If you haven't heard of The Ordinary yet, where have you been hiding?! It's taken the beauty world by storm and everyone and their mother has been raving about their high quality products that are seriously budget friendly. Obviously since I love a good bargain, I went ahead and tried out quite a few of The Ordinary's products to see if they really lived up to the hype!
Lots of you have been keen to read my thoughts on The Ordinary and since they have quite a few products, all with very scientific names, it can be quite hard to figure out which products to actually get! Hopefully this post will help you with all of that but if you have any more questions, just send me a message on Facebook or Snapchat and I'll get back to you.
I'm going to chat about the products in the order in which I tried them. The first three products I ordered from The Ordinary was the Advanced Retinoid 2%, the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% and the Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%.
Advanced Retinoid 2%
I chose the Advanced Retinoid 2% over the Retinol 1% because it still fights signs of ageing without causing the irritation that retinol can sometimes result in. I may only be 21, but it's important to have some kind of anti-ageing step in your skincare routine as more of a prevention measure, or at least that's what I've been told anyway! Obviously because this is an anti-ageing product, there are no immediate changes in your skin from using it, but I hope that it'll help in the long run!
Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%
This is a 'high strength vitamin and mineral blemish formula' and I can believe that because if you've got an open pores from freshly squeezed spots (gross I know, but we all do it), you can definitely feel a sting. Niacinamide aka vitamin B3 is known to reduce congestion and blemishes and I'm all about that. Since using this product every night I've definitely noticed my skin being clearer and I don't have as many blocked pores as I usually would.
Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%
If you're looking for brighter, more radiant skin, this product is definitely one to pop in your basket. It also helps to even out skin texture and reduces the appearance of any spots or blemishes you might have. The only negative I have with this particular product is that sometimes, depending on which serum or moisturiser I use afterwards, it can sometimes ball up and kind of peel off of my skin, but other than that I really love how much better my skin has been looking since I started using it.
Since I was pretty impressed with my first lot of products from The Ordinary, I decided to order four more, you know, for the sake of research of course! The products I picked up where the AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution, the High - Adherence Silicone Primer, the Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 and the Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution.
AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution
I won't lie, the description of this product scared me a little, especially since it comes with strict instructions to be very careful because it contains very high concentrations of free acids! It's basically like a mask that you apply and rinse off in under 10 minutes that will exfoliate the skin's top most layer to brighten up your skin. I've only just started to add acids into my skincare but I think they really are the way forward when it comes to brighter, healthier skin. Whilst I do consider my skin to be quite sensitive, I left this product on my skin for about 7 minutes and had no signs of irritation afterwards. It does tingle when it's on the skin but don't panic, that's what you're supposed to feel.
High - Adherence Silicone Primer
This does exactly what it says on the tin, it's a clear silicone primer, much like the Smashbox Photo Finish primer that will help your make-up 'stick' to your skin for longer and will blur out any larger pores or imperfections. I think this is a great product since it's only €5 and some other brands will charge over €15 for the exact same product. Super simple and super affordable, I love it.
I've tried quite a few hyaluronic acids at this stage from a couple of brands and they always tend to be quite pricey, so I was delighted when I saw The Ordinary's offering was under a tenner! Everyone, whether you have dry, oily, ageing or sensitive skin should have hyaluronic acid in their skincare routine. It can hold up to a thousand times its weight in water which means it's going to help your skin hold in moisture and stay super hydrated!
Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution
I've saved the Glycolic Acid for last because I think it's my favourite product from The Ordinary for a few reasons. Firstly, it only costs €8 for 240ml of product, and since you only use a tiny bit on a cotton pad each night, this bottle is sure to last for quite some time. The second reason I love it is because it has one of the highest percentages of the acid I've seen in comparison to other glycolic acid products that only offer around 4% of the acid and cost quite a bit more. Obviously this means that this product is that bit harsher on your skin so I wouldn't advise using it every night straight away, you need to let your skin build up a tolerance to it, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Glycolic acid is an AHA that exfoliates the skin and keeps it looking fresh and bright. It also improves the skins texture, getting rid of any bumps of dry skin. I have that dreaded 'chicken skin' on the backs of my arms and I now use a bit of glycolic acid on them from time to time and it makes such a difference which is incredible because I've tried everything, even steroid cream, to try reduce the effects of it!
So, Is It Worth The Hype?
I can safely say that there hasn't been one product from The Ordinary that I've tried and not been amazed by. I love the simplicity of their products and that each of them only contains one or two ingredients so you can really tailor your skincare routine to your own needs and issues.
I'd advise anyone thinking of trying out The Ordinary to visit their website - here, as they have really in depth descriptions of each product and advise on how to use them. Re-reading these last few paragraphs I've realised this sounds like a QVC advert but I promise Deciem (the company who owns The Ordinary and a few other brands) haven't a clue who I am, I'm just really impressed with their affordable, no nonsense skincare!
I hope you enjoyed this post and that you found it helpful, and if there's any products from The Ordinary that I haven't mentioned and need to try, definitely let me know. Thanks so much for reading!