The Ordinary Skincare

‘The Ordinary’ has become some what of a brand to be excited about….every time they release something new it’s suddenly sold out!  Likewise I’m still on the waiting list for their primer to come back in stock since Makeup Artist Wayne Goss suggested that it was the best primer and it was £3.90!  (I’ve been on the waiting list for a couple of months now!!)

Anyway….Brandon Truaxe is the founder of the main company Deciem who under their umberella have brands such as Niod, Hylamide and The Ordinary.   In a chat with skincare expert and amazing beauty blogger  Caroline Hirons, he stated that the reason The Ordinary skincare is so cheap in comparison to others is that “brands, big and small, continue to disguise commodity innovation for ingenuity through creative use of packaging, communication and pricing.”

Essentially brands are charging prices for products, where the actual main active ingredient is a heck of a lot cheaper to make and then it is packaged and advertised along with all sorts of other ingredients and made to sound and look more attractive, therefore adding a hiked price tag.

The ordinary packaging is neat, smart and quite scientific looking, and in honesty…I had to research a lot of blogs and websites to understand which products I might want to try!  On their website they do have suggested regimes for acne, anti-aging and so on so I decided to try a few products from their anti-aging range and if all goes well with these, to then add in perhaps one for my large pores and hormonal acne that I suffer with on my chin from time to time.

The 3 products I bought were ‘Buffet’, ‘Hyaluronic Acid & B5’ and ‘Advanced Retinoid 2%’.

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The suggested regime is then followed with a Cold Pressed Rosehip oil, but as I use a night cream, I decided not to order this for now.  The total of these 3, 30ml serums were a whopping £26.60!!!  Wait…..What??  

Buffet (£12.70 for 30ml), is a peptide fuelled anti ageing serum that contains:

  • Matrixyl 3,000 peptide complex with palmitoyl-pentapeptide 35
  • Matrixyl Synthe’6 peptide complex with palmitoyl tripeptide-38
  • Syn-Ake peptide complex with dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate
  • Relistase peptide complex with acetylarginyltryptophyl diphenylglycine
  • Argirelox peptide complex with acetyl hexapeptide-8, pentapeptide-18
  • Probiotic complex with lactococcus lactis lysate
  • A base of 11 skin-friendly amino acids and multiple hyaluronic acid complex

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Given that I have no idea what half of those are, for the price of a serum that is costing a heck of a lot less than other serums I have used….it’s worth the gamble!  I apply a small amount of this serum morning and night after cleansing and toning.  It is a clear, watery formula which has no harsh smell to it making it pleasant to wear.  It is absorbed into the skin quite quickly.

Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (£5.90 for 30ml), is a serum for intense hydration.  Although my skin has always been oily to oily/combination it’s highly possible that my skin is dehydrated.    Again for £5.90 this was certainly worth trying.  I use a small amount morning and night after applying ‘Buffet’.  It leaves a slight tackiness which lasts for a minute or so then it leaves my skin feeling really smooth and soft.  I follow this with my usual moisturiser (or retinoid at night).

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Hyaluronic Acid, HA, can attract up to 1,000 times its weight in water. The molecular size of HA determines its depth of delivery in the skin. This formulation combines low, medium and high-molecular weight HA, as well as a next-generation HA crosspolymer at a combined concentration of 2% for multi-depth hydration in an oil-free formula.  This HA system is supported with the addition of Vitamin B5 which also enhances surface hydration.   Taken from Victoriahealth.com

Advanced Retinoid 2% (£8 for 30ml) is my first baby-step towards using a full blown retinol.  Retinols are something that really you should really start to use if you are concerned with ageing.  That said, there are a lot of issues with retinols causing issues for sensitive and problematic skins.  Although my skin tends to be ok with most things that I use, I felt it best to try this first given I have also recently introduced my skin to acid toners.  One thing with using any form of retinols / retinoids / vitamin A products is to make sure you use SPF during the day when you’ve used these at night as they can make your skin more sensitive to UV radiation.  I use a few drops of this serum which is a milky, off-white colour in the evening after my other serums and before my moisturiser.  I have to admit, it doesn’t smell great!  I can’t quite tell what it smells of but in honesty, once it is applied to the skin this does dissipate quickly so it is bearable!  I have had no adverse reactions to this product even though I was quite scared to start using it!  I will admit, the information on the contents of this product are a little confusing but for more details see Victoriahealth.com

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My thoughts:  I have been using these serums now for a month and the difference in my skin is great!  It feels much more hydrated, smoother and softer generally.  I’m tackling my skin concerns with a few new products at the moment but have made a new routine out of them all and I have had quite a few comments recently from people saying my skin looks brighter / healthier / glowing etc which is quite unusual for me!  My skin doesn’t feel so oily by midday either!    I have well over half a bottle of the 2 clear serums left as I use these morning and night so at a guess they will last me around 3 months.  The retinoid is only used at night and I do alternate this with other night treatments such as my Alpha-H Liquid Gold or my Advanced Night Repair so that is going to last me a lot longer!  I would buy these serums again…I’d be interested in trying some of the other products that may suit my skin more in the summer months when I do tend to be more oily, but for what I have been using in these 3 serums, they’re doing something right!

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Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think in the comments box below or on my facebook page. Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook…links below xx

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45 thoughts on “The Ordinary Skincare”

  1. Daniela says:
    Reply

    I have to admit that despite my spending ban I also made an order of Ordinary with Victoria Health as I felt that after trying some anti-ageing samples I started having breakouts again and needed something niacinamide and then I thoughts “why order just this when orders over £25 have free delivery and I can loads more of these goodies😁

    Liked by 1 person

  2. stashy says:
    Reply

    It’s so true – expensive seems to equate to innovation, but not at all reflective of the cost of ingredients itself. So good to see a brand that’s passing along the savings to consumers!
    I’ve been very curious about this brand – I’ve read mixed reviews but I still want to try it out for myself. I’m eyeing the Niacinamde + Zinc, Vitamin C, and that 30% AHA peeling lotion!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Bec Campbell says:
    Reply

    I’ve heard lots about this brand. I’ve tried the NIOD range but other than some extra hydration I didn’t really notice much different in my skin. Happy you are seeing results.

    Bec | Beauty With Bec

    Liked by 1 person

    • Beauty and The Ballroom says:
      Reply

      Oh that’s a shame. Hydration is definitely my biggest difference so I think whatever they use that really works. I think I now need to try something for my pores so will see if they can produce results there! 😊 Thanks for reading x

      Like

  8. Nyobie says:
    Reply

    These products sound really interesting. I’ve never heard of the brand but I pay a lot more for products with similar ingredient listings. I hope now that I can get it shipped to Australia.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Beauty and The Ballroom says:
      Reply

      Yes I’m loving that too! Also gives me a chance to try something without paying the earth for it so it’s not so bad if I don’t like it! Although I’m also pretty sure they have a refund policy if you’re not happy too! X

      Like

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