The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum On your shelf ✓
Maya's readThe Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum is a serum built around Glycerin, Hyaluronic acid and Lactic acid. It leans strongest on hydration, barrier repair. Best suited to dry, dehydrated and normal skin. Go slow — the active is potent enough to irritate if overused.
Skip it if your barrier is already sensitised or compromised: the acids can sting broken or over-exfoliated skin.
What it delivers
How it feels A light, fast-absorbing texture that layers cleanly under the rest of your routine, with no greasy film. — estimated from the formula
What's in it that matters
Classic humectant with strong evidence for improving skin hydration and supporting barrier when combined with emollients.
Water-binding molecule that increases hydration; works best under occlusive/emollient layers to reduce evaporation.
AHA that provides gentle exfoliation and some humectant effect; generally milder than glycolic but still pH-dependent and potentially irritating.
Stimulant molecule that can mildly reduce puffiness and vascular dark circles by improving microcirculation and exerting antioxidant effects around the eye area.
A water-soluble, sugar-stabilised form of EGCG, the main green tea polyphenol. It is in a formula as antioxidant support, not as the ingredient doing the heavy lifting.
Short chain diol that works as a light humectant, co solvent and preservative booster. It keeps a formula less sticky and microbially stable while hydrating the outer layers.
Key facts
- Type
- Serum
- Key actives
- Glycerin, Hyaluronic acid, Lactic acid
- Fragrance
- None detected
- Fungal-acne (Malassezia) safe
- Likely, by the formula
- Pregnancy
- No flagged actives
- Ingredients
- 25 listed
- Typical price
- ~€10, checked July 2026
How to use it
In the evening, and not every night — 2–3 times a week is plenty. Follow with a moisturiser, and wear sunscreen the next day.
Keep it away from
- Retinoids (retinol, tretinoin)
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Other exfoliating acids the same night
Free from
- Fragrance-free
- Alcohol-free
- Silicone-free
- Paraben-free
Best for
- Dry
- Dehydrated
- Normal
- Combo
Worth knowing
Nothing our knowledge base would flag: no high-comedogenic or pregnancy-caution actives here.
Common questions
Is The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum good for dry skin?
By our read of the formula, it suits dry, dehydrated, normal skin. The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum is a serum built around Glycerin, Hyaluronic acid and Lactic acid. It leans strongest on hydration, barrier repair. Best suited to dry, dehydrated and normal skin. Go slow — the active is potent enough to irritate if overused.
How do you use The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum?
In the evening, and not every night — 2–3 times a week is plenty. Follow with a moisturiser, and wear sunscreen the next day.
What are the key ingredients in The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum?
The actives that do the work are Glycerin, Hyaluronic acid, Lactic acid, Caffeine, EGCG glucoside, Pentylene Glycol. The rest of the list is texture, preservatives and emulsifiers that hold the formula together.
Does The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum contain fragrance?
No. By our reading of the ingredient list it is fragrance-free, which is a plus for sensitive or reactive skin.
Against your shelf
Read from your own shelf, in your browser. We never see it.
The full formula, decoded
Every ingredient on the label, in the order it appears (highest amount first). We link the 14 our library knows, name what each one does, and flag anything that can irritate or clog. The rest we leave plain, nothing is hidden.
- Aqua (Water)Solvent (base)
- CaffeineXanthinemild irritant
- Maltodextrin
- GlycerinHumectant
- PropanediolHumectant
- Epigallocatechin Gallatyl GlucosideAntioxidant
- Gallyl Glucoside
- Hyaluronic AcidHumectant
- Oxidized Glutathione
- Melanin
- Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed ExtractAmino acid (NMF)
- Pentylene GlycolHumectant
- HydroxyethylcelluloseThickener
- Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6Thickener
- roughly the 1% lineThe rules only require descending order above 1%. From Xanthan gum down, these 11 can be listed in any order the brand likes, so position stops telling you anything.
- Xanthan gumThickener
- Lactic AcidExfoliantmild irritant
- Dehydroacetic AcidPreservative
- Trisodium Ethylenediamine DisuccinateChelator (stabiliser)
- Propyl Gallate
- Dimethyl Isosorbide
- Benzyl AlcoholPreservativemild irritant
- 1,2-HexanediolPreservative booster
- EthylhexylglycerinPreservative booster
- PhenoxyethanolPreservativemild irritant
- Caprylyl GlycolPreservative booster
Worth knowing: Lactic acid sits below that line. It is in there, and the label does not tell you how much. That is not the same as saying it is too little to matter.
Copy the raw INCI list
Aqua (Water), Caffeine, Maltodextrin, Glycerin, Propanediol, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Hyaluronic Acid, Oxidized Glutathione, Melanin, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Xanthan gum, Lactic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Propyl Gallate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Benzyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
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We don't make or sell skincare of our own. So there's nothing here we're trying to push, just an honest read of whether this formula suits your skin.
Compare it with…
- Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum vs The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
- Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum vs The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5
- Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum vs The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2%
- Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG Eye Serum vs The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane