The Chia Pet Comparison: Why Expert Humor Outperformed Expensive Hair Commercials

Ordinary hair serum has me looking like a chia pet but at least it works

Growth for The Ordinary's serum started in earnest on January 28, 2026, when dermatologist @denverskindoc uploaded a humorous stitch video. By comparing the results to a 'chia pet,' the creator leveraged expert authority to validate the $17 serum. This single inflection point triggered a sales surge that propelled the product to rank 203 in the haircare category within 24 hours.

Haircare

Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density

· Price: $20.00$24.00

· Launch date: 2018.NaN.NaN

· Rating: 4.6 ★ (699 reviews)

· Commission: 15%

Period: 2025-11-16 ~ 2026-05-14

GMV

$16,968

Units sold

707

Creators

Videos

Video GMV

$13,128

77.4%

Live GMV

$172

1.0%

Customer reactions

Positive

“Product benefit: My edges are growing and I like that the oil is lightweight Scent: No bad scent”

Positive

“I have fine hair and perimenopause hair loss. I still use minoxidil drops at night but adding this has been phenomenal. Hair growt...”

Negative

“Bottle was open and leaking”

Why this product

Clinical TransparencyNon-Greasy FormulaExpert Endorsed

The 'Skinification' of Hair Care

The growth of this serum is tied to the Skinification of hair care, a trend where shoppers treat their scalp with high-performance ingredients. Consumers are increasingly looking for peptides and acids traditionally used for the face in their haircare routines. The Ordinary was perfectly positioned to capture this demand due to its existing reputation in clinical skincare.

Clinical Results at an Accessible Price

While similar clinical products in the category average a revenue of just $257, this serum achieved 66 times that amount. It offers a science-backed solution at a price point that makes it an easy add-to-cart compared to premium rivals. The affordability significantly lowers the barrier for first-time users experiencing hair thinning.

Comparison with premium clinical competitors.

Item	The Ordinary	Competitor product
Key technology	Multi-Peptide Blend (Redensyl, Capixyl)	Protein-based Hair Density System
Texture Profile	Water-based, non-greasy serum	Traditional oil or heavy conditioner