The Ordinary is launching hair products and we’ve got the inside scoop

In good news for wallets everywhere, The Ordinary is launching haircare. The range, which consists of a shampoo, conditioner and scalp treatment serum, will be available from the 8th of March in Australia, but we were lucky enough to score a preview to review. 

In true The Ordinary style, the shampoo and conditioner both come in at under $13 a pop, and the scalp treatment is a cool $22. Each product also champions science, with ingredient-led formulations.

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect from The Ordinary’s hair products.

The Ordinary Sulphate 4% Cleanser For Hair & Body

Sulphates often get a bad rap in haircare, but The Ordinary is looking to flip that reputation on its head. The shampoo uses Sodium Laureth Sulphate-2 (SLES-2), which is a biodegradable surfactant — nixing the argument that the ingredient bad for the environment. It’s also fragrance free and gentle (but effective) enough to use on the hair and body.

$12.80 at deciem.com

The Ordinary Behentrimonium Chloride 2% Conditioner

The aim of The Ordinary’s conditioner? To make hair more manageable and healthy-looking, without heaviness. Sounds like great news for those with fine and limp hair. Behentrimonium Chloride is the key ingredient, known for improving the feel and appearance of the hair straight after use.

$12.80 at deciem.com

The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA

This is where things get interesting… The Ordinary has introduced a scalp treatment as the third step of its core products. Designed to be massaged into the scalp post-hair wash, it takes inspiration from its skin care sister, allowing for topical application of ‘Natural Moisturizing Factors’. In other words, get ready for a hydrated and protected scalp for optimal hair health.

$21.80 at deciem.com

Our editor review

I was sent both the shampoo and scalp treatment to try, which is probably a good thing because I’m very picky about my conditioner (stay tuned on that one).

To set the scene, I have bleached blonde hair so I’m pretty prone to dryness but my hair isn’t in the worst condition either. It’s somewhat manageable, with frizz probably being my biggest annoyance.

Let’s start (logically), with the shampoo. I was immediately impressed by the packaging; sleek and simple, with a shape that would be ideal for transporting on weekends away.

The formula itself was runnier than I expected. It came out clear and gel-like, with zero fragrance (but like, the plain fragrance of no fragrance if you know what I mean). The texture and look kind of it reminded me of the ColorWow shampoo.

I thought that with the inclusion of sulphates it would foam up like crazy, but it was so much more mild and gentle than I expected. I have a lot of hair so I ended up using quite a bit more than I’d initially poured out. Let’s just say when I am bothered to wash my hair, I like a deep clean.

It felt really nice, which is not something I typically associate shampoo with. It’s usually just there to clean and then conditioner has to swoop in to smooth out the mess it leaves. But it felt quite light and moisturising on my hair. 

Don’t get me wrong though, my hair was still knotty as usual post-shampoo, but it didn’t exacerbate any issues I already have. Overall, it slotted in pretty well and I definitely think I noticed a frizz reduction once my hair was dried. From my experience, I think those with dry hair will get along with the $13 pick well.

Now, onto the scalp treatment. Let me be honest, I’ve never been bothered with one before. I was a little worried it would make my scalp greasy (I really don’t like washing my hair more than I have to) but it was incredibly lightweight. Again, I found myself using more than I initially intended.

It’s also fragrance free and for a lack of a better way to describe it, it was just really inoffensive. The instructions said to ideally apply it before bedtime, so I’ve taken to keeping it on my bedside table and massaging it into my scalp every night. It’s quite a nice ritual, actually. 

I can’t say I’ve noticed any overwhelming results yet, but it’s early days. And if anything, at least I’m now giving my scalp some love.

The Ordinary haircare range will be available from 8th March, 2022 via deciem.com

Main image credit: Deciem/supplied

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