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Details & care
What it is: A water-based brightening serum specifically designed to target uneven skin tone and visibly improve pigmentation.
What it does: The formula combines a high concentration of purified alpha arbutin, a well-known skin-brightening ingredient, with hyaluronic acid. Purified alpha-arbutin works to target dark spots and uneven skin tone. Meanwhile, hyaluronic acid helps to support product absorption into the skin.
How to use: Apply a few drops of the serum to the face in the morning and evening. Use sun protection during the day. If irritation occurs, rinse off, cease use and consult a physician. Use only as directed on unbroken skin. Patch testing prior to use is advised.
Note: Alpha Arbutin is extremely sensitive to degradation in the presence of water if the pH of the formulation is not ideal. The pH of this formula has been shown to be the most suitable pH to minimize degradation of Alpha Arbutin.
- 1 oz.
- Paraben-free; phthalate-free; silicone-free; sulfate-free
- Made in Canada
- Item #5982029
Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Alpha-Arbutin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Propanediol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lactic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin.
Ingredients are subject to change at the manufacturer's discretion. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, refer to the product packaging
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The Ordinary
The Ordinary is democratizing skin care by bringing well-known active ingredients to market at sensible price points. All products are made in the brand's lab, tested on humans (The Ordinary is vegan and cruelty-free) and use ingredients at their highest quality and most effective concentrations. The Ordinary is Clinical Formulations with Integrity.
Most helpful positive review
Dec 25, 2019
Incentivized review
Great product
Really love this product. I have tried more expensive ones and get the same great results from this for a fraction of the cost. So happy I decided to give this a try.
Melis75
2found this helpful
Most helpful critical review
Nov 22, 2025
The smell is horrible do not buy
There is nothing this product can do for the skin to make it worth the smell. It’s so horrible I’m going to have to throw the bottle away. I was hoping maybe if I put it on and it dried and I put other stuff over it that I’d be fine but I can’t get the smell out of my nose. It smells like putting onions on your face.
TAM
Reposted from deciem.com
deciem.com response
Hi Tam, thanks for taking the time to share your review for Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA! We can confirm that our products do not contain any added fragrance therefore, any scent you may detect is a natural result of the ingredients. With that said, we know that smell is subjective so the scent of some formulas may be stronger to some than others. We're sorry to hear about your disappointment and will ensure this feedback is passed along internally. Please feel free to reach out to our Product Experts via our Contact Page for help finding an alternative: www.theordinary.com/contact
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Sort by Most Helpful
Melis75
Dec 25, 2019
Incentivized review
Great product
Really love this product. I have tried more expensive ones and get the same great results from this for a fraction of the cost. So happy I decided to give this a try.
2found this helpful
Anisafire
Reposted from deciem.com
May 23, 2026
Changed my LIFE
Been using and evened out my face! I used to hate not wearing makeup because of how uneven my face was and I did not want my bf to see right self conscious! I would give this 100 stars if I could! Please don’t stop making this
Salz
Reposted from deciem.com
May 10, 2026
Weird odour
I bought this a couple of weeks ago as it had, mostly, good reviews. I've not noticed any difference yet to my skin but what I have noticed is the smell of this product. Initially there was no odour until 2 weeks later when I thought I could discern something like old rubber but also kind of pungent like onions. Not thrilled tbh. Has it now gone off?!
deciem.com response
Hi Salz, thank you for reaching out to us and bringing this to our attention. It is important to note Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA was reformulated and the new version may have a characteristic odour due to one of the antioxidants. However please rest assured, it will not impact the performance or effectiveness of the product in any way. It is safe to use as intended, though some people may find the smell more noticeable than others. If you feel as though you would like to discuss this matter further, please feel free to visit our Contact Us Form so one of our team members can discuss this with you directly - https://theordinary.com/contact-us.html.
Ref
Reposted from deciem.com
Apr 24, 2026
Removes dark spots
I have been using this product over 2 months and I already see spots fading from my cheeks. Really happy with it!
Gembob83
Reposted from deciem.com
Apr 17, 2026
Paying customer review
Been using this product consistently for the past month and half daily. I’m starting to genuinely notice my dark spots and hyper pigmentation fade.
Sorry I was skeptical and especially with all the ‘gifted product’ reviews but it actually does appear to be working
Happy days
Lily O.
Reposted from deciem.com
Apr 5, 2026
It does work!!!!
I am so happy with my skin tone now! After using Alpha Arbutin 2% consistently for about three months, my sun damage brown spots on my left cheek (the driver’s window side — so be careful when you’re driving for a long time and always protect your skin from sun damage!), as well as the marks left after medical mole removal and a few sebaceous hyperplasias, have completely faded. My skin looks clean, even, and glowing.
I still apply the serum religiously every day, followed by my moisturizer and SPF 50 or higher. Be patient and consistent — you really will see results! ☀️
