl- and butyl- are limited by the EU to 0.14 %; a frequent buyer question rather than proven harm
  • mineral oils and petrolatum · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “petrolatum and mineral oils” group — purified cosmetic-grade petroleum products: form a protective barrier film; safety is established, a preference question; 0–2 of 5 (depends on the raw-material source), cosmetic white oil per DiNardo (2005) is non-comedogenic
  • soap · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “potassium soap (potassium cocoate), plant soap base (sodium palmate, sodium cocoate), tallow soap base (sodium tallowate)” group — liquid soap: fatty acids boiled with alkali. It cleanses well, but its acidity is around 9-10 against 5 for skin, which is why it often leaves tightness. The product is rinsed off, so the question is tolerance.
  • silicones · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “silicones” group — form a smooth film and shine; inert and not absorbed — a preference question, not a safety one
  • gelatin in the coating · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “vegetarian coating” group — a plant-based tablet coating instead of gelatin; it keeps moisture out and makes swallowing easier
  • toning dyes · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “violet toning dyes” group — direct dyes that settle on the hair surface and cancel the yellow cast of blonde; they wash out in 1–3 washes and leave a lilac tint if left too long; HC Blue 2 and Disperse Violet 1 are known contact allergens of hair dyes
  • tar · by the listthe list has no ingredient of the “wood (birch) tar” group — a traditional remedy for dandruff and itching with a sharp smell; it reduces flaking, but can irritate a sensitive scalp and dries the hair
What for: Dry skin needs three things at once: draw water in (glycerin, hyaluronate), rebuild the barrier (ceramides with cholesterol, panthenol) and seal moisture with a film (petrolatum, oils). One of the three is half the job.
When:
  • leave-on
  • morning
  • evening
morning and evening on damp skin, cream on top
When to expect an effect: hydration — immediately; lasting effect — 2–4 weeks; dryness — days; soothing and less tightness — within days
What is normal: stinging on cracks

Ingredients — 45 components · 3 work

What works: 3 of 45 ingredients: hyaluronic acid, urea, allantoin. Dry skin needs three things at once: draw water in (glycerin, hyaluronate), rebuild the barrier (ceramides with cholesterol, panthenol) and seal moisture with a film (petrolatum, oils). One of the three is half the job.

Strengths: active concentration, tolerance

What lowers the score: actives and evidence: actives with strong evidence: 0 of 3; completeness for the purpose: for “dryness and a damaged barrier” — 58 %

Questions: no debatable ingredients in the formula

  • Aqua (Water base: coating, fillers · water — the solvent and base; listed first because there is more of it than anything else; in supplements — part of the capsule shell
  • Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride base: coating, fillers · a coconut-oil fraction, a light emollient and carrier of actives; does not clog pores
  • Cetyl Alcohol base: coating, fillers · a fatty alcohol, emulsifier and thickener; does not dry the skin — not “alcohol” in the everyday sense; rarely clogs pores
  • Propanediol base: coating, fillers · a humectant and solvent from corn sugar: it holds water and helps actives dissolve. A gentler replacement for propylene glycol.
  • Stearyl Alcohol base: coating, fillers · a fatty alcohol (C18), an emulsifier and thickener, does not dry the skin; rarely clogs pores in leave-on face products
  • Glycerin base: coating, fillers · a humectant: coats the tablet, holds moisture in creams and shampoos; does not clog pores
  • Sodium Hyaluronate works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: sodium hyaluronate
  • Arginine base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Aspartic Acid base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Glycine base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Alanine base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Serine base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Valine base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Isoleucine base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Proline base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Threonine base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Histidine base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Phenylalanine base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Glucose base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Maltose base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Fructose base: coating, fillers · amino acids, lipids and sugars akin to the skin’s own components — support for its barrier
  • Trehalose base: coating, fillers · a sugar humectant: it holds water in the skin and protects cell membranes when it dries out.
  • Sodium PCA base: coating, fillers · a component of the skin own moisturising factor: it draws water into the upper layer.
  • PCA base: coating, fillers · amino acids and PCA — substances the skin itself keeps in the outer layer to hold water; in a product they are humectants copying its own set
  • Sodium Lactate base: coating, fillers · tune the acidity and texture; salt is a common shampoo thickener
  • Urea works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: urea
  • Allantoin works · the active ingredient — what the product is for; form: allantoin
  • Linoleic Acid base: coating, fillers · fills the gaps between skin flakes, so the surface feels smooth
  • Oleic Acid base: coating, fillers · a fatty acid (the main one in olive oil): an emollient and part of the emulsifier; rarely clogs pores in leave-on face products
  • Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides base: coating, fillers · makes hair softer and easier to comb
  • Palmitic Acid base: coating, fillers · a fatty acid (C16), a thickener and soap component; rarely clogs pores in leave-on face products
  • Stearic Acid base: coating, fillers · in tablets — a pressing lubricant, in creams — a thickener and soap component; rarely clogs pores in leave-on face products
  • Lecithin base: coating, fillers · fills the gaps between skin flakes, so the surface feels smooth
  • Triolein base: coating, fillers · makes the product thicker or thinner
  • Tocopherol base: coating, fillers · vitamin E at hundredths of a percent: keeps the oils of the formula (a cream or a capsule fill) from going rancid; at that share it protects the product, it is not vitamin E as an active
  • Carbomer base: coating, fillers · hold the texture: gels, creams and foam do not separate
  • Isoceteth-20 base: coating, fillers · cleanse and bind water with oils; milder than the sulfate ones
  • Polysorbate 60 base: coating, fillers · cleanse and bind water with oils; milder than the sulfate ones
  • Sodium Chloride base: coating, fillers · tune the acidity and texture; salt is a common shampoo thickener
  • Citric Acid base: coating, fillers · acidity regulator
  • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate base: coating, fillers · bind hard-water metals so the formula stays stable and the foam works
  • Pentylene Glycol base: coating, fillers · humectants and solvents — hold water and help actives dissolve
  • Triethanolamine base: coating, fillers · a pH adjuster and thickener neutraliser; rarely clogs pores in leave-on face products
  • Sodium Hydroxide base: coating, fillers · tune the acidity and texture; salt is a common shampoo thickener
  • Phenoxyethanol base: coating, fillers · the most widespread cosmetic preservative: it keeps the product sterile. Permitted in the EU up to 1 %, recognised as safe at that level.
  • Chlorphenesin base: coating, fillers · a preservative, usually paired with phenoxyethanol. Permitted in the EU up to 0.3 %.

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA is a product whose active ingredient is hyaluronic acid + urea + allantoin. The concentration is not declared, but the active sits above the 1 % line in the list — a working share is likely. The effect is moderately supported: hyaluronic acid, urea, allantoin. The formula has 45 ingredients, 3 of which do the work; the rest is the formula base. Dry skin needs three things at once: draw water in (glycerin, hyaluronate), rebuild the barrier (ceramides with cholesterol, panthenol) and seal moisture with a film (petrolatum, oils). One of the three is half the job. By the list, no alcohol (alcohol denat), sulfates (SLS/SLES), formaldehyde releasers, isothiazolinones (MIT/MCI), fragrance, parabens, mineral oils and petrolatum, soap, silicones, gelatin in the coating, toning dyes, tar. Suitable for: adults, pregnancy, sensitive skin, atopic skin, dry skin, oily skin. children — ask a doctor. Use: morning and evening on damp skin, cream on top. When to expect an effect: hydration — immediately; lasting effect — 2–4 weeks. Label score — 7.8 out of 10 (actives with strong evidence: 0 of 3; actives sit above the 1 % line — by list order a working concentration is 76 % likely; for “dryness and a damaged barrier” — 58 %; without petrolatum or mineral oil, which seal moisture; a formula with one main purpose).

Who it does not suit

When to stop: tightness in dry air — apply under a cream

Is this product right for your skin?

The score describes the formula, not your skin: the same product dries one person and saves another. Describe your skin type, reactions and goals, attach a photo of the ingredient list or the product — we will go through every ingredient and say whether it suits you, what to pair it with and what to avoid.

Cosmetic ingredient checkDecode my tests

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