The Ordinary UK Returns: 365 Days and DECIEM Orders
Quick answer: The Ordinary’s own UK FAQ says eligible purchases made through DECIEM online or its stores can be returned within 365 days, including unwanted products that are at least 50% full. That is a retailer-specific promise: it does not mean a bottle bought through another shop can be returned to The Ordinary’s warehouse.
Where you bought the bottle is the first thing to establish
Look at the receipt. An order from theordinary.com or a DECIEM shop falls under the brand’s direct-purchase guidance; an order paid to a department store, pharmacy or beauty marketplace must be checked against the selling retailer’s route. The UK returns FAQ explicitly distinguishes third-party purchases. This matters if you received a gift without a DECIEM order number and were planning to post it straight to the brand.
What half-full actually tells you
The FAQ states that an eligible unwanted product must be at least 50% full for a return under its 365-day policy. This is unusual enough to check carefully: do not generalise it to cosmetics sold by other chains. A set or kit has to be returned in full rather than sending back only one opened product from the bundle. Final Sale products and shipping fees are also listed as non-refundable under the company’s voluntary terms.
The website directs customers to its full returns procedure for instructions and tells customers who bought at a temporary pop-up to use a DECIEM shop or contact route instead of sending an unsolicited parcel to a warehouse. Keep your receipt or invoice and use the original sales channel as the starting point.
A practical example: part of a skincare set is untouched
Suppose you bought a three-product set directly from DECIEM, opened one item and left two sealed. The FAQ says sets must be returned in full to qualify under the stated returns policy; it does not offer a partial refund for just the one product you no longer want. Check the complete order and original invoice before packaging anything.
Online purchase and store visit
The Ordinary says an eligible unwanted item bought online can be returned to a DECIEM retail location within the country of purchase, subject to proof-of-purchase requirements. Check whether a suitable store exists near you and review opening details. If you plan to post the product instead, use the return instructions issued by DECIEM; a generic parcel label is not evidence that the company has authorised that return.
What to do while waiting for a refund
The FAQ advises allowing up to 12 business days after a return reaches the warehouse for inspection and approval. That is not necessarily the same as the day you dropped the parcel off. Retain proof of postage, the order reference and any message from the company. If you need an update, use the help and contact links on its UK FAQ rather than publishing product photographs that show a private delivery label.
Policy information checked 2026-09-19. Independent guide; The Ordinary official UK returns FAQ.