These two serums answer the same question, “can one bottle handle aging skin,” in opposite ways, and the gap between them is about $30 and one big ingredient. That’s the whole of a Total Package Serum vs The Ordinary Buffet decision.
The Total Package Serum is a $49 all-in-one that stacks Vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and three peptides. The Ordinary’s Multi-Peptide + HA Serum, nicknamed the Buffet, is a $20 peptide-and-hydration serum with no Vitamin C.
We compared both on price, actives, feel, and real buyer feedback. One is the fuller single-bottle routine. The other is the transparent budget pick with a huge review base. Here’s the split.
Total Package Serum vs The Ordinary Buffet at a glance
| Feature | Total Package Serum | The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum (Buffet) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$49 (30 mL) | ~$20 (30 mL) |
| Vitamin C | Yes (sodium ascorbyl phosphate) | No |
| Hyaluronic acid | Yes | Yes |
| Peptides | Matrixyl, Matrixyl Synthe-6, Argireline | Multi-peptide (incl. Argireline) |
| Approach | All-in-one: look of brightness, hydration, firmness | Focused: peptides + hydration |
| Feel | Light, fast-absorbing | Slightly tacky (per reviewers) |
| Reviews | ~3.8 stars, ~1,200 (Amazon) | ~4 stars, ~2,200 (Sephora) |
| Guarantee | 365-day money-back (official store) | Retailer return policy |
| Where sold | Official store, Amazon | Sephora, Ulta, theordinary.com, Amazon |
| Best for | The look of brighter, firmer skin in one bottle | Cheapest transparent peptide serum |
| Our score | 9.1 / 10 | 8.5 / 10 |
Same goal, two different bottles
Start with what they share, because it’s real. Both lean on hyaluronic acid for hydration and both include Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide-8), the best-known peptide aimed at the look of expression lines. If peptides for the look of firmness are your priority, either bottle delivers them.
The Total Package Serum builds past that with Vitamin C and a second Matrixyl peptide, aimed at the look of brightness, dark spots, and firmness. It’s pitched as the one-bottle routine, and the texture is light enough to layer morning and night.
The Buffet keeps it focused and cheap. It’s a peptide-and-hydration serum with no Vitamin C, from a brand known for plain, transparent formulas. At around $20 for 30 mL it undercuts almost everything, which is the whole reason it’s a cult buy.
Round by round
Price
Round winner: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum (Buffet)Give this one straight to the Buffet. At about $20 for 30 mL, it’s less than half the price of Total Package Serum, and The Ordinary’s whole reputation is built on cutting the markup out of good actives.
The Total Package Serum runs about $49 for the same 30 mL, dropping to roughly $39 a bottle if you buy three. That gap buys the Vitamin C and the extra peptide, but on raw price alone, the Buffet wins.
Ingredients and what they target
Round winner: Total Package SerumThis is where the price gap earns itself. The Buffet is peptides plus hyaluronic acid, and that’s the list. It supports the look of firmness and hydration well, but it does nothing for dullness or dark spots.
The Total Package Serum adds Vitamin C for brightness and a second Matrixyl peptide, so a single application covers the look of brightness, hydration, and fine lines. For an all-in-one, that broader coverage is the point, and it takes the round.
Feel and daily use
Round winner: Total Package Serum
Texture decides whether a serum actually gets used. Total Package Serum’s consistent praise is that it’s light and fast-absorbing, layering cleanly under moisturizer or makeup.
The Buffet works, but a recurring note in reviews is a slightly tacky finish from its peptide-heavy base, which some people dislike under makeup. It’s minor, but for a serum you reach for every morning, the lighter feel wins the day-to-day.
Reviews and trust
Round winner: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide + HA Serum (Buffet)Credit where it’s due: the Buffet has the deeper record. It carries around 4 stars across roughly 2,200 Sephora reviews, a much larger and more independent base than Total Package Serum’s roughly 1,200 Amazon reviews at about 3.8 stars.
Total Package Serum answers with a 365-day money-back guarantee on its official store, which is a genuine trust lever the Buffet’s retail returns don’t match. On sheer volume of feedback, though, the Buffet edges it.
The honest scorecard
What we liked
- Total Package Serum: adds Vitamin C brightening the Buffet skips, in one lightweight bottle
- Total Package Serum: light, fast-absorbing feel plus a 365-day money-back guarantee
- The Buffet: cheaper at around $20 and backed by a large, independent review base
- Both: hydrate with hyaluronic acid and support the look of firmness with Argireline, the best-known expression-line peptide
What we didn't
- Only available online
Who should buy which
Choose the Total Package Serum if you want one bottle for the look of brightness, hydration, and firmness without adding a separate Vitamin C step, and you like the safety net of a 365-day guarantee.
Choose The Ordinary Buffet if you want the cheapest transparent peptide serum and you’re happy to layer your own brightening product on top. It’s a genuinely smart budget buy, just a narrower one.
Either way, both reward a few weeks of steady daily use. For the full breakdown on our pick, read the Total Package Serum review, see how it ranks in our best all-in-one anti-aging serum guide, and find more in the beauty hub.
Check today's Total Package Serum price