The Ordinary Buffet
Seven peptide technologies high in the formula for around $17 — the rational way to buy into peptides.
Reviewed by Dr. Schwarz, MD · Dermatologist
A dermatologist’s take
Recommend.
The Ordinary Buffet is a gentle hydrating serum. Seven peptides is a count, not a dose — they share one budget and none sits high. The hyaluronic acid and amino acid base is what you will feel. Use it if retinoids do not suit you. For wrinkles, retinoids are far better evidenced.
Pros
- No added fragrance
- Good fit for sensitive skin
- Good fit for normal skin
Cons
- Can leave a tacky finish
- Limited evidence for wrinkle improvement
Skin fit
Who is it best for?
Sensitive Skin
Good fitPeptides are short chains of amino acids. They do not speed up cell turnover, so they do not flake, sting or flush.
If retinoids have never worked for you, this is the cheapest way into the alternative. The evidence for peptides is much weaker.
Normal Skin
Good fitSet the peptides aside and it is still a good hydrating serum.
The amino acids, sugars and urea are the natural moisturizing factor your skin cells use to hold water, and hyaluronic acid pulls in more. For around $17 that is a fair buy.
Sun Damage
Okay fitFine lines and slackness come from collagen breaking down faster than the body replaces it. Peptides aim at that in theory, acting as the repair signal broken collagen leaves behind.
Seven in one bottle is a marketing count, not a stronger effect. If your skin tolerates a retinoid, use one — the evidence is far better.
Acne
Poor fitPeptides do nothing to a clogged pore or to acne bacteria. This is a firmness serum.
Hyperpigmentation
Poor fitBuffet is marketed for overall skin quality, which many read as tone. Nothing in it acts on pigment.
Feel & smell
What does it feel like?
Serum
A thin, watery serum; a couple of drops covers the face. It absorbs in under a minute but leaves a faint tack, as hyaluronic acid serums do.
Let it dry fully or it can pill. Fragrance-free, with no scent of its own.
Inside the formula
What do the main ingredients do?
More ingredient roles
How this formula works.
Peptides are short chains of amino acids. When collagen breaks down it leaves fragments, and the cells that build collagen appear to read those fragments as a signal to repair. Apply the fragments and you send the signal without the damage.
Full clinical explanation
Peptides are short chains of amino acids. When collagen breaks down it leaves fragments, and the cells that build collagen appear to read those fragments as a signal to repair. Apply the fragments and you send the signal without the damage.
The evidence does not carry that far. A 2026 systematic review in Frontiers in Medicine pooled 19 randomized peptide trials; only two tested topical peptides, and the wrinkle benefit came mostly from oral collagen studies. Elasticity showed no meaningful effect. Peptides are also large molecules, and skin keeps large molecules out, so most stay near the surface rather than reaching the depth where collagen is made. Much of the research comes from the suppliers who sell them.
The Ordinary Buffet is still the rational way into the category — seven peptide complexes high in the formula for around $17, though seven sharing one budget means none is at a high dose. The base is what reliably works — hyaluronic acid, amino acids and a natural moisturizing factor complex. Peptides are fine for skin that cannot use a retinoid, but not a replacement for one.
Full ingredient list · 51 ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Pentapeptide-18, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetylarginyltryptophyl Diphenylglycine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Trehalose, Fructose, Glucose, Maltose, Urea, Sodium PCA, PCA, Sodium Lactate, Citric Acid, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
All ingredient roles
Glycerin
A small humectant. It moves into the outer layer of skin and holds water there.
Sodium Hyaluronate
A form of hyaluronic acid. Its molecule is large, so it stays on the surface and holds water there.
Water
The base the other ingredients are dissolved in. Most of it evaporates soon after the product goes on.
Xanthan Gum
A thickener that keeps the texture even.
Carbomer
A thickener that gives the product its texture.
Ethylhexylglycerin
Helps the preservative work and softens the feel of the product.
Phenoxyethanol
The preservative. It stops bacteria and mold from growing in the product.
Use & results
How to use it.
How much
A few drops. A thicker layer just sits there.
Layering
Let it dry completely before moisturizer or sunscreen. If it pills, use less and pause between steps.
What to expect
Plumper, better hydrated skin within days — that is the hyaluronic acid and amino acids, not the peptides. Judge it as a hydrating serum; treat firming as a bonus.
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.
Multi-Peptide + HA Serum
A smaller peptide blend in a hydrating base. The simplest way in.
Multi-Peptide Eye Serum
The same idea in a small bottle for the eye area. Nothing in it is reserved for eyes.
Buffet
Seven peptide complexes, high in the ingredient list. The sensible default.
"Buffet" + Copper Peptides
This formula with copper tripeptide-1 added, at roughly double the price.
More about the lineup
The Ordinary sells four peptide serums that overlap heavily. What changes is the number of complexes and the price.
Alternatives
If it didn’t work for you
The Ordinary "Buffet" + Copper Peptides
The same seven peptides plus a disclosed 1% copper peptide, at double the price. Only worth it if copper peptides are the reason you are buying.
Read the review →
Cosrx Peptide Serum
Fragrance-free, about $20 for 150 ml, and its niacinamide is better evidenced than any peptide.
Read the review →Questions
Before you buy
Is The Ordinary Buffet the same as the old Buffet?
Yes. Same formula, now sold as Multi-Peptide + HA Serum.
Will The Ordinary Buffet reduce my wrinkles?
Maybe slightly, over time. Retinoids do more.
Can I use The Ordinary Buffet morning and night?
Yes. It is gentle and layers under other products.
Is The Ordinary Buffet fragrance-free?
Yes.
Is The Ordinary Buffet good for beginners?
Yes. Cheap, simple and low-risk.
Sources
Sources and further reading
- Oral and topical peptides for skin aging: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 in Cosmeceuticals-A Review of Skin Permeability and Efficacy
- Effectiveness of topical hyaluronic acid of different molecular weights in xerosis cutis treatment in elderly: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial
Keep exploring
Keep exploring.
Cosrx Peptide Serum
The Ordinary "Buffet" + Copper Peptides
Acne
Biossance Squalane + Copper Peptide Rapid Plumping Serum
The Inkey List Collagen Peptide Serum
CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream
Glow Recipe Pomegranate Copper Peptides Face Serum
Medik8 Liquid Peptides
Good Molecules Super Peptide Serum
Mad Hippie Corrective Peptide Serum
Naturium Multi-Peptide Serum
