The Ordinary Review: Why This Affordable Skincare Brand Needs to Be Top of Your List

Towards the end of 2016 I’d been wanting to start the process of stripping back my skincare routine and have a more relaxed approach to my beauty regimen and I feel like the guys at Deciem heard me. The Ordinary launched last year and though it took me a little while to get around to picking out and trying a few things (trust me there’s quite the selection), I’m so glad I did. I’ve been trying out a few products from The Ordinary for a few months now, and it’s really changed how I approach my skin everyday. The brand has a simple, stripped back approach in terms of style, application and it’s contents, and that’s exactly the ethos I’d been looking for. The one thing I would say is knowing what you are looking for can be tricky and those with little knowledge of skincare ingredients will need to read up, which The Ordinary have actually made super easy with a regimen guide which shows application and when to apply and even gives a couple of example routines. I would highly recommend checking out their website as there is a fair amount of information there that could be helpful if the range looks a little daunting on the get go.

That aside, I wanted to show you what I’d been using and my thoughts as I think this is a brand you’ll be seeing me mention a lot more in the future! Now, it all started off with the Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 which I thought would be a pretty safe starter as my skin can often be dehydrated and I’ve used seemingly similar products in the past. I use this after cleansing/toning and before any heavier/thicker products like oils or creams. I don’t go too product heavy over top of this, mainly just applying a moisturiser quickly after to allow it to work most effectively with the hyaluronic acid. It’s pretty similar to Hydraluron – that old blogger fave – in concept, so I treat it as such. I generally use this morning and night unless I’m using something else (generally only switch my routine on the odd night – AM stays the same), and tend to keep it to serum and moisturiser. Nice and simple.

A more recent purchase from them which has quickly become a huge love of mine is the Salicylic Acid 2% Solution. It’s an exfoliating acid which is often used to fight blemishes. You may remember I’m a big fan of toners that use Salicylic Acid, and I do use these on occasion, however in my experience I’ve found that persistent, regular use can be a bit too much for my skin, so I do tend to use this at the first signs of blemishes and during my transformation in to spot-zilla, but not when my skin is completely clear. So far this has been working wonders for me and I’ve actually found my recent breakouts haven’t scarred so much. *BREAKS IN TO CELEBRATORY DANCE* One little reminder is that as with any exfoliant, you’re going to want to go in hard on the SPF after using this for at least a week – even if it’s cloudy. I wear it every day that I leave the house so it’s second nature to me, but for those that don’t it’s worth keeping that in mind. Same goes for the next product…

Then we have the Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2%, this is one that I’m currently using in very small amounts a couple of times a week (PM) alongside the Hyaluronic Acid as I’m still building up my skins tolerance levels to it. Even just using a small amount leaves my skin feeling so soft and smooth the next morning so I’m excited to continue using this long term and see how it works with my skin.

Then we have “Buffet” which is described as a “multi technology peptide serum”, and if I’m honest this is the one I’m still a little unsure of so far. I question weather my skin is still a little too young for this as it’s build to target signs of ageing, amongst other concerns. I haven’t given this one too much of a road test as my skin recently broke out and I’m waiting for it to chill before I introduce it in to the rotation on a longer term basis. But I have friends who love and swear by this and it seems to be a popular choice in the range if you want something that does a little bit of everything.

All in all, my experience with the brand so far has been really positive. The product quality and performance for the price range has really impressed me. With so many acids in the range (which require SPF for at least a week after use) the one thing I do feel is missing from the selection is a kick ass SPF (correct me if I’m wrong but I can’t see a dedicated SPF anywhere). It would be great if they could be a one stop shop for all skincare needs but I’m excited to try more and I think The Ordinary also works as a great stepping stone in to other Deciem brands. They’re also Vegan and Cruelty Free as they don’t retail in China AND they retail on ASOS, so if you have your VIP membership you can get a few bits and bobs from them delivered to you the next day (worth doing if everything you want is on ASOS, otherwise delivery from their website can take a few more days). 

TLDR: Effective, affordable, vegan and cruelty free – reasons why this brand is worth a look in a nut shell. Now we know where I stand, I’d love to know your thoughts? Are you interested? Or does it all seem a little bit too science-y for your tastes? 

THE ORDINARY

*This is not a sponsored post, however some links may be affiliate links.