Are They Dupes?: Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Gel Vs The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

Last Updated on October 30, 2025 by Giorgia Guazzarotti

You’d think the higher the price, the better a product works, right? Not necessarily. Take The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. It’s only £5.90 but it works better than – and is a great dupe for – Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Gel (£65.00). Yes, really. Here’s how it outperforms the luxury serum and why you should consider adding The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid serum in your skincare routine for some serious hydrating and plumping action.

What Ingredients Do These Hyaluronic Acid Serums Have In Common?

HYALURONIC ACID TO HYDRATE SKIN

Hyaluronic acid is a moisture magnet. It attracts water from the air into the skin and binds it there. It’s so powerful, it can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water! Problem is, hyaluronic acid is too big to penetrate the skin. That’s why, usually, it hydrates only its surface.

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 uses different forms of hyaluronic acid with low-, medium- and high- molecular weight to reach every level of the skin and ensure every layer gets the hydration it needs. Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Gel uses only one (and it comes after the preservative in the ingredient list, so not much of it at all). It’s just not as hydrating.

Related: Why You Should Add Hyaluronic Acid To Your Skincare Routine

B5 TO HYDRATE AND SOOTHE SKIN

B5 stands for pro-vitamin B5. A.K.A. pantothenic acid. In skincare, it goes by different names. Skinceuticals uses calcium pantothenate, the salt form of vitamin B5. The Ordinary uses panthenol, the alcohol form of the vitamin (don’t let the world alcohol scare you; in this case, alcohol’s good) Either way, both forms do the same thing. Like hyaluronic acid, they’re moisture magnets that attract moisture from the air into the skin and keep it there. 

Related: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Panthenol In Skincare

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What Else Is In These Hyaluronic Acid Serums?

SKINCEUTICALS HYDRATING B5 SERUM

• Aqua / Water / Eau: it’s just water. Every serum needs a base, and this is it. It helps everything else mix and spread nicely on your skin.
• Glycerin: basically a hydration magnet. It pulls water into your skin so it feels soft, juicy, and not like sandpaper.
• Phenoxyethanol: the “keep it from going gross” ingredient. Stops bacteria from turning your serum into a petri dish.
• Sodium Benzoate: another preservative buddy. Keeps the formula fresh and safe to use.
• Sodium PCA: your skin already makes this stuff on its own. It helps lock in moisture and keeps everything feeling bouncy instead of tight or dry.
• Disodium EDTA: the cleanup crew. It grabs onto metals (from tap water or the formula) so they don’t mess things up.
• Urea: sounds weird, works great. It softens rough spots and gives your skin that smooth, hydrated feel without irritation.
• Trehalose: a sugar that keeps your skin from drying out. Think of it as a little moisture shield.
• Polyquaternium-51: creates this light, silky layer that holds hydration in. It’s the reason your skin feels so smooth after applying the serum.

THE ORDINARY HYALURONIC ACID 2% + B5

• Aqua (Water): the base of the serum. Nothing fancy, just the thing that keeps everything mixed and spreadable.
• Pentylene Glycol: gives a hydration boost and helps other ingredients sink in better. It also keeps bacteria away, so it’s like a multitasking overachiever.
• Propanediol: another hydrator-slash-helper. Makes your skin feel smooth and helps the serum glide on nicely instead of sticky.
• Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract: fancy name, but it’s just a type of red algae. It’s full of antioxidants and helps protect your skin from dryness and stress.
• Glycerin: the classic moisture magnet. It grabs water from the air and keeps your skin soft and bouncy.
• Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate: total mouthful, but it’s a stabilizer that helps the formula stay fresh and lets the active ingredients do their job better.
• Citric Acid: keeps the pH of the serum balanced so it’s gentle on your skin. Also helps with a bit of mild exfoliation over time.
• Isoceteth-20: makes everything blend together smoothly. Basically the ingredient that stops your serum from separating.
• Ethoxydiglycol: a lightweight texture enhancer that helps ingredients dissolve evenly. Makes the formula feel silky and non-greasy.
• Ethylhexylglycerin: boosts the preservative system and adds a little extra skin-softening power.
• Hexylene Glycol: another texture helper that makes the serum feel smooth and helps everything absorb faster.
• 1,2-Hexanediol: hydrates, smooths, and helps keep the product fresh. Kind of a behind-the-scenes worker.
• Phenoxyethanol: the preservative that stops bacteria from growing. Keeps your serum safe to use.
• Caprylyl Glycol: another multitasker – hydrates, softens, and supports the preservative so your serum stays clean and stable.

WHICH FORMULA IS BETTER?

Both Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 and The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 are basic hydrating serums. Apart from moisture magnets, there’s not much else here. The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 has a higher concentration of hyaluronic acid to hydrate every layer of skin, while Skinceuticals adds other humectants, like urea, to the mix. Still, they all come after the preservatives, so not much there. I still prefer The Ordinary. Just saying.

What’s The Texture Like?

Both of these are watery-gel vibes, but they feel different. SkinCeuticals is basically like sliding your face into a cloud of hydration – it goes on smooth, sinks in instantly, zero stickiness, nothing holding you back. Your skin just drinks it up and goes, “ahhh.” The Ordinary is a little more gel-y. If your face is dry when you put it on, it can feel a tiny bit tacky for a few seconds, but slap it on damp skin and it melts in nicely.

What’s The Fragrance Like?

Good news – both are basically scentless. SkinCeuticals smells like… nothing. Totally ghost, totally clean. The Ordinary is the same, although some people notice a little “skincare-y” smell when you first pump it, but it disappears fast. Neither will offend your nose, and neither is trying to be a perfume, so you can mix them with whatever else in your routine.

What’s The Packaging Like?

SkinCeuticals is the “I spent too much money and I’m not even mad” vibe. Thick glass bottle, dropper feels solid, looks fancy on your vanity – you know you’re treating yourself. The Ordinary is the “cheap, gets the job done” vibe. Clear glass, plastic cap, functional dropper, doesn’t feel luxe but totally works. So if you like fancy packaging that makes you feel like a skincare influencer, go SkinCeuticals. If you just care about hydration and don’t want to break the bank, The Ordinary’s fine.

How To Use Them

Both are stupid easy. SkinCeuticals: a few drops on clean skin, pat in, follow with your moisturizer or sunscreen, and boom – hydrated. Feels great under makeup too. The Ordinary: same deal, but it’s best if your skin is damp first, or it can sit there a little sticky for a sec. After that, moisturizer on top and you’re golden. Both play nice with retinol, vitamin C, or anything else, but SkinCeuticals is like the smooth operator – it layers without fuss. The Ordinary does the same job, just a little more “basic but reliable.”

Which Of The Two Should You Go For?

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5, hands down. You’re getting way more hydration at a fraction of the cost. Now, that’s what I call a bargain!

Price & Availability

Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Gel ($95.00): available at Blue Mercury, Dermstore, Face The Future, and Skinceuticals

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (£5.90): available at Asos, Cult Beauty, SpaceNK, The Ordinary and Ulta

Is The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 A Dupe For Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Gel?

I’m not sure if I would call The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 an exact dupe for Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Gel, just because  its ingredient list is much longer. But, it does the same thing – just better. That’s enough for me to call it a dupe and choose it over Skinceuticals.