Co-founder of The Ordinary on creating innovative products and where skincare is heading

Cult-favourite skincare brand The Ordinary has launched the GF 15% Solution,
a “new-generation” age-support serum designed to regenerate the look of skin through firming, lifting and smoothing. Nicola Kilner, co-founder of parent company Deciem, tells Haley Sengsavanh about the process behind creating the innovative product, where she hopes the skincare industry is heading and which products she uses in her personal routine 

With the launch of the GF 15% Solution early last month, The Ordinary once again posed the question, “What is a scientific advancement worth if no one can access it?” This has been at the core of the company’s brand identity from the very beginning. By keeping its pricing low and its packaging intentionally minimalist, it allows the ingredients and the products to speak for themselves. 

In this sense, the GF 15% Solution fits perfectly into The Ordinary’s existing line-up. But when you look within that signature amber-coloured bottle, this serum is bringing new innovation. Designed for “anyone looking to begin their age-support journey”, the GF 15% Solution can be used morning and night. It features a high concentration of three next-generation plant-based growth factors. While these ingredients exist in formulations currently on the market, they are usually sold for a high cost, whereas this product will retail for HK$146. 

When asked how The Ordinary is able to offer these special ingredients for such an accessible price, Deciem co-founder Nicola Kilner listed a variety of reasons, including cutting down on marketing, packaging and manufacturing costs. “Our ability to democratise not only known technologies but also newer, more innovative molecules is definitely connected to our growth as a brand, which we attribute to our loyal community. In summary, we couldn’t have done it without you!” She also shares that when formulating the GF 15% Solution, The Ordinary was able to purchase the growth factors as raw materials. 

On the topic of growth factors, what are they? When occurring naturally in the body, they are signalling molecules that support the skin’s natural repair processes to help reduce the appearance of signs of ageing. These growth factors undergo a complex manufacturing process, using plants as biofactories, before being incorporated into the serum. Kilner breaks down the entire process for us: “First, a synthetic human gene is cloned into an expression vector, and transcribed in vitro into mRNA. Then, the synthetic mRNA is encapsulated and combined with a mixture of silica particles. This mixture is then rubbed on the plant leaves, where the silica particles create micro-wounds on the leaves’ surface that allows for the mRNA to be manually inserted into the cytoplasm of the vegetal cells. The plant then begins to synthesise growth factors. Finally, the plants are harvested, and the growth factors are extracted from the leaves, purified, analysed and freeze-dried.” 

While some products can take six months to two years to complete, Kilner says the GF 15% Solution was a “quick win”, only taking over a month. The formula was tested on 42 post-menopausal women who used the product twice a day for 10 weeks. The Ordinary said that the results showed that its formulation immediately smoothened and brightened, visibly reduced wrinkles in one week, and firmed and lifted skin of the face and neck in four weeks. Additionally, it said that this product offered barrier support for stronger, more resilient skin with just one use. 

Besides the price and formulation, another thing that sets this product apart is the use of “age support” instead of “anti-ageing.” This was a deliberate choice that reflects The Ordinary’s ethos. “Ageing is inevitable, and you can’t stop it from happening, but you can ensure your skin looks its best as you age,” Kilner says. “Hence age support.” Although this isn’t The Ordinary’s first age-support product, the GF 15% Solution is different due the inclusion of these growth factors, which help repair visible skin damage, support the skin’s natural collagen and elastin content, and more. 

This product also encompasses a saying Kilner often repeats: “Skincare can’t change the world, but it can change how you feel about yourself, and that is what can change the world.” Kilner says she regularly receives messages on social media from customers telling her about the impact Deciem products had on their skin, and subsequently their confidence. She also fondly recalls seeing a customer carry one of the brand’s bags near Spitalfields Market in London – “It made me so proud.” 

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Deciem was co-founded in 2013 by Kilner and the late Brandon Truaxe. What began as a start-up with one product in one market has turned into an award-winning multibillion-dollar company that has successfully launched 10 brands, including The Ordinary. Although the founders set out to “disrupt” the skincare industry, they also set new norms in the workspace with their human-focussed approach. As CEO, Kilner has introduced bold HR initiatives including 24-hour access to counselling and mental health days. Since investing in these programmes, staff retention has increased. “Each month alongside some of our other leaders, I host a new join call. Each call, people new to Deciem share their first impressions, which always include the kindness they’ve felt in joining.” 

It’s clear how integral and personal this is to Kilner. When talking about her biggest goal for Deciem in the coming year, she says, “For Deciem to achieve our dreams is only possible with our team in a great place. So my biggest hope is that our team is healthy and happy, and through that I believe we will continue to serve our community and our commitment to scientific formulas with integrity.” 

Looking ahead, Kilner hopes that with new advances in technology Deciem can also continue to “evolve the ability to analyse skin and offer even further tailored and personalised recommendations”. She also expresses her wish that the skincare industry can continue to be a “more transparent and kinder place” for people and the planet. 

On a more personal note, Kilner’s New Year’s resolutions include adding a small daily habit each month, with the plan being that they will combine into her “most productive year yet.” One of those habits is incorporating The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density and Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow Serum. Other products in her routine are also from The Ordinary, like the Squalane Cleanser and Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, which Kilner says are “the two staples that have never and will never leave [her] daily regime.” Another product currently in rotation that she has “recently been really loving”? The GF 15% Solution. 

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