The Ordinary is pulling back the curtain on one of the beauty industry’s most expensive habits: celebrity endorsements. From April 25 to 27, the skincare brand is hosting a three-day pop-up in New York City’s Soho neighborhood titled “The Secret Ingredient.” The experiential installation takes a direct aim at inflated marketing costs and the price consumers unknowingly pay for star-powered promotion.
SKINCARE
Visitors to the pop-up can explore a series of interactive exhibits that illustrate how celebrity deals can drive up the cost of skincare by as much as 100 percent. Photo-ready installations and guided discussions with scientists are all part of the experience, designed to make visible what is often hidden in plain sight. While playful in format, the message is pointed: skincare doesn’t need a famous face to be effective.
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In a statement, The Ordinary pointed out that some A-list endorsements come with price tags as high as $10 million for a single post. Rather than allocating funds to marketing stunts, the brand says it focuses its budget on high-quality ingredients and ongoing scientific research. By removing the celebrity markup, The Ordinary maintains it can offer better products at fairer prices.
“Most people don’t realize just how expensive this ‘ingredient’ can be,” said Amy Bi, VP of Brand at The Ordinary. “So we’re going to show them in the most visceral way possible.” The statement reflects the brand’s ongoing challenge to conventional beauty industry practices, using transparency and education as a core part of its strategy.
This isn’t the first time The Ordinary has taken an unorthodox route to engage consumers. Known for its stripped-down packaging and straight-talking ingredient lists, the brand has consistently positioned itself as an outsider in a market built on prestige pricing.
“The Secret Ingredient” is now open to the public, inviting New Yorkers to see, literally, what they’re paying for when celebrity names are part of the label. While the installations will only be up for three days, the conversation it’s starting around transparency, value, and marketing in skincare is likely to linger far longer.
