The Ordinary exposes skincare myths in ‘The Periodic Fable’

Skincare labels, shelves and ads have long promised the impossible: poreless skin, cellulite elimination, wrinkle-free faces. The Ordinary says it’s time for a reality check.

The brand has launched a new campaign, "The periodic fable", which exposes what it calls the myths behind common beauty claims. At its core is a “scientific table with zero science” featuring 49 terms engineered to overhype products. According to the brand, it’s designed to help consumers separate fact from fiction—and science from story.

The campaign is anchored by a 60-second film that opens in a stark, classroom-like setting. Students dressed in white recite terms such as “poreless” and “wrinkle erasing,” gently patting their faces or performing literal interpretations of exaggerated claims, such as rubbing ice on the skin for “fat freezing”.

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As the pace quickens, the students rise and the lights cut out, leaving a screen with the message: “We’ve been taught beauty wrong. It’s time we all learnt the truth”. The film closes with the campaign name, "The periodic fable".

The Ordinary said the initiative is part of its wider effort to promote transparency in the skincare industry, challenging exaggerated claims and the perception of “miracle” ingredients. “The truth should be Ordinary,” the brand stated.

The campaign follows a growing trend of skincare brands challenging conventional beauty narratives. Earlier this year, Kiehl’s drew attention with its January campaign, "Pubic display type", which created a font from actual human pubic hair in a statement against censorship and in celebration of self-care for all skin, including intimate areas.

The launch coincided with the debut of Kiehl’s intimate care category, featuring products such as ingrown hair and tone corrective drops, and cream-to-powder deodorants designed for all skin types and tones. The campaign also included authentic imagery of models with visible pubic hair, some of which were censored in select store windows and on social media.

That same month, Dove launched #NewYearsUnresolution, encouraging women to ditch unrealistic beauty standards when setting New Year’s resolutions. Participants were invited to write resolutions on sticky notes, and tear them up, or share digital versions on TikTok. British influencer Imogen Horton took part, writing “no more wrinkles” on a note before tearing it up, symbolising her commitment to rejecting societal pressures and embracing Dove’s message.

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