
The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% Ingredients Explained
Last updated on July 18, 2023. Published on July 13, 2020.
Overview
What it is
Serum with 3 ingredients that contains Vitamin C
Cool Features
It is vegan, cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe
Suited For
It has ingredients that are good for anti aging, brightening skin, scar healing, dark spots and better texture
Free From
It doesn't contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances, oils, parabens, silicones or sulfates
Fun facts
The Ordinary is from Canada. This product is used in 407 routines created by our community.
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. This product need an update? Let us know.
Ingredient List (3)
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Notable Ingredients

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Benefits

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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:

This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:

This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:

This product contains 2 ingredients that may have this attribute:

This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:
Ingredient Info

Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉

Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉

Fragrance Free
This product is free of fragrances 🎉

Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉

Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉

Oil Free
This product is free of oils 🎉

Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉

Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉

Eu Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉

Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉

Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Ingredients Overview











Ingredients Explained
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use.
It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about Propanediol







Ascorbic Acid is is pure Vitamin C. Ascorbic Acid contains large amounts of antioxidants. It is the largest amount of vitamin C found naturally in our skin. Not only is Vitamin C great for your overall health and immune system, it also has plenty of benefits on your skin.
Vitamin C is best used for brightening skin, such as improving dark spots, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation. This is because Vitamin C has been shown to block the process of skin darkening.
Your skin uses Vitamin C to build collagen. Collagen production plays a role in having a strong skin barrier and having plump skin.
Vitamin C is also a key component in helping your skin regulate collagen, thus making it effective in improving wrinkles and fine lines. As an antioxidant, it helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. These antioxidants also protect skin against UV damage.
Vitamin E helps stabilize and provide a boost in the benefits of ascorbic acid. It helps aid in UV protection but becomes unstable when exposed to UV and air.
Vitamin C does not replace sunscreen!
Ascorbic acid is generally compatible with other ingredients. However, using ascorbic acid with other active ingredients might cause irritation. Two ingredients: copper ions and benzoyl peroxide, will inactivate ascorbic acid completely.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Foods rich with vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, broccoli, bell peppers, and more. When consuming Vitamin C, your skin receives a portion of the nutrients.
Learn more about Ascorbic Acid


Alpha-Arbutin is made from hydroquinone and glucose. It may be derived from the fermentation of soybeans.
It is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may damage your skin cells.
Studies show this ingredient helps improve hyperpigmentation and fade discoloration.
Alpha-Arbutin may be used with other ingredients that help with hyperpigmentation. These ingredients include retinol, Vitamin C, niacinamide, and tranexamic acid.
Learn more about Alpha-ArbutinBeautiful widgets for your website
Here's what our community thinks of the 3 ingredients in this product ✨
When to use
We've created a guide with info on when you should use The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%. We've also included some recommended products to use it with, as well as some routine inspiration!
Read our guide on when to use Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% ->We're dedicated to providing you with the most up-to-date and science-backed ingredient info out there.
The data we've presented on this page has been verified by a member of the SkinSort Team.
Read more about usLatest Reviews
View all 4Great for clearing up hyperpigmentation
It's a bit warm when you apply it. Cleared lots of hyperpigmentation in 3 weeks of use! It has cleared old hyperpigmentation and hyperpigmentation from recent acne. Also brightens my complexion. I...
Great for clearing up hyperpigmentation
It's a bit warm when you apply it. Cleared lots of hyperpigmentation in 3 weeks of use! It has cleared old hyperpigmentation and hyperpigmentation from recent acne. Also brightens my complexion. I didn't really experience any burning either. I'd 100% recommend.
I'm orange...
When I first started using this I was like, “great, a vitamin C that doesn’t burn”. So I began using it frequently. Slowly, I noticed my skin was turning orange, but just on my face. Turns out this product was oxidizing ON...
I'm orange...
When I first started using this I was like, “great, a vitamin C that doesn’t burn”. So I began using it frequently. Slowly, I noticed my skin was turning orange, but just on my face. Turns out this product was oxidizing ON MY SKIN. The serum itself was still pretty clear, so I wasn’t applying an old or bad product, but when exposed to oxygen while on my face it began to STAIN it as if I had applied self tanner only to my face.
Now to be fair— I am fair. As in I am very very pale. Honestly even if this product was oxidizing on other people I don’t think the majority of skin tones would even notice it. But if you are like me just be warned! Vitamin C can stain your skin and it’ll take like a week for the effects to go away.
Let’s just say I’ve given up on finding a vitamin C serum and I’ll be sticking to other brightening ingredients.
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