The Ordinary Finally Lands in China

The Ordinary has finally made its way to China, quietly launching on Sephora in recent days under its new Chinese name.

Despite the excitement from beauty lovers, neither The Estée Lauder Companies nor Sephora China has officially announced the launch. However, based on previous teasers from both brands, the official announcement is expected in March.

“What took you so long?” might be the collective sigh from Chinese consumers as The Ordinary finally makes its debut. Even the brand couldn’t resist a playful nod to the delay, captioning its announcement with, “Sorry for the wait—we’re on our way!” But as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. Thanks to Sephora, customers can now consult professional beauty advisors to find the right products for their needs, dive into the brand’s ethos, and experience the products firsthand. Best of all, they no longer have to gamble on questionable Daigous, making the entire shopping experience seamless and stress-free.

To mark its arrival, The Ordinary is launching with 24 products, including its bestsellers. All formulas remain unchanged except for the Glycolic Acid Toning Solution, which has been adjusted from 7% to 5% in compliance with Chinese regulations.

Since its 2016 debut, The Ordinary has disrupted the beauty industry with its straightforward formulations, affordable pricing, and clean, Instagram-ready aesthetic. As skincare-savvy millennials and Gen Z moved away from traditional beauty marketing and became their own “ingredient experts,” The Ordinary quickly became a cult favorite and a leader in the clinical skincare category.

In 2024, after years of investment, The Estée Lauder Companies fully acquired The Ordinary’s parent company Deciem, securing a key player in the mass skincare market. Over the past two years, the brand has expanded into India, the Middle East, and South Africa, with China now being the latest strategic focus.

However, The Ordinary is entering a much more competitive market than it would have a few years ago. The ingredient-first skincare trend it helped create has since inspired countless competitors, both internationally and domestically.

In China, The Ordinary not only faces global rivals with similar concepts but also a rising local competitor—John Jeff, a homegrown brand with a loyal following. Yet for The Estée Lauder Companies, which is actively reshaping its strategy in China, The Ordinary fills a long-missing affordable skincare niche. The brand’s philosophy aligns perfectly with the current “buy what works, not what’s expensive” consumer mindset, and its young, social-media-savvy audience is exactly the demographic Estée Lauder is eager to reach.

Deciem Global Brand President Jesper Rasmussen is optimistic about the brand’s future in China and is taking a localized approach: “Chinese consumers are highly knowledgeable and pragmatic. Even during major shopping events like Double 11, they remain selective in their purchases. While we’ve seen strong interest in The Ordinary, we plan to grow steadily, step by step. We have established partnerships in lower tiers in the pyramid of KOLs. To me, they seem to have a much stronger conversation.”

In addition to its Sephora-exclusive retail presence, The Ordinary will also launch on Tmall and Douyin in July. As this long-anticipated disruptor finally arrives, its impact on The Estée Lauder Companies’ performance in China will soon become clear—perhaps as early as the next quarterly earnings report.