The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
The cheapest real azelaic acid, about $12 — and the worst texture of any.
Reviewed by Dr. Schwarz, MD · Dermatologist
A dermatologist’s take
Eh.
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% is real azelaic acid with a texture people hate. Suspended particles rather than dissolved acid means grit, pilling and a possible white cast. The ingredient works on redness, spots and marks. Give it twelve weeks; if nothing changes, ask about prescription strength.
Pros
- Azelaic acid targets redness, spots and marks
- No added fragrance
Cons
- Can feel gritty or pill
- Can sting sensitive skin
Skin fit
Who is it best for?
Rosacea
Okay fitRosacea keeps blood vessels dilated and skin inflamed through an overactive arm of the immune response. Azelaic acid damps that down.
This is its strongest evidence — a large Cochrane review graded it high quality — and this is the cheapest way to try it.
Acne
Okay fitIt kills the bacteria multiplying inside a blocked pore and slows the shedding that blocks the pore. Slower than a retinoid, gentler than benzoyl peroxide, so it suits skin that cannot take either.
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Okay fitThe brown marks spots leave behind are pigment made by cells the inflammation switched on. Azelaic acid blocks tyrosinase, the enzyme that starts pigment production.
One caution — on deeper skin tones it can lighten skin you did not want lightened.
Melasma
Okay fitMelasma is a deeper, hormone-driven patch on the cheeks and forehead, and the hardest pigment to shift.
Azelaic acid is used for it, but be realistic about strength: the studies behind its reputation used 15% or 20%, the prescription strengths, not 10%.
Sensitive Skin
Poor fitSensitive skin gets sent here because azelaic acid is the gentle option. But this one is grainy and tingles for weeks.
A cream azelaic acid is easier to tolerate.
Dry Skin
Poor fitThe silicone suspension sits on the surface, gritty and drying. Use a moisturizer over it.
Feel & smell
What does it feel like?
Serum
This has the worst texture in the category, and the complaint is universal because it is accurate. It feels gritty because the acid is suspended as particles rather than dissolved.
It dries to a waxy film that can look faintly white. Sunscreen, foundation or moisturizer over it rolls into little balls. Waiting longer helps; it does not fix it. It is fragrance-free and easy to dispense. For most people who quit it, texture is the reason, not the active.
Inside the formula
What do the main ingredients do?
More ingredient roles
How this formula works.
Azelaic acid works on four problems through four actions. It blocks tyrosinase, the enzyme that starts pigment production, which fades dark marks. It damps down the inflammation that keeps rosacea red. It kills the bacteria in a blocked pore. And it slows the shedding that blocks the pore.
Full clinical explanation
Azelaic acid works on four problems through four actions. It blocks tyrosinase, the enzyme that starts pigment production, which fades dark marks. It damps down the inflammation that keeps rosacea red. It kills the bacteria in a blocked pore. And it slows the shedding that blocks the pore.
Rosacea is where the evidence is strongest. A large Cochrane review rated it high quality — a better grade than topical metronidazole, the drug it is usually compared against.
The gap is the dose. Almost every study behind that reputation used 15% or 20%, prescription strengths, and there is very little research at 10%. Brands settle on 10% partly because it keeps a product out of drug regulation. This is real azelaic acid at a price nothing matches. It is just the lower rung of the ladder.
Full ingredient list · 17 ingredients
Water, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Dimethicone, Azelaic Acid, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysilicone-11, Isohexadecane, Tocopherol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Isoceteth-20, Polysorbate 60, Triethanolamine, Ethoxydiglycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
All ingredient roles
Dimethicone
A silicone that smooths the surface and adds to the protective film.
Water
The base the other ingredients are dissolved in. Most of it evaporates soon after the product goes on.
Tocopherol
Vitamin E, an antioxidant. Here it mainly keeps the oils in the product from going rancid.
Phenoxyethanol
The preservative. It stops bacteria and mold from growing in the product.
Use & results
How to use it.
How much
A pea-sized amount for the whole face, spread thin. A thick layer pills worse and works no faster.
Careful
Stinging and itching for the first two to four weeks are normal; start every other night if that is too much. It can cause loss of pigment on deeper skin tones — worth weighing, since people buy it for dark marks. Wear sunscreen daily.
What to expect
Redness settles over about eight weeks, dark marks in three to four months. If nothing has moved by twelve weeks, ask a doctor about prescription-strength azelaic acid.
If it pills — Try this
Apply it last at night, or give it a full ten minutes before anything else touches it.
Price spectrum
Where does the price fall?
Paying more doesn’t guarantee better results. A good buy is a formula with the right ingredients, strength and texture for your skin. Use price per ounce to compare cost, then weigh it against the pros and cons above.
The product line
Which The Ordinary product should you choose?
The Ordinary organizes much of its range around named ingredients. That makes side-by-side comparisons useful, but a higher percentage or an extra peptide is not automatically an upgrade. Choose the ingredient for your concern, then compare strength, texture and tolerance.
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
The strongest by a wide margin, and a rinse-off mask, not a nightly step.
Lactic Acid 10% + HA
A leave-on AHA. It resurfaces; azelaic acid does not.
Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
Filed with the exfoliants, but it does not exfoliate. It calms redness and fades marks.
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
The gentlest route to even tone, with no acid at all.
More about the lineup
The Ordinary sells a long shelf of products for uneven tone and rough texture.
Alternatives
If it didn’t work for you
Peach Slices Azelaic Acid
Real 10% azelaic acid in a gel-serum that absorbs cleanly, $13 to $16. None of the grit.
Read the review →
Facetheory Blemicalm Azelaic Acid 10% Clarifying Serum
The acid is dissolved, not suspended, so no grit and no white cast. $20 to $26, often sold out.
Read the review →
Paula's Choice BOOST 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
The same 10% molecule in a smooth gel-cream at three times the price, plus 0.5% salicylic acid.
Read the review →Questions
Before you buy
Is The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% real azelaic acid?
Yes. Genuine azelaic acid at 10%, not a derivative.
Why does The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% feel gritty?
The acid is suspended as particles, not dissolved.
What is The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% best for?
Rosacea. It also helps acne and dark marks.
Can I wear The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% under makeup?
It pills, so most people use it at night.
Will The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10% sting?
Some stinging or itching is common at first.
Sources
Sources and further reading
Keep exploring
Keep exploring.
Peach Slices Azelaic Acid
Facetheory Blemicalm Azelaic Acid 10% Clarifying Serum
Paula's Choice BOOST 10% Azelaic Acid Booster
Acne
Melasma
Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation
Rosacea
Dry Skin
Naturium Azelaic Acid Derivative Complex 10%
Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Azelaic Acid
