Olivia Rodrigo swears by this $6 brightening serum — and so do nearly 40K Amazon shoppers

Brighter, smoother skin for the cost of a single latte? We’re listening.

The Ordinary skincare has grown a cult following, including celebs like Olivia Rodrigo, Kim Kardashian and Hudson Williams — yet with a price point that makes you think it’s a typo.

And with nearly 40,000 Amazon shoppers giving the bestselling Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum five stars and glowing reviews (with impressive before-and-after photos to match), it piqued our interest.

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum

The Ordinary

The key ingredient in the serum, niacinamide, is a form of vitamin B3 and a skincare powerhouse. It can benefit all skin types and helps to regulate oil, but it also does so much more — including providing anti-aging benefits.

Rodrigo applied the serum before doing a gua sha routine in a 2021 Vogue Beauty Secrets video about her “Effortless Skin Care.”

Rodrigo shared that a $6 serum is part of her effortless skincare routine. WireImage

We asked Manhattan-based doctor Jennifer Levine, M.D. about niacinamide to better understand the benefits. She shared that it can “calm the skin and increase hydration and also maintain the skin barrier” — which is critical year-round, but especially in dreary winter weather.

Levine adds that the multitasker can “reduce inflammation and redness, and help with hyperpigmentation and aging changes.” (That caught our attention.)

The serum also contains zinc, an antioxidant that reduces the appearance of pores and has protective benefits, for a one-two punch for healthier skin.

Shoppers love it, writing they’ve had “Amazing results,” and an “Instant glow now, and better skin over time.”

Additionally, other celebs have shouted out products from the line, none costing more than $13. Notably, in 2018, Kim Kardashian shared on her now-defunct blog that she uses the wrinkle-smoothing Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion

The Ordinary

The serum is made with a gentler retinoid that minimizes irritation, making it sensitive-skin safe. It helps to improve elasticity, targets texture, fine lines and wrinkles, and likewise gets stellar reviews.

One Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion review reads, “My 47-year-old skin looks more radiant than it has in years!”

Nikki Glaser also shared her love for the brand’s 100% Plant-Derived Squalane earlier this year with Vogue, saying, “This is truly my only secret. I’ve been using this probably seven to 10 years.”

While smoothing it over her face and neck, she added that she’s “obsessed” with the slick and hydrating formula — and that at the low price point, she feels free to apply it liberally.

The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane

The Ordinary

Glaser’s noncomedogenic serum deeply hydrates skin and can even be applied to hair.

It’s also earning incredible reviews saying things like, “This stuff is amazing!! Went from a winter ‘burn’ chapped, botchy areas that were painful to baby-butt smooth in three applications.”

No matter what your skin goals are, these products can be layered or alternated for an entire skincare arsenal that won’t set your bank account back.

Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping

This article was written by Erica Radol, Page Six Commerce Reporter. From identifying the top anti-aging skincare secrets the stars trust to dishing on the latest fashion collabs to finding a great deal on all of the above, Erica has a knack for reporting on – and even testing – Hollywood’s bestselling fashion and beauty products. Before joining Page Six in 2025, she wrote about entertainment, lifestyle and shopping trends for Us Weekly, The Daily Beast, Entertainment Tonight, Well+Good and Hearst.