The Ordinary is a brand that frequently appears in my blog posts, skincare routines, Instagram stories and grid posts. The Deciem ‘affordable skincare’ line is always on the beat bringing out new products that has many people running to order!

**Post Contains gifted items**

The latest product to hit their shelves is this Salicylic Acid 2% Masque.

What is Salicylic Acid?

Salicylic Acid is a Beta-Hydroxy Acid or BHA which similarly to an Alpha Hydroxy Acid or AHA such as Glycolic Acid, is a chemical exfoliant. I often use AHAs in my routine to help get rid of dead skin cells on the surface but BHAs help on a deeper level helping with oily skin and spots. If you are of an oily, blemish prone skin type, this is a good acid for you.

Why The Ordinary Salicylic Acid Masque?

This masque is said to target ‘lacklustre tone and textural irregularities’. It is formulated with charcoal and clays … the first of its kind for The Ordinary line. It is also said to help with the appearance of smoothness, clarity and leaving the skin feeling refreshed and revealing a more radiant skin.

The leave-on masque is designed to be used in a thin layer for no more than ten minutes, once or twice a week. This product does come with a warning to patch test first. This is very important, especially following burn reports with people using Salicylic Acid so checking this product is suitable for you is vital. Another vital instruction is that it MUST be used on dry skin. Moisture on the skin will encourage burns and irritation so dry skin is essential. Lastly, as with all acids, daily SPF usage is even more important as acid use can increase the skin’s sensitivity to the sun. After all, prevention is better than a cure right?

Why shouldn’t I use it?

If your skin is already compromised, peeling, broken then this is not for you. If on patch testing you notice any unwanted reaction, you should also not continue to use.

What do I think of it?

As clearly stated in the title, this is purely an initial thoughts or first impressions post and by no means a long standing review … that will come later but I do like to let you know my initial thoughts especially to see if this changes as I continue to use it and then re-visit my thoughts. I applied the masque as directed on completely dry skin after cleansing. The texture is smooth and easy to apply. I applied a thin layer to my nose and chin – the areas of my face that if I am going to suffer with breakouts, that’s where it will be. That is also where I tend to be more oily – having combination skin. Next time I will also try this on my forehead – I wanted to go gently to begin with!!

When I removed the masque, which was easy with my flannel, no scrubbing away as with some masks I’ve used … my skin felt super smooth and fresh. It felt clean and like it had a deep clean but without anything harsh if that makes sense! I had a little redness but that is usual for my skin following any exfoliation and it lead to nothing more than that. No tingling, no irritation, no nothing!

I am now looking forward to trying it some more and seeing what effects if any this has on my skin over a period of time. I will be back to review soon … and I will include ‘in action’ photos next time too!!

Have you tried this masque? I’d love to know what you think of it!

If you are on Facebook – make sure you check out the Facebook group The Ordinary and Deciem Chatroom for all things Deciem, reviews, questions, discussions and regimes. I am a Moderator within the group along with some fabulous girls who you should also check out … their Instagrams / blogs are below:

• Rachael @rachiecandice
• Nia @niapattenlooks http://www.beautyblogwales.com
• Jess @sk.insta.story
• Tracy @my.face.space
• Jen @jamjarjen.skin.geek
• Anna @ok.ilovethis
• Me!  @beautyandtheballroom
•  Deciem Chatroom 

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Disclaimer:  Items in this post were gifted from Deciem via The Deciem Chatroom. I was not asked to write this post.  All opinions expressed are my own and it was my choice to add links to any websites throughout this post.  Any website links included are not affiliate links and I will not earn commission through you using any link in this post.