The Ordinary Launches Its First Eye Cream for Just $9.50

The Ordinary has launched its first-ever dedicated eye cream, and — in typical The Ordinary fashion — the price is almost as interesting as the formula.

The new Lacto-PDRN 4% + B9 Eye Cream costs just $9.50 in the US and £8.70 in the UK, putting it firmly at the affordable end of the eye cream market.

For a product category where prices can easily climb above $40 or $50, that immediately makes it interesting.

And this isn’t simply another caffeine serum.

The Ordinary is positioning its first eye cream specifically around firmness, fine lines, hydration and under-eye bags, using a combination of Lacto-PDRN, vitamin B9 and film-forming technology.

What Is Lacto-PDRN?

PDRN has become one of the more talked-about skincare ingredients recently, particularly in Korean skincare.

Traditionally, PDRN has often been derived from salmon DNA. The Ordinary has taken a different approach with its new eye cream.

Its Lacto-PDRN is a vegan alternative produced through the fermentation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus, creating short DNA fragments that are used in the formula to support visible skin renewal and help improve signs of ageing around the eye area.

That means The Ordinary is able to use a biotechnology-derived version of PDRN without relying on fish-derived material.

The formula also contains vitamin B9, or folic acid, which is included to support hydration and improve the look of skin texture.

Then there is a film-forming technology designed to create an immediate tightening and smoothing effect around the eyes.

So the idea behind the formula is essentially twofold:

an immediate tightening effect, followed by longer-term improvements in fine lines, firmness and the overall appearance of the eye area with continued use.

For me, that makes the new eye cream more interesting than a simple caffeine-based formula aimed mainly at puffiness.

What Does The Ordinary Say It Can Do?

The new eye cream is designed to target:

• fine lines and crow's feet

• under-eye bags

• loss of firmness

• dehydration

• early and more advanced signs of ageing

The Ordinary says the formula can immediately make the eye area look firmer and tighter.

With regular use, the company also claims that its testing showed an 18% improvement in the appearance of fine lines after eight weeks.

As always with skincare claims, I'd want to test that myself before deciding how noticeable the difference really is.

But at under $10, the proposition is certainly interesting.

Finally, A Proper Eye Cream From The Ordinary

What makes this launch particularly interesting is that The Ordinary has never really been known for traditional eye creams.

Its Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG has been extremely popular for years, particularly for puffiness and dark circles, but it's a lightweight serum rather than a conventional moisturising eye cream.

The new Lacto-PDRN formula is different.

It has a lightweight gel-cream texture designed specifically for the eye area, and The Ordinary says it is suitable for sensitive skin and sensitive eyes.

For men who don't want a complicated skincare routine, that might actually be one of its biggest strengths.

Apply a small amount around the eyes after cleansing and before your moisturiser, and you're done.

The Price Could Be Its Biggest Advantage

Eye creams can get expensive very quickly.

I've tested plenty of formulas aimed at men over 40, and once brands start talking about peptides, firming and anti-ageing technology, prices can easily move into premium territory.

That's why $9.50 feels quite aggressive.

It also makes the product much easier to try without feeling as though you're making a major investment in another skincare product.

The 15ml size is fairly standard for an eye cream, so The Ordinary hasn't achieved the price simply by selling an unusually tiny tube either.

My Thoughts

I'm genuinely interested in this one.

Eye creams are one of those products where I think the formulation matters much more than whether the packaging says “for men”.

Men experience the same problems around the eyes — dryness, fine lines, bags and tired-looking skin — and I would much rather recommend a good unisex product than an average formula simply because it comes in black packaging.

The Ordinary also has a reputation for taking ingredients that normally appear in much more expensive skincare and making them accessible.

Whether Lacto-PDRN 4% + B9 Eye Cream actually deserves a place among the best eye creams for men over 40 is something I'd only decide after using it properly.

But at $9.50, I'd certainly like to test it.

And if it performs as well in real life as the specifications suggest, this could become one of the more interesting affordable eye creams I've seen this year.

For more information visit The ordinary.

Jerome

Want to compare it with other options? See my guide to the best eye creams for men over 40, based on products I’ve actually tested.