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Everyone wants flawless, ageless skin. Especially now that I’m forty-something, skincare has become a super important part of my daily routine. Gone are the days of being able to avoid washing my face and applying moisturizer.
One brand that seems to have taken the beauty community (and TikTok) by storm is Deciem, and their skincare brand, The Ordinary.
The Ordinary is known for their simplistic products and affordable prices, so I decided to give it a try, because why not?
I’ve picked up a few products and have been pleasantly surprised so far! I love the price and being able to really target my skincare to my needs.
The Ordinary’s Products
These are a few of the products I’ve tried and some that are super popular:
Squalene Cleanser
The Ordinary has one cleanser available: the Squalene Cleanser. It’s simple, moisturizing, and gets the job done. I’ve found it especially good at removing makeup at the end of the day. The trick is to rub it in your palms for about 30 seconds before applying it to dry skin. It turns from a balm to an oil and leaves my skin feeling so soft and clean, not stripped and dry.
Buffet
Another product I picked up was Buffet and the Buffet Copper Peptides, which is a powerful anti-aging serum. It’s full of multiple peptides that target dreaded signs of aging. My skin looks smoother and less textured since getting it, and some users have even seen an improvement in their acne.
The Ordinary also carries a version of this with copper in it, which is excellent for overall skin health! Once this bottle is out, I may try that one next.
AHA – BHA Peeling Solution
This is the product that broke TikTok. It looks like you’re applying literal blood to your face. Kinda creepy, but also very satisfying to see where the product is going. This peel is a chemical exfoliant, meant to only be used once a week for no longer than ten minutes. It’s helped tremendously with old blemishes and acne scars!
Make sure to only use this as directed (unlike all of those viral TikToks) on clean, dry skin. If done right, gosh, does it make a difference! My skin is much more supple and smooth after a few weeks of using this.
Niacinamide
Their niacinamide is a miracle in a bottle, I’m convinced. It helps with blemishes, the appearance of pores and congestions, and gives your skin an overall healthy, clear glow. It also helps balance oil production, leaving you not too oily and not too dry, but just right.
One thing to keep in mind, don’t use this at the same time as Vitamin C. It’s best to use one in the morning and one at night to not compromise the integrity of either. I’m adding that in because I know Vitamin C is a popular skincare ingredient!
Hyaluronic Acid
Hyaluronic acid is one of the best ways to give your skin the moisture it needs, and The Ordinary’s version is a real winner. We all need a little extra moisture, especially during the winter months when the cold air makes our skin feel so much drier.
It’s a great little burst of life when my skin is feeling dehydrated and blah.
Rosehip seed oil
This is another great facial oil that helps overall skin health and to reduce signs of aging. I love it for a lot of reasons, but especially because it smells so lovely. It’s calming and soothing, which I love after I exfoliate or have any irritation. Bonus points: it also makes a great cuticle oil for your nails!
Now, I want to share my overall takes on the brand and its products:
The Good
Simple and affordable
Perhaps my favorite part about The Ordinary is how affordable it is. You can get high-quality products for so much less than you’d pay for high-end brands. It’s broken down into specific acids, serums, hydrators, etc. letting you build exactly what you need and leave out all of the things that you don’t.
Custom regimen based on your needs
If you have a look at the regimen guide, it breaks down how to build your skincare routine and even gives you a few sample routines based on your needs. They tell you everything you need to know, what order to apply the products in, and what time of day is best.
Quality products
For each product, The Ordinary tells you precisely what you’re getting. And often, they even tell you where it’s coming from or how they produced it. I love this because I can be confident in the products I’m putting on my skin.
The Bad
Their descriptions are super sciencey.
They give a super in-depth description of the ingredients and chemistry behind it for all of their products. Honestly, this can be confusing and overwhelming. I’m so used to a product telling me in simple terms what it’s going to do and having no clue how that works or what produces those results.
I love the idea behind sharing this information, but sometimes deciphering precisely what a product does can be tricky.
There’s so much to choose from, it can be overwhelming.
The Ordinary has a ton, and I mean a TON, of products. Which, in one way, is great because there’s something for everyone. But going through and picking what’s best for you can be overwhelming. Their regimen guide page is a great tool and breaks down each item for you.
With so many products, finding the right ones can take a while. But at the same time, the prices are low, and there’s a return policy, so there’s really no harm in trying things out to find what suits you best!
My overall feelings about The Ordinary
Put simply, I love it!! I love that it’s simple, customizable, and backed by science. I enjoy knowing exactly what I’m putting on my face and why, and I like the results I’ve seen with the products I have so far!
Overall, I’d recommend any of you guys try it out. Do some research, find what you need, and incorporate the products into your routine.
Have you tried any of The Ordinary’s skincare line yet? If you have, what were your thoughts, favorite products, or things you would pass on? I’d love to learn more about what you all think!
Wow! What can I say? I really love it! I especially love how you mention the benefits of trying each beauty product (i.e. copper and vitamin C). And, unlike, most, I appreciate the science-y descriptions. They make me think.
The TikTok references are cool, very dope with lucrative mainstream appeal (the blood description made me bawl with laughter).
However, I wouldn’t say everyone wants flawless, ageless skin.
Still, this post is amazing from start to finish and gives a pretty fair assessment of what to expect.
Great Job!
Thanks a lot! Glad you like it. Stay safe!
Great review. At this time of the year men are frantically looking for valentines gifts. And something like this would be ideal, but like you said, there is a bit of an information overload on their site. It seems ideal for the individual to pick for themselves with no options for a gift package. They missed a trick there.
you’re right, that is a shame. They miss out on a big opportunity here. Anyway, thanks for stopping by! Take care